BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 21. IE University is seeking to develop a long-term partnership with Azerbaijan based on education, knowledge, cooperation and trust, its Executive Chairman of Corporate Relations William Davila said today at the opening of the "AZEMBA" program of the IE Center for Leadership and Innovation at ADA University, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
He said the university aims to connect Azerbaijan more closely with IE's global network of people, ideas and organizations.
"We want to learn about and better understand the priorities and challenges of this country and every organization. We want to develop talent, create knowledge and work together with companies, institutions and governments. We want to connect Azerbaijan even more closely with IE's global network of people, ideas and organizations," he said.
According to Davila, the launch of the "AZEMBA" program goes beyond the implementation of an academic project and lays the foundation for a long-term relationship between Azerbaijan and IE University.
"That is why today, for IE and AZEMBA, is not simply the beginning of an academic program. It is the beginning of a long-term relationship — a partnership between IE and Azerbaijan, global knowledge and local knowledge, academia and business, and, most importantly, between people," he said.
Davila noted that the world is currently undergoing a period of rapid transformation. According to him, artificial intelligence is creating new challenges for organizations, technology is accelerating decision-making, while geopolitical and geographic shifts are reshaping markets and business strategies.
"Assumptions and approaches that once remained reliable for years can now change within a few months. It is precisely in such an environment that education becomes even more vital. But not simply because it gives us more information. Information is already becoming increasingly abundant. The real challenge is knowing what to do: being able to ask the right questions, understand context, bring together different perspectives, make sound decisions amid uncertainty and turn knowledge into action," the IE University representative said.
Davila emphasized that the essence of leadership is reflected precisely in these skills.
"In my view, the future vision of a country or organization requires people who can move across sectors, understand global trends and, at the same time, remain closely connected to local realities. We need leaders who can manage transformation, build organizations capable of adapting to change and understand that, ultimately, transformation is about people," he added.
He also emphasized the importance of cooperation with PAŞA Holding, SOCAR and other organizations represented at the opening of the program.
"We are very proud to begin this journey together with PAŞA Holding, SOCAR and the other organizations represented here today. You have placed your trust in IE, and we deeply understand this responsibility. We have not come here simply to teach; we have also come here to learn," Davila said.
According to him, Azerbaijan should not only gain knowledge from IE University; the university should also learn from Azerbaijan's experience.
"To me, that is precisely what makes a university truly global: not simply exporting knowledge, but building bridges between different ecosystems and allowing new ideas to emerge from that intersection," he said.
Addressing participants in the "AZEMBA" program, Davila urged them to focus not only on academic knowledge but also on the relationships, discussions and different perspectives that will emerge throughout the program.
"The most valuable learning does not happen when someone gives you the right answer; it happens when someone makes you reconsider your own approach," he said.
He noted that IE, which began as a small business school in Madrid nearly 50 years ago, now operates on a global scale, adding that the launch of the "AZEMBA" program in Baku represents a new stage in that development.
"I hope that years from now, when we look back on today from the perspective of time, we will not remember it simply as an ordinary day when a new MBA program was launched. We will see this day as the beginning of something much bigger — a long-term partnership between IE and Azerbaijan based on education, knowledge, cooperation and trust," Davila said.
The IE University's Executive Chairman of Corporate Relations thanked the partners, organization representatives and participants who contributed to the implementation of the project.
"Welcome to IE, welcome to AZEMBA, and welcome to the beginning of a very long and successful story between IE and Azerbaijan," he added.
The "AZEMBA" program of the IE Center for Leadership and Innovation was launched with the support of the ministries of Economy and Science and Education and in partnership with PAŞA Holding, SOCAR and Spain's IE University. Under the program, participants will receive internationally oriented education in areas including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, sustainable development, innovation, leadership and modern management.
