With a full class, the Executive MBA Class of 2016 kicked off the program at MiLgårdarna in Klippan. As usual, the start of the fall term was marked by a solid lineup of participants from a wide variety of companies and industries. The participants have 18 educational months ahead of them in which they will be trained in strategy, leadership and business development.
“It’s always inspiring and fun when it’s finally time for the program to begin. It’s the beginning of an amazing journey of growth that the participants embark on together,” says Tony Åkesson, Director of the Executive MBA at EFL. The program is held in the form of residential sessions with meetings three days each month. “During such a long program, the participants build strong networks and have time to share many experiences together,” Tony Åkesson continues.
The Executive MBA Class of 2016 is held from September 2014 to February 2016. This is the second class with the new structure EFL has developed. Thus far, the new development has been met with nothing but positive reactions.
“EFL has successfully delivered the Executive MBA since 1999 in partnership with the Lund University School of Economics and Management. At the start of the program in 2013, we implemented a new development process to take the lead in bringing Executive MBAs to the next level,” says EFL CEO Henrik Lundgren. “Our new structure puts a lot of focus on thinking innovatively about how business models are developed, but we’ve retained parts such as strategy and leadership, areas in which we always excel. Due to increased globalization and new market conditions, we’ve seen that many companies need help finding new ways of thinking about how they develop business models. They provide good products and services and have satisfied customers, but they no longer manage to make money,” says Henrik.
To be able to think more freely about business models, EFL has placed the program’s international project in Africa. In January 2015, the current Executive MBA Class of 2015 will be traveling to Angola, Mozambique and South Africa to help ABB with strategies for establishing itself in these countries. The idea is that a continent such as Africa, where there is still an abundance of unexplored business opportunities, will help participants think creatively about business models.
“As far as I know, we are the first Executive MBA in Europe to go to Africa for our international project. This is made possible by many contacts in Africa and a whole university with expertise relating to the continent,” says EFL CEO Henrik Lundgren.