Designed for Tomorrow's Challenges: The New BSL MBA

There’s more than just ambition circulating at BSL. Change is in the air and it’s imminent. Launching this May and starting September 2009, BSL introduces an entirely new modular MBA program with added advantages across all programs.
Even more, BSL will open the MBA program to qualifying business professionals, by offering 3-day courses as seminars. This means students and professionals will soon be talking business side-by-side in BSL classrooms.

“We might possibly be the first business school in the world to do this and I’m thrilled that BSL, known for business innovation, is taking lead,” said Katrin Muff, Dean of BSL.

In formulating the new program, Muff met with and took into consideration the educational needs of corporate executives and HR directors. Her pro-activeness was welcomed.

“Why did no other business school ever think to ask us what we think,” remarked Charles Bill, Learning & Development Manager for EMEA and India at Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

Insight from Muff’s interviews pointed in one direction, and a direction all too familiar at BSL. Business leaders are uniformly looking for know-how; skills that can be immediately put to use. Evidence to BSL’s pragmatic approach.

“What we need is business acumen. The intuition to know what is right or wrong and the ability to read a company’s personality and perspective with a decisive view,” said Bill.

In responding to the needs of today’s business environment, BSL has designed an MBA with focus on personal leadership and functional business skills.

“Leadership is to transform ordinary people into extraordinary people to achieve extraordinary things together,” commented Daniel Vasella, CEO and Chairman of the Board at Novartis.

In the 25 Management Training and Leadership Seminars now accepting professionals, extraordinary things are exactly what Muff sees happening.

“Our MBA classes are going to be enriched with new insights and experiences from working professionals. I can’t think of a better way to stress the importance of real-life business dynamics,” she said.

In addition to the MBA-infused seminars for professionals, BSL’s modular format offers a part-time Flex-MBA that truly maximizes flexibility. To begin with, the program has no set time duration and lets participants select their study schedules according to their professional and personal priorities. Even more, by offering modular courses, given Thursday-Saturday, the program allows working professionals from throughout Europe to travel to Switzerland for their MBA.

“The flex-program is very attractive for employees who need to juggle their professional and private life,” said Ciaran Martin, Staffing and Talent Management Director for Europe at Alcoa.

The Executive MBA at BSL will remain a Saturday program, but content-wise will benefit from the focus given in the new modular MBA.

“We are committed to providing a relevant business education and our MBA classes are going to encourage participants to grasp the bigger picture, remain calm under pressure, communicate effectively, lead change, and achieve results,” Muff said.