BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 21. The AZEMBA program has been designed taking into account Azerbaijan's needs related to transformation, leadership and human capital development, IE Business School Vice Dean at IE University Lucía Egea said 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.
She said that AZEMBA is not simply another MBA program, but the result of discussions between IE, PASHA Holding and SOCAR on leadership, transformation and the skills organizations will need in the future. “This is not just another MBA program – we call it AZEMBA. This program is the result of deep and purposeful discussions between IE, PASHA Holding and SOCAR on leadership, transformation and the skills organizations will need in the coming years,” Egea said.
According to her, the objectives of the program can be explained around three key questions: “Why?”, “How?” and “For whom?” Addressing the “Why?” question, the vice dean said Azerbaijan is currently going through an important stage of development. She noted that the country attaches strategic importance to digitalization, innovation and human capital. At the same time, Azerbaijan's location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia creates both broad opportunities and certain complexities for the country. “Leadership is particularly important at times of transformation. Because transformation is not just about technology, it is about organizations. Today, leaders are facing questions that we have never encountered before,” she stressed.
Egea said the impact of artificial intelligence on organizations, strategic decision-making amid changing assumptions, managing geopolitical uncertainty and transforming companies are among the key issues facing modern leaders.
She added that building sustainable business models and ensuring sustained growth are also important challenges. “Perhaps the most important question for those of you starting this journey today is: How do we prepare ourselves not simply to react to change, but to manage and shape it?” the vice dean asked.
Egea noted that the strategic vision of the AZEMBA program is based on IE's core values, including entrepreneurship, diversity, innovation and a humanistic approach.
According to her, the program is aimed not only at the individual development of participants but also at having an impact on the broader business ecosystem. “We do not see education as something separate from the challenges of everyday business. When we talk about the impact of this MBA program, we are not thinking only about the 40 participants sitting here who will soon begin their classes. We want this program to contribute to developing stronger leaders and organizations that foster a broader business ecosystem in Azerbaijan,” she said.
The vice dean emphasized the importance of the academic approach and research-based teaching in the AZEMBA program. “An MBA program should be enriching, but that is not enough. The goal is also to connect complexities in different ways. This is when we learn to operate comfortably in a world full of uncertainty,” Egea said.
She said program participants will learn to approach business challenges from different perspectives, including finance, operations and digitalization, while also developing the ability to integrate these areas with one another. “That is why this program has been fully tailored to your needs and specifically designed for you,” she added.
Addressing the “How?” question, Egea said the program was developed in cooperation with the management of PASHA Holding and SOCAR. According to her, IE Business School's Global MBA program was taken as the main academic basis for the process. “We took our Global MBA program, which is ranked first in the world, as the starting point. We then spent a great deal of time understanding the priorities and capabilities of both major corporations and the holding. We held numerous discussions with management and government institutions,” she said.
The vice dean noted that the discussions focused on which components of the Global MBA program should be retained, which should be adapted to the Azerbaijani context and what new elements should be added to the program. “That is why this program retains the academic foundation of our Global MBA program while also incorporating important components specifically designed for you,” Egea stressed.
She said four modules of the AZEMBA program will be held in Baku, with an additional module in Madrid.
According to the vice dean, adapting the program's content to local needs and connecting international academic experience with Azerbaijan's business environment are among the key features of AZEMBA.
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 PASHA Holding, SOCAR and Spain's IE University. Under the program, participants will receive education based on international experience in areas including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, sustainable development, innovation, leadership and modern management.
