Today’s uncertain environment demands a full toolkit for every management executive. But many senior leaders are struggling to develop, manage and execute business decisions that require knowledge in emerging areas like digital transformation and cybersecurity. COVID-19 has dramatically accelerated digital transformation and the more digital technologies have been leveraged during the crisis, the stronger the organization has performed.
Executive education can provide necessary learning, but has traditionally relied upon face-to-face interactions. Amid the current crisis, the very survival of organizations depends on developing strategies that take the rapidly evolving repercussions of the pandemic into consideration.
To help broaden access to executive education, IMD has developed a full range of “liVe virtual” offerings as a powerful complement to its standard curriculum. In order to further expand its technology-enabled portfolio, IMD will partner with 2U, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWOU) – a global leader in education technology – to develop asynchronous courses, initially in the digital transformation space and, as a second phase, in the area of leadership.
“Our partnership with 2U will give executives at local and multinational corporations access to high-demand, industry-relevant online short courses that offer the skills needed to stay ahead in today’s rapidly evolving workplace,” said David Bach, IMD Dean of Innovation and Programs.
With 2020’s economic downturn and job losses, organizations will prioritize talent in the search for competitive executive leadership in a post-pandemic world, he noted. Professionals will increasingly need flexible, high-quality higher education opportunities to meet employer expectations in these areas.
Cybersecurity skills in particular are in demand, as remote work further exposes gaps in data and network security; the Information Systems Security Association estimates that there has been a 63 percent increase in cyberattacks in the past year. At the same time, supply and demand shocks have underscored existing global supply chain vulnerabilities that will have major implications on businesses across all industries for years to come.
With these new short courses in areas such as cybersecurity for business leaders, digital supply chain operations and digital strategy, IMD and 2U will equip leaders with the skills and insights necessary to navigate the complexities of the modern business landscape.
“We’re honored to be working alongside such a distinguished group of faculty and global practitioners to make 2U-powered short courses available in this elite business training ground,” said Andrew Hermalyn, President of Global Partnerships at 2U.
IMD joins the ranks of Saïd Business School (University of Oxford), Yale University, UC Berkeley, SDA Bocconi and other Global Network for Advanced Management schools, as well as top non-profit universities such as MIT, Harvard University, the Stanford Center for Health Education, and Northwestern University, that are already partnering with 2U.
The courses are part of a five-year collaboration that will be available later this year through GetSmarter, a 2U brand.
Discover more about IMD’s liVe virtual and online courses here.
