The POLIMI Graduate School of Management is a prestigious institution that offers a comprehensive range of graduate programmes in management and business administration. Located in Milan, Italy, the school is affiliated with Politecnico di Milano, one of Europe’s leading technical universities. With a strong emphasis on innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development, the POLIMI GSoM equips students with the knowledge, skills, and mindset necessary to excel in today’s dynamic business environment.
The school’s internationally recognised faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and close ties to the industry create a vibrant learning community where students can gain valuable insights and practical experience. By fostering a collaborative and multicultural environment, the POLIMI GSoM prepares graduates to become future leaders and change-makers in the global business arena.
In this article, we will focus on the International Flex Executive MBA at the POLIMI GSoM a digital learning MBA programme designed for professionals who want to enhance their managerial skills while continuing to work. This programme is specifically tailored for individuals with significant work experience and offers a flexible schedule that allows participants to balance their professional commitments with their studies.
Interview: Antonella Moretto – Associate Dean for Open Programmes
Antonella Moretto is a core faculty member at the Polimi Graduate School of Management, specialising in Purchasing and Supply Management. She holds the position of Associate Dean for Open Programmes. Furthermore, she is co-Director of the Observatory Supply Chain Finance at Politecnico di Milano’s DIG. Antonella Moretto has been a member of the executive committee of Ipsera since 2016 and is also affiliated with EurOMA and AiIG.
What’s the ROI for students doing the i-Flex programme?
Our International Flex EMBA is dedicated to international people with an international background. Our candidates are very likely to already have an international career or be oriented towards developing one after the end of the Executive MBA. Based on the most recent data shared with us by our alumni, the payback time for our i-Flex programme is less than 3 years.
Why has Polimi decided to focus on digital transformation and innovation?
For POLIMI, digital transformation and innovation are key topics, and fundamental elements to consider in all of our courses and programmes. This is part of the mission itself of the university as well as of the business school. In particular, we have introduced digital transformation and innovation into our Executive MBA programmes in several different ways.
First of all, in all of our core courses, we investigated the implications that digital transformation and innovation have on the processes or topics examined, as these are considered widespread levers of change for firms. In addition to this, we have included specific courses around these topics: in particular, we have two entire terms dedicated to the topics of innovation and digital transformation and our electives are strongly designed around these megatrends.
Secondly, we have used digital transformation as a way of designing the experience and leveraging digital opportunities to deliver a completely different journey. This is a pervasive approach, encompassing teaching activities, internal processes, and service experience.
Thirdly, we have tried to include this perspective in the learning opportunities we offer outside our classrooms as well. In particular, our students have the possibility of establishing connections with our digital innovation observatories or attending dedicated seminars related to new technologies, such as the metaverse.
Interview: Giuseppe Zangari – International Flex Executive MBA Student
Why did you decide to enrol in the i-Flex EMBA at POLIMI GSoM?
The desire to enrol in an EMBA is something that I had in mind for a while. The main reasons I enrolled are basically three: understand reality, learn to create value in the always-changing world we live in, and make some solid steps in being a better leader. The pandemic gave me the last push to take the leap! I enrolled in the 2020 cohort, right in the middle of a major disruption, so my choice felt even more right.
I choose the POLIMI GSOM because its technological background is in line with some of my values. The international Flex formula was just right in an era where attending in person was not even a choice, plus the autonomy that the students have in this kind of learning path suited perfectly my working schedule (I work for a global company). I think that the international cohort gave the course added value in terms of diversity, that is exactly was I was looking for. More diversity leads to having more ideas shared, exactly what is needed from a leader in this era.
How do you find the blended format?
The blended format helps in organizing the learning path. Gaining an EMBA requires a lot of dedication and discipline in putting in hours of study and collaboration with the rest of the cohort. Having the possibility to organise everything with autonomy is priceless, for instance, I like studying early in the morning, and I had the possibility to do it. It takes some more discipline than a totally guided course, but it’s worth it. During the 18 months of the path, we had some weeks in the present, and we all have beautiful memories from spending quality time together. The GSoM nurtures networking continuously, every week there are live lessons (mandatory) but also many other occasions for networking, like seminars and workshops. It’s an energetic path that in the blended format really melts with your life.
How has POLIMI GSoM helped prepare you for the next steps in your career?
One of the claims of the POLIMI GSoM is “shaping purposeful leaders”, and that is exactly what happened. Your purpose is your north star, it guides you towards your direction. But more than everything, your purpose is something you live by every day, in the “here and now”. That is something that can really unlock your true potential and add a new perspective to your career. I am very thankful to my career coach and to all the “giants” I met during the path, they helped me in shaping my purpose.
What place does digital innovation/transformation have in your career?
Innovations and the consequent transformations are one of my passions. I think that the most underrated skill for a leader nowadays is being transformative. I try to shape this ability every day. I am an innovation and strategy lead, so it’s also part of my job. There will be a lot of room to discuss transformation and digital innovation in the POLIMI GSoM alumni club which I will have the honour to launch with some esteemed professionals and friends. There will be more information about it in the next weeks. It is something unique that will connect professionals, “giants”, and everyone interested in business transformations, the power of digital innovation, and continuous learning.
How will Hyperautomation/digitalization transform the workplace?
Hyperautomation is already helping firms in multiplying their productivity, lowering defects and creating more meaningful employee experience. By automating everything that can be automated, or better, everything that maintains the same value when is automated, there is more room for meaningful activities. This means that there is more room for increasing the competitive advantages and everything that is correlated to that in a firm. As always, every transformation (hyperautomation included) creates the need for new skills and opens the doors for new scenarios. The ground for that must be created in advance.
Related Posts :
Recent Posts
If you're thinking of studying a technical subject like engineering at university, it's crucial that you choose a university that has a rigorous ...
Although it's possible to sail through university without giving a thought to what you're going to do afterwards - concentrating only on enjoying ...
Ever thought about studying in Greece? Between the sunny weather, incredible history, and breathtaking coastline, you could also get a top business ...