Executive Digest Special MBAs – The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova

The Lisbon MBA in Executive Digest
In an interview with Executive Digest, Maria José Amich, executive director of The Lisbon MBA, explains how students develop their leadership potential to become Principled Global Leaders.
The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova represents an exceptional partnership between two top business schools, Nova SBE and CATÓLICA-LISBON, in collaboration with MIT Sloan. What assessment do you make of this partnership after 15 years?
Over these 15 years, the partnership with the MIT Sloan School of Management, internationally recognized as a hub of entrepreneurship and innovation, has provided our students with an immersive experience in this privileged ecosystem. In the case of The Lisbon MBA International, a 12-month full-time intensive program designed for high-potential professionals with an average of eight years of experience who aim to accelerate their careers in Portugal or internationally, or develop their business, it includes a one-month immersion at MIT Sloan in Boston (USA), with courses focused on entrepreneurship and digital transformation. For the Executive MBA, a 22-month part-time program designed for more senior professionals with an average of 13 years of professional experience aiming to advance to C-Level positions, the immersion period is one intensive week. In addition to experiencing campus life at MIT Sloan, students benefit from world-renowned academic and professional professors in areas such as Entrepreneurship, Technological Innovation, Digital Business Models, among others. At The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova, we concentrate our MBA programs on empowering our students, particularly by nurturing their innovative and entrepreneurial spirit, fostering critical thinking, and enabling them to solve complex problems. The partnership with MIT serves as a significant catalyst in this endeavor.
How can The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova contribute to the evolving priorities of entrepreneurs? How does it support the career paths of individuals who are drawn to entrepreneurship?
We offer numerous opportunities for students to implement business projects and participate in acceleration programs, providing them with the tools to unlock their potential. The Lisbon MBA Entrepreneurship Hub and the Alumni Startup Contest are examples of initiatives that foster the development of entrepreneurial spirit and innovation. They enable students to develop and present their business ideas to a group of investors and leaders, as well as the opportunity to participate in the Web Summit competition and emerge as winners. A recent example is our alumnus Henrique Prado Ferreira, who won the Web Summit 2023 contest, competing with more than 2608 startups with his company Inspira, of which he is a co-founder. It’s about giving our students the tools to unlock their potential. We also highlight the collaboration with Start-Up Lisboa in acceleration programs to foster entrepreneurship. Furthermore, we regularly organize masterclasses on entrepreneurship, with the recent standout being the Masterclass on “The Future of Entrepreneurship,” delivered by renowned Professor Paul Cheek, Executive Director of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship.
How does your MBA program address the theme of digital transformation?
The transformation of business models and technological innovation lies at the heart of The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova programs. Our program content is continuously updated to keep pace with emerging trends, including artificial intelligence, covering areas such as Data Analytics, AI, Digital Marketing, and business ethics, to prepare leaders for the digital landscape. The Lisbon MBA International and Executive programs go beyond merely imparting professional skills. They aim to shift students’ perspectives on the world, equipping them to feel prepared, confident, and enriched to navigate and lead in a VUCA world (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous).
At The Lisbon MBA, leadership skills are viewed not as “soft skills” but as “deep skills” that will sustain a mindset capable of making a lasting and positive impact on people, businesses, and society. In this sense, how important is the Leadership Development component and Emotional Intelligence in the programs?
Our programs distinguish themselves, among other aspects, through their holistic approach, which is one of the pillars of The Lisbon MBA. This approach integrates the most cutting-edge trends in business management with the development of leadership, behavioral, and relational skills. Fostering leadership potential with a tangible impact on our students is an integral part of our mission to train Principled Global Leaders.
In addition to core and elective courses, students cultivate leadership skills by collaborating with diverse teams throughout the program. There’s a component named Leadership Stream for the Executive MBA and LEAD for the International MBA, which specifically hones what we call “deep skills,” focusing on interpersonal dynamics. Students begin by reflecting on their leadership style and learn self-management techniques, developing skills to unlock their potential to motivate and engage their team members, fostering a positive work environment. Within this leadership component, we offer sessions dedicated to topics like Finding your Purpose, Emotional Intelligence, Ethics and Sustainable Leadership, and Embracing Diversity, among others. It also encompasses a practical aspect called Leading in Action, facilitated by partnerships with the Portuguese Navy and, for the Leadership Stream, Group Coaching and P2P Coaching sessions, led by accredited international coaches with extensive executive-level experience. Mastering effective communication, negotiation, persuasion, influence, resilience, and adaptability are also integral parts of this learning and development journey. Furthermore, we emphasize the Social Leadership component within LEAD, which focuses on volunteer initiatives, notably through our collaboration with Just a Change.
Additionally, students have the option of 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 been promoting 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 diversity of classes is a fundamental aspect of your mission in fostering the potential of students as global leaders. What are the primary factors contributing to this achievement?
Diversity and inclusion are embedded 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 advance their careers, who want to challenge their limits, with intellectual curiosity, who are eager to drive and inspire purposeful changes, and who want to have a transformative learning experience, becoming leaders with a positive impact on society and the world. Alongside the academic ability to master analytical and quantitative concepts, we seek candidates who bring diverse perspectives and experiences. We strive to cultivate classes that excel in diversity and inclusion, encompassing a wide range of cultures, genders, beliefs, educational and professional backgrounds. This ensures that a variety of perspectives enriches the learning environment, fostering collaboration, teamwork, and vibrant classroom discussions characteristic of an MBA program. Our commitment to diversity is evident in the academic makeup of our student body. This year, the full-time International MBA program boasts its highest diversity levels to date, with over 60% of foreign students representing 13 nationalities. These students bring diverse experiences from various sectors and industries, including technology, public sector, education, retail, transportation, consulting, healthcare, and the third sector (NGOs). We are particularly proud of the increasing participation of women, who now comprise 61% of the total students in the class of 2024. We believe that the international dimension and diversity within our program are assets that enrich the overall experience and contribute to transforming students’ mindsets. In our action learning-based teaching model, diversity plays a crucial role in creating a unique and enriching experience. It allows for the exploration of new perspectives, leading to innovative research angles, analytical models, strategic critical thinking, and novel solutions to real-world challenges. To promote diversity, inclusion, and excellence, we offer several scholarships: The Lisbon MBA Scholarship, aimed at candidates who, due to their strong diversity component, will contribute exceptionally to the enrichment of classroom learning; the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Scholarship, for candidates with a solid experience in the entrepreneurship ecosystem; the Woman in Business Scholarship, aimed at female candidates with remarkable careers; the Social Impact Scholarship, for professionals who have worked in this sector for at least two years; and the Merit Scholarship, for candidates with an excellent academic background. In conclusion, we believe that it is the richness of diversity that allows us to develop the leaders we aim for: resilient, highly adaptable, prepared for impactful change and for the future.
Excellence
The Lisbon MBA has been present in the Financial Times ranking since 2013. It is a source of great pride and motivation to continue working and offering programs of excellence. Specifically, in 2024, it was once again recognized as one of the best MBAs in the world and is the only one in Portugal present in the Financial Times rankings with both programs, which had significant increases. It is worth mentioning that in the latest ranking, the Global MBA Ranking, The Lisbon MBA International is the 5th MBA in Europe with the highest increase, rising 11 positions globally, being the 24th MBA in Europe. It reached the 4th position in the world in International Course Experience. We also highlight that it reached the 18th position in Europe regarding the career progression indicator of its students, with a salary increase of 81% three years after graduation. It is also noteworthy that the International MBA achieved a 91% employability rate three months after completing the program. These results derive from a combination of factors, from the partnership that brings together three world-renowned schools – CATÓLICA-LISBON, Nova SBE, and MIT Sloan – to partnerships with top business schools and internationally renowned faculty with strong professional experience. On the other hand, the educational approach of the programs focuses on the development of management and leadership skills that organizations are seeking in their managers now more than ever.
Read the full article (original) in Portuguese here.
Source: Executive Digest