23/07/2024
Business Sprints are core to the Executive MBA. They provide hands-on learning that lets participants apply knowledge to real-life business challenges.
Our Executive MBA is renowned for its curated, highly practical approach, which prepares mid-level professionals for the reality of the C-suite. One way it achieves this is through Business Sprints, a series of intensive courses that prepares participants to apply theoretical knowledge and industry best practices to practical, real-world business challenges.
What are Business Sprints? For hands-on learning
When it comes to business, we believe there’s no substitute for real-life experience. That’s what Business Sprints are all about—confronting students with real-life scenarios to prepare them for similar challenges in their professional future.
Business Sprints play a central role in the EMBA journey. They simulate business challenges that participants solve by applying what they have learned in the program.
These real-world scenarios are a team effort and build practical expertise, allowing learners to solve an ongoing problem for leading companies as well as small to medium-sized enterprises.
Business Sprints take place throughout the program. By immersing participants in the consulting role, they sharpen design thinking and problem-solving skills, informing how students define challenges, identify solutions, take advantage of joint capabilities and implement change in the real world. They also encourage collaboration, where solutions are found thanks to the contributions of all team members. With guidance from experienced faculty and sector experts, participants receive valuable insight and retrospective reflection to help them continue to succeed throughout their education journey.
Guided by the experts
Business Sprints are overseen by industry leaders, positioning participants to make connections. It lets them work with high-level executives in organizations like Endesa, Santander and the European Space Agency. Students are exposed to rich perspectives and learn to apply knowledge to real-life business challenges.
These immersive experiences allow us to apply classroom concepts to real-world situations, foster collaboration and perform under pressure—invaluable skills for our future careers. A heartfelt thank you to our exceptional professors. – Nurgiza Shamshibekova, Executive MBA student and Business Sprint participant
Business Sprints for a range of functions
Our EMBA students have very different backgrounds. The current cohort comprises over 30 nationalities, reflecting the diversity of the wider IE Community. They come from diverse industries, too. With such varied profiles and professional ambitions, a one-size approach does not fit all.
That’s why the Business Sprints are curated to our students’ needs. Courses cover different functions, such as:
• Digital
• Corporate Finance
• Operations
• Commercial
• Leadership and Change
• Innovation and entrepreneurship
• Strategy
Leadership development
For executives with C-suite ambitions, the program provides tools to navigate today’s dynamic landscape. Modern business leaders need to be just as adept at culture, risk and project management as they are at nurturing ESG and diversity, equity and inclusion strategies.
Amazing! We have learned to listen, understand business from different points of view, to be vulnerable and work in teams, to build teams, be authentic and be accountable. Above all, we leave with the responsibility of applying all this knowledge in our day-to-day lives to be better professionals and people. – Alejandra Badilla, Executive MBA student and Business Sprint participant
Stakeholder relations
When Executive MBA students graduate, they enter a highly globalized and rapidly evolving business ecosystem. They’ll have to deal with a broad range of people, from CEOs, CFOs and CIOs in their own boardrooms, to investors, media representatives and many other external players.
So, Business Sprints show them how to address real-world scenarios that not only mirror the complex needs of internal and external stakeholders, but also involve competing imperatives.
Our “Learning by Doing” philosophy imparts valuable practical experience they can utilize well beyond the program.
A chance for reflection
Each Business Sprint features a Reflection Lounge where participants take a retrospective look at what they have learned from the course. Working with a career advisor, they draw on the expertise of a senior industry figure to examine how to add value to their organization and their own profile.
Ready for the real business world
Such hands-on learning empowers EMBA participants to overcome real-world challenges innovatively, setting the stage for a successful career. And our approach works—in the race for the most sought-after jobs, Business Sprints give our graduates a flying start.
