There are many components that consistently make The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova stand out among the best MBAs in the world and belong to the exclusive group of less than 1% of business schools with Triple Crown accreditation. In an interview with Executive Digest, Maria José Amich, Executive Director of The Lisbon MBA, explains the program’s success and the excellent professional careers of its graduates.

 

 

The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova once again stands out in the “Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2024,” climbing 11 positions to become the 74th best in the world and the 24th best MBA in Europe. What does this distinction mean?

 

It is with great pride that we have once again been recognized as one of the best MBAs in the world, and we are the only one in Portugal present in the Financial Times rankings with both programs, both of which have seen considerable improvements. In this latest ranking, The Lisbon MBA International program is the 5th MBA in Europe with the highest increase. We also highlight that The Lisbon MBA has reached the 18th position in Europe regarding the career progression indicator of its students, with a salary increase of 81% three years after graduation, with an average gross annual salary of $120,575 USD. This figure was the 5th best in Europe in terms of salary progression. It is also worth noting that the International MBA achieved a 91% employability rate three months after program completion. This distinction results from a unique combination of differentiating factors in our educational offering. On one hand, we offer a global MBA experience with a prestigious international component, fostered by the immersion program at MIT Sloan, in the top 10 in the world, as well as exchange opportunities with prestigious MBAs. The international profile of our programs, combined with personalized learning, increasingly attracts international students. In the current class of The Lisbon MBA International, we have the highest number of foreign students from different backgrounds, creating a microcosm that greatly enriches the learning experience. All these aspects have contributed to our achievement of the 4th position in the world in the International Course Experience ranking. It is also noteworthy that our graduates, supported by the career development service and by a dynamic and international alumni community, are receiving career opportunities from global recruiters such as Accenture, Google, OutSystems, Galp, Microsoft, McKinsey, EDP, among others.

 

 

What are the main factors contributing to the success of your program?

 

We highlight a combination of factors, from the successful partnership that brings together three world-renowned schools – CATÓLICA-LISBON, Nova SBE, and MIT Sloan, to partnerships with top international business schools, and to the internationally renowned faculty with strong professional experience. On the other hand, the educational approach of the programs goes beyond the knowledge of business fundamentals and trends, focusing on the development of management and leadership skills that organizations are seeking more than ever in their managers. The ability to manage and lead in multicultural environments, where diversity prevails, is highlighted as a driver for innovation, and the inclusion of diverse perspectives and viewpoints that will contribute to achieving sustainable growth and thriving in a volatile and changing environment. Our mission is to train Principled Global Leaders, which requires constant and continuous innovation in programs, curriculum, format, and partnerships, among other aspects. We have strengthened our network of partnerships with companies and organizations that have increasingly been following market trends, with the aim of bringing our students closer to the business reality and gaining fundamental skills such as resilience, particularly in managing and leading based on models that promote their best performance as well as that of their teams. We highlight the collaboration with the Portuguese Navy to foster leadership and team building skills, and the collaboration with Start-Up Lisboa in acceleration programs to foster entrepreneurship. At the international level, we have been reinforcing our partnerships. In addition to the long-standing collaboration with MIT Sloan, we have developed new partnerships with prestigious MBAs such as St. Gallen in Switzerland and Esade in Spain, which have reinforced the current exchange programs with other MBAs, including the Dom Cabral Foundation in Brazil and the University of San Diego in the United States. Through these partnerships, students have access to challenging elective courses, including Marketing Strategy for the Digital Era, Frictionless Marketing & Omnichannel Strategy, and the Singapore Mission Study. In this last one, students will spend five days in Singapore, one of the most dynamic cities in Asia, where they will gain exclusive and in-depth knowledge about Asian culture and its business dynamics, as well as interact with companies and managers in this new business context. We have also strengthened our collaboration with Amrop, a leader in Executive Search, to support our students in implementing their career plans, and with LBC Innovative Transformation, involving a competition whose prize consists of a week of training in Silicon Valley, California. Networking is further reinforced by a community of around 3000 alumni worldwide and by The Lisbon MBA Alumni Club, which promotes the development of international chapters in various countries such as India and Brazil, as well as sectorial and thematic chapters on topics such as entrepreneurship, sustainability, and female leadership, among others. In summary, all these components consistently make The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova stand out among the best MBAs in the world and belong to the exclusive group of less than 1% of business schools with Triple Crown accreditation, the highest guarantee of quality that an MBA program can have.

 

 

The diversity of classes is a fundamental aspect of your mission to foster the potential of students as global leaders. What are the main reasons for this success?

 

Diversity and inclusion are present in the DNA of The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova. We seek a diverse group of candidates with high ethical standards and strong potential who share our mission and values, who aim to drive their careers forward, who want to challenge their limits, with intellectual curiosity, who are eager to drive and inspire purposeful change, and who want to have a transformative learning experience, becoming leaders with a positive impact on society and the world. Alongside academic ability to master analytical and quantitative concepts, we seek candidates who bring diverse perspectives and experiences. We aim to have classes that excel in diversity and inclusion, defined in the broadest sense, ensuring that a variety of cultures, genders, beliefs, educational and professional experiences will elevate learning standards and add value to sharing, teamwork, and classroom discussion in this transformative experience that characterizes an MBA program. Diversity also reflects in the academic background of our students, and this year, the full-time International MBA program stands out with the highest diversity ever. The class has over 60% foreign students, covering 12 nationalities, with different backgrounds and professional experience in various sectors and industries, focusing on areas such as technology, the public sector, education, retail, transportation, consulting, healthcare, and the third sector (NGOs). We also highlight the growing participation of women, who now represent 61% of the total students in the 2024 class of this program.

 

 

The future is built through the development of talents and more human, innovative, and inclusive leaders capable of leading with Purpose. How does your course contribute to this purpose?

 

Our programs stand out, among other aspects, for their holistic approach, one of the pillars of The Lisbon MBA, integrating the most cutting-edge trends in business management with the development of leadership, behavioral, and relational skills. Developing the impact leadership potential of our students is an integral part of our mission. In addition to core and elective courses, where students learn to develop leadership skills by working with diverse teams throughout the program, there is a specific component called Leadership Stream for the Executive MBA and LEAD for the International MBA, which specifically focuses on soft skills that we like to call “deep skills,” centered on people. The student begins by reflecting on their leadership style and learns to self-manage and develop skills that will allow them to discover the best version of themselves to motivate and mobilize the best in the people they lead, building a positive work culture. In this leadership component, we have sessions dedicated to Finding your Purpose, Emotional Intelligence, Ethics and Sustainable Leadership, Embrace Diversity, among others. It also includes a more practical component of Leading in Action, through partnerships with the Portuguese Navy and sessions of Group Coaching and P2P Coaching accompanied by accredited international Coaches with extensive experience with executives. Mastering the art of communication, developing negotiation, persuasion, influence, resilience, and adaptability skills are also part of this learning and development journey. We also highlight the Social Leadership component, focusing on volunteer actions, particularly with Just a Change. Additionally, students have the opportunity to receive personalized support from our careers department and participate in counseling and mentoring sessions with C-Level Executives. It is also worth noting the dynamic alumni community that has promoted the development of international chapters in various countries, such as India and Brazil, as well as sectorial and thematic chapters, on topics such as entrepreneurship, sustainability, and female leadership, among others.

 

 

The faculty is also one of the fundamental factors for the prestige of The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova. How would you characterize it?

 

Our faculty is recognized for excellence in teaching combined with professional experience, challenging students to solve complex management cases using real and current examples from companies, and promoting debate in the classroom and the sharing of knowledge and interaction between teachers and the class, in enriching and very transformative communication. As mentioned, and as recognized by the Financial Times rankings, the diversity of the faculty is a priority focus of the programs, with 35% of international professors and 38% female gender. Students are challenged and inspired by the professors to test their critical thinking, explore new ideas and ways to seek creative solutions to complex problems, reflect, and develop their leadership styles. The professors of The Lisbon MBA not only focus on empowering our students to become excellent managers and future leaders but also guide and advise them, instilling confidence in them to achieve their goals.

 

 

The partnership with MIT celebrates 15 years in 2024. How has it contributed to the development of The Lisbon MBA and driven entrepreneurship?

 

The MIT Sloan business school has long been recognized as a hub of entrepreneurship and innovation, providing a plethora of opportunities and activities, with the world’s best professors, who make a difference and open doors to our students. Through the intensive 12-month, full-time program, The Lisbon MBA International, aimed at high-potential professionals, with an average of eight years of experience, who want to accelerate their careers in Portugal or internationally, or develop their business, students spend a month immersed in MIT Sloan in Boston (USA), with courses focused on entrepreneurship and digital transformation. The partnership with MIT provides our students with an immersion experience in this privileged ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation (the immersion period is one month for the International MBA and one week for the Executive MBA). In addition to sharing the experience of life on campus, they have access to academically excellent professors in areas such as Entrepreneurship, Technological Innovation, Digital Business Models, among others. At The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova, we focus our MBA programs on empowering our students in developing their innovative and entrepreneurial spirit, critical thinking, and the ability to solve complex problems, with the long-term partnership with MIT being a significant driver. We offer numerous opportunities for students to implement business projects and participate in acceleration programs. The Lisbon MBA Entrepreneurship Hub and the Alumni Startup Contest are initiatives that foster the development of entrepreneurial and innovative spirit. They allow students to develop and present their business ideas to a set of investors and leaders, as well as the opportunity for Alumni to participate in the Web Summit competition and be winners. A recent example is the former student Henrique Prado Ferreira, who won the Web Summit 2023 PITCH competition, competing with more than 2608 startups with the company Inspira, of which he is a co-founder. It is about giving our students the tools to unlock their potential.

 

Read the full article (original) in Portuguese here.

 

Source: Executive Digest