Real learning. Real impact.
Building competitiveness through continuous learning
Founded by business executives for business executives, we are an independent academic institution 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 is an independent university institute with campuses in Lausanne and Singapore. For more than 75 years, IMD has been a pioneering force in developing leaders who transform organizations and contribute to society.
IMD has been ranked in the top three of the FT’s Executive Education Rankings (combined ranking for open & custom programs) since 2012. It has also been in the top four for 18 consecutive years.
This consistency at the forefront of its industry is grounded in IMD’s unique approach to creating “Real Learning. Real Impact”. Led by an expert and diverse faculty, IMD strives to be the trusted learning partner of choice for ambitious individuals and organizations worldwide. Challenging what is and inspiring what could be.
Since 2004, IMD has sustained the premier “triple-crown” of AACSB, European Foundation for Management Development EQUIS, and AMBA accreditations, and, in 2022, IMD earned Swiss institutional accreditation, confirming IMD’s commitment to delivering the highest quality teaching, research and services.
Our purpose
Challenging what is and inspiring what could be, we develop leaders who transform organizations and contribute to society.
Our Values
Origins & history
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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.
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1972
MBA
IMD’s world-class MBA program is launched.
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1981
IMI
CEI officially becomes IMI – International Management Institute and would function under this name until 1989.
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1989
WCY
Ranking the nations of the world in terms of economic outputs, IMD publishes the first World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY).
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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.
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1995
First edition of OWP
IMD’s largest program for individuals and teams, Orchestrating Winning performance (OWP), is launched in Lausanne.
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1996
50 years anniversary of CEI
Marking the formation of CEI, IMD celebrates 50 years of providing knowledge and business education to global leaders.
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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
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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).
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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).
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2021
75th anniversary
IMD celebrates the pioneers who helped transform it into one of the world’s best institutions for executive education.
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.
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.
IMD Annual Report 2021
Discover how IMD empowers individuals and organizations and contributes to society in our Annual Report 2021.
Previous IMD Annual Reports
