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    Real learning. Real impact.

    Real learning. Real impact.

    Building competitiveness through continuous learning

    Founded by business executives for business executives, we are an independent academic institute with Swiss roots and global reach. We strive to be the trusted learning partner of choice for ambitious individuals and organizations worldwide.

    About the International Institute for Management Development (IMD)

    IMD has been a pioneering force in developing leaders who transform organizations and contribute to society since it was founded more than 75 years ago.

    Led by an expert and diverse faculty, with campuses in Lausanne and Singapore, IMD strives to be the trusted learning partner of choice for ambitious individuals and organizations worldwide.

    Our executive education and degree programs are consistently ranked among the world’s best by the Financial Times, Bloomberg, Forbes and others.

    Our leading position in the field is grounded in our unique approach to creating real learning, real impact. Through our research, programs and advisory work we enable business leaders to find new and better solutions: challenging what is and inspiring what could be.

    Swiss Accreditation

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    Our purpose

    Challenging what is and inspiring what could be, we develop leaders who transform organizations and contribute to society.

    Our Values
    Challenging what is and inspiring what could be

    IMD is an independent academic institution with Swiss roots and global reach, founded 75 years ago by business leaders for business leaders.

    Origins & history

    • 1946

      CEI

      CEI – Centre d’Etudes Industrielles is established by Alcan Aluminium, Limited (now Rio Tinto Alcan, Inc) in Geneva. CEI would function under this name until 1981.
    • 1956

      IMEDE

      Institut pour l’Etude des Méthodes de Direction de l’Entreprise is established in Lausanne by Nestlé in coordination with Harvard Business School. The institute would operate under this name until 1989.

    • 1972

      MBA

      IMD’s world-class MBA program is launched.

    • 1981

      IMI

      CEI officially becomes IMI – International Management Institute and would function under this name until 1989.

    • 1989

      WCY

      Ranking the nations of the world in terms of economic outputs, IMD publishes the first World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY).

    • 1990

      IMI merges with IMEDE to create IMD

      International Institute for Management Development. Facilities are all to be based in Lausanne and the vision to develop global leaders is adopted.

    • 1995

      First edition of OWP

      IMD’s largest program for individuals and teams, Orchestrating Winning performance (OWP), is launched in Lausanne.

    • 1996

      50 years anniversary of CEI

      Marking the formation of CEI, IMD celebrates 50 years of providing knowledge and business education to global leaders.

    • 2013

      Anniversary

      The IMD Global Family Business Center celebrates its 25th Anniversary and the IMD World Competitiveness Center (WCC) celebrates the 25th edition of the World Competitiveness Yearbook

    • 2015

      South-East Asia

      IMD opens its Southeast Asia Executive Learning Center in Singapore. IMD and Cisco inaugurate the Global Center for Digital Business Transformation (DBT Center).

    • 2019

      E4S

      IMD joins forces with the University of Lausanne (UNIL-HEC) – and the Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Enterprise for Society (E4S).

      Enterprise for Society Center

    • 2021

      75th anniversary

      IMD celebrates the pioneers who helped transform it into one of the world’s best institutions for executive education.

      Stories and book

    • 2022

      50th MBA Anniversary

      In 2022, IMD marked 50 years of its world-leading MBA program.

      Stories and books

    • 2023

      Launch of OWP-ChatGPT

      IMD develops its own generative AI that enables participants to continue learning beyond their program experience.

      The Artificial Intelligence Initiative

    IMD 75th Anniversary

    IMD celebrated its 75th anniversary on 5 November 2021.

    It all began in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1946, as the organization that would one day become IMD took its first steps in executive education.

    A lot has happened since then.

    Join us on this journey as we bring to light some of the events and people who have shaped our institution and made it into one of the world’s most influential and impactful business schools.

    Discover more about IMD’s history

    IMD’s contribution to the regional economy

    • 2,500+ alumni in Vaud and 15,000+ in Switzerland, according to the latest figures from our Development and Alumni Relations office.
    • 490+ Swiss startups supported through the MBA & EMBA Startup Projects Competition since 1998.
    • More than CHF 1.2 million of MBA and EMBA hours invested in Vaud startups.

    According to an Impact Report guided by EFMD’s Business School Impact System, IMD’s economic contribution to its home city of Lausanne and the Canton of Vaud was estimated to be CHF 360 million in 2018.

    In addition to pure economic spending, executives and associates who come to IMD for education or work stay an equivalent of 40,000 nights in local hotels every year.

    The report also reveals that over 11,000 alumni are based in Switzerland with more than 2,800 in Vaud working for multinationals, small and medium-sized companies, public institutions, and startups.

    Download Impact Report 2018-2019 (English) (PDF, 3.93MB)

    Download Rapport d’impact 2018-2019 (French) (PDF, 3.98 MB)

    360
    CHF Million: annual economic impact
    85
    CHF Million contributed per year to Vaud-based employees and suppliers
    350
    Jobs on the Lausanne Campus
    400
    Swiss startups assisted by MBAS & EMBA since 1998
    40,000+
    Overnight hotel stays

    IMD Annual Report 2022

    Discover how IMD empowers individuals and organizations and contributes to society in our Annual Report 2022.

    Explore the digital report

    Download the French version (PDF, 37.5MB)

    Previous IMD Annual Reports

    IMD Annual Report 2021

    In 2021, we were deeply proud to celebrate 75 years of IMD as a pioneer and responsible global leader in executive education and research. This long-held combination of innovation and courage – as we say today, to challenge what is and inspire what could be – not only anchored the institution during the unprecedented shockwaves of the pandemic, it enabled a rapid response that has carved out new opportunities and greater impact.

    For more details, download the full report (PDF, 9.4 MB).

    You can also download the French version (PDF, 6.3 MB).

     

     

    IMD Annual Report 2020

    When we look back on 2020 in years to come, we will most certainly remember it as an extraordinary year. At IMD, the year started with considerable momentum, building on the strong revenue growth we had recorded in 2018 and 2019. We were poised for another record year in 2020 – until the COVID-19 crisis struck.

    For more details,  download the full report (PDF, 56.5 MB).

    We also offer a French version of the IMD Annual Report 2020 (PDF, 55 MB).

     

     

    IMD Annual Report 2019

    2019 was a milestone year of increased revenues, which supported increased investments. Revenues hit a record high thanks to growth of 9.5 percent compared to 2018. As a Swiss foundation, IMD is not aiming to generate profits, but increasing revenues does enable us to make more investments on the pedagogical, operational, and research fronts – including areas such as our pioneering virtual classroom concepts. For more details, download the Annual Report 2019 (PDF).

    We also offer a French version of the IMD Annual Report 2019 (PDF, 171 MB).

    IMD Annual Report 2018

    IMD favors a lean organization with minimal bureaucracy. Demand for faculty expertise grew in 2018, as IMD cemented its position as a primary driver of innovative ideas in global business, executive education, and research – all thanks to its unique “real world” insights and world-renowned experts. For more details, download the Annual Report 2018 (PDF, 7.47 MB).

    IMD Annual Report 2017

    2017 was characterized by continuity, growth, and transformation. Since succeeding Dominique Turpin at the helm of IMD at the beginning of 2017, the management team, board, and IMD community have all been working on a set of priorities to enable IMD to succeed in today’s and tomorrow’s competitive landscape by having a distinctive positive impact on individuals, organizations, and the world. For more details, download the Annual Report 2017 (PDF, 3.77 MB).