Make a meaningful contribution to corporate governance
What is the role and responsibility of a board? How can governance make or break an organization? How can good governance contribute to society?
Effective governance is a key driver of growth and, increasingly, a distinctive competitive advantage for any organization. IMD’s Mastering Board Governance program will give you a deep understanding of the principles and practices of good governance, and the roles and responsibilities of a board.
Throughout your learning journey, you’ll gain hands-on knowledge that you will put to immediate use by participating in weekly immersive board simulations.
This program will build your understanding of effective business decision-making and group dynamics and enable you to make meaningful contributions to a board.
Your online learning journey
Mastering Board Governance is delivered over five consecutive weeks, requiring a time commitment of 4-6 hours per week. Each week covers specific content, with clear learning objectives and deliverables to help you measure the impact of your weekly learning.
You will gain in-depth knowledge of governance and the role of a board. Drawing on the expertise of IMD’s Global Board Center, you will learn from examples of governance successes and failures in various industries and locations, and apply these learnings to your own context.
You and your online classmates will complete specific tasks and challenges during weekly immersive board simulations. Your ‘board’ and your individual performance will be rated, and you will benefit from feedback and guidance from expert faculty and coaches.
- Be able to articulate what governance is and how it drives organizational performance
- Identify what defines good governance, notably the drivers and key characteristics
- Identify the role and responsibilities of the board in shaping governance
- Understand the importance of the board in driving organizational governance
- Understand the essential responsibilities of the board of directors
- Assess how a board reacts in times of crisis
- Evaluate the main functions of board supervision and control
- Assess the role of the board vs the role of the management
- Identify the major sources of board failure
- Identify the drivers of board effectiveness
- Gain the ability to assess a board against the first pillar of the “Four Pillars of Board Effectiveness” framework: People Quality, Focus and Dedication
- Articulate the importance of Pillars 2, 3 and 4 (information architecture, structures and group dynamics) to governance
- Diagnose a board’s effectiveness along the above dimensions
- Understand the board’s role in the strategy and risk processes
- Deepen awareness of critical board processes, such as managing CEO succession and M&As
- Define stakeholder engagement for boards, including stakeholder mapping
- Identify the board role in overseeing ESG and integrity
- Reflect on Stewardship and the Future of Governance
Meet your Program Director
Professor Cossin is the founder and director of the IMD Global Board Center, the originator of the Four Pillars of Board Effectiveness methodology, and an advocate of stewardship.
He works with senior leaders, executive committees, and boards to provide the latest thinking on best-in-class governance, board effectiveness, the governance and selection of investments, board dynamics, and strategy design. His latest research focuses on stewardship and how we can foster organizations to have long-term positive social impact while creating economic value for all.
Our structured, yet flexible online programs are designed for impact and delivered for you. Explore what makes the IMD online program experience exceptional.
Length: 5 weeks (4-6 hours per week).



IMD board diplomas


IMD NEXUS members receive a number of seats in addition to a wide range of further benefits and services.
