5 Executive Education Programs That Embrace Innovative Technology

Technology continues to have a major impact on every business domain. It has the potential to change the way we use, store, and analyze data and can be used to improve efficiency and transform an industry. In healthcare, for example, predictive analytics has been applied to improve clinical decision support, resulting in a better patient experience, increased efficiency, and fewer misdiagnoses. In many situations, these algorithms can even save lives.

Because technology is constantly evolving, business leaders pursuing an Executive MBA need to find a program that not only emphasizes management skills but also builds their understanding of cutting-edge technology. Roland Siegers, the Executive Director of CEMS, the Global Alliance in Management Education, says, “It’s clear that keeping up with the rate of digital advancement—for example automation, harnessing big data, emerging technologies, and cyber security—will pose significant challenges for future leaders…and add a whole new layer of complexity.” 

To address the growing demand for leaders who are tech-savvy, the following programs for executive education have taken progressive approaches.

5 Tech-Forward Executive Education Programs

1. Weill Cornell Executive MBA/MS in Healthcare Leadership

The Weill Cornell Executive program is a joint venture between the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management and the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Science. Cohorts take classes on an introduction to health informatics as well as health services research, and at the end of the 22-month program, students apply those lessons to a final capstone project based on independent research. The program is located at the Cornell Tech’s Innovation Center in New York City, an international hub for tech and commerce. At the Cornell Innovation Center, cohorts have access to resources to help support business startups, including a guest speaker series where previous lecturers have included engineers, designers, entrepreneurs, VCs, writers, and other leaders from a variety of backgrounds.

Every year, Weill Cornell also hosts New York City’s Health Hackathon, where students demonstrate innovations like DESTROKE. DESTROKE is a new application that helps cellphone users detect early symptoms of a stroke, allowing patients to receive treatment as soon as possible.

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Find out which programs received the best reviews from Ivy Exec members in the 2019 Executive MBA Ranking.

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2. Michigan State University Broad College of Business EMBA

Michigan State Broad College of Business offers an Executive MBA program that includes classes in entrepreneurship as well as a special focus on technology, including courses in Information Systems and Supply Chain Management. Furthering the school’s progressive vision, the Innovation Center on campus invites collaboration between the Broad College of Business and students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

All the faculty at Michigan State are recognized innovators in their field, including John Jiang, Plante Moran Faculty Fellow, Professor at the Broad College of Business Accounting and Information Systems Department. Professor Jiang conducted a joint study with John Hopkins University that was the first to identify what type of information cybercriminals target during data breaches at hospitals and other healthcare institutions. Thanks to Professor Jiang’s research, regulators can use this information to protect healthcare organizations from potentially catastrophic security breaches.

3. INSEAD Global Executive MBA

The INSEAD Global EMBA program features integrated campuses in Finland, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Beijing. The program runs for 14-17 months and is delivered in a modular format on all four campuses.

The EMBA program consists of 11 core courses and three Key Management Challenges, which are cross-disciplinary projects designed to give students experience managing across multiple departments. AI Strategy for Startups and C-Suites is one example of a tech-focused topic that was used for one of these challenges during previous sessions.

Students also complete a Leadership Development Program (LDP), which uses scenarios from real businesses in a virtual lab to help students develop their personal leadership style. At the end of the program, a final Capstone Simulation project allows students to practice their skills in a competitive and realistic computer simulation. 

4. London Business School Executive Education Programmes

London Business School offers a suite of courses in digital transformation and innovation, including:

• Innovating in the Digital World
• Market-Driving Strategies
• Exploiting Disruption in the Digital World

Many of these programs are offered online or at their campuses in London, Dubai, and Hong Kong. These classes can be taken as part of a degree-seeking program with the London Business School or in isolation for targeted professional development. Many of the available classes, including Financing the Entrepreneurial Business and Developing Strategy for Value Creation, emphasize how to use technology to build a competitive edge.

5. Thunderbird Executive Master of Global Management at Arizona State University 

The Thunderbird School of Global Management offers an Executive Master of Global Management (E-MGM) program held at the Arizona State University campus in Tempe. The program focuses on international management and includes core classes in Global Marketing Strategy, Emerging Markets, Global Financial Decisions, and more.

In additional to the foundation courses, students will also enjoy opportunities to individualize the curriculum with a concentration. Several concentrations are available through Arizona State that focus on technology, including:

• Global Digital Transformation
• Development and Innovation
• Digital Audience Strategy

Within these concentrations, students can take classes like Big Data In The Age Of The Global Economy and Communication In A Global Context, just to name a few examples. 

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The Evolving Role of Technology in Business

Executive education programs that emphasize technology will help you leverage modern innovations to gain a competitive advantage, improve productivity, and generate positive outcomes for your business. In the new industrial revolution, technology will only increase in importance—which makes it crucial for business leaders to understand its full potential. These schools will help you achieve those goals and discover new frontiers in executive leadership.