Graduation for managers of the Gothenburg Executive MBA programme

On June 21, it was graduation day for the participants on the Gothenburg Executive MBA programme. After 21 months of studies, some 20 managers have successfully honed their knowledge in leadership and corporate management alongside their regular occupations. The programme – Sweden’s only AMBA-accredited MBA – has a distinct international focus, is run entirely in English and includes lectures and workshops at the School of Business, Economics and Law in Gothenburg every third Thursday-Saturday. During the two final terms, the participants focused in greater depth on specific areas as part of a concluding degree dissertation.

The Executive MBA participants presented their degree dissertations at the School at the end of last week, after which they had the opportunity to celebrate together with colleagues, family, friends and staff. There was a tangible feeling of relief following a final hectic period of seminars and writing.

Considerable breadth among participants and dissertation subjects
The participants on the Executive MBA programme have widely varying backgrounds and work in different industries. What they have in common is that they are all managers, frequently holding global positions at companies such as Husqvarna, Stena, Volvo and Emerson, although there are also participants from smaller companies, such as AmphoChem och PO Medica. The average age is 41 and the age range is 33-57. One third of the participants is women. On average, the participants had 11 years' managerial experience as they started the programme in October 2014.

The choice of subject for the degree dissertation is entirely up to the participants and in many cases they choose something that would benefit their own organisation. This is appreciated as all the participants have been nominated and sponsored by their employers. In this year's Executive MBA programme, the participants focused on areas such as how to incentivize working after the retirement age, how decisions are taken related to product cost deviations during implementation of a product development project, and why companies are still stuck in the traditional budgeting process.

A unique programme with AMBA accreditation and Nordic-Asian focus
The School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg offers Sweden's only Executive MBA accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA), a prestigious academic quality certificate. With its unique Nordic-Asian profile, the programme seeks to enhance the participants' skills on how to do business in countries like China, Korea, Japan and India. Parts of the training are delivered on-site at some of the best business schools in Asia, such as Zhejiang University in China and the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore in India. Through roundtable discussions and networking meetings with managers from the Swedish companies based in China and India, the programme participants also get an improved understanding of practical Asian business acumen.

Annelie Andréasson, Head of Supply Chain & VP, Arvid Nilsson AB

– The most rewarding thing for me has been to meet driven and enthusiastic people from different businesses in an academic environment. You naturally share ideas and from the start you get the tools you need to face challenges, both in your daily work as a leader, and in the management of your company. Through the Executive MBA programme I have not only acquired a broad professional network but also friends for life, says Annelie Andréasson, Head of Supply Chain & Vice President, Arvid Nilsson AB.

Anne-Cathrine Thore Olsson, VLM Senior Director, Cluster 90, Volvo Car Corporation

– What I like with the Executive MBA programme is the wide range of themes with a “CEO perspective” which is really useful and developing for me. The group discussions and exchange of experiences are of course unique for every occasion, and brought that extra spice to it. And the thesis work… It was challenging but I really learned a lot, adds Anne-Cathrine Thore Olsson, VLM Senior Director, Cluster 90, Volvo Car Corporation.

Karl Simonsson, Production Manager Ellevio

– The greatest benefit for me personally is a broader understanding of the different areas in an organisation such as strategy, HR, finance, business culture and change management. This insight has resulted in more opportunities for me to make an impact in my home organisation in which I work, says Karl Simonsson, Production Manager Ellevio.

Håkan Ericson, Managing Director, GU School of Executive Education

– We are pleased to congratulate the participants of yet another Executive MBA-class on finishing their studies. They are now clearly even more capable in their roles as leaders, with a considerable potential to take the next steps within their organisations. In addition to broad general management skills, they have also acquired excellence in Asian business practices. We also welcome the graduates into our Executive MBA alumni network with hundreds of members, comments Håkan Ericson, Managing Director, GU School of Executive Education.

For further information, please contact
Håkan Ericson, Managing Director, GU School of Executive Education, tel +46 31 786 53 81, +46 709 50 63 35,
e-mail hakan.ericson@handels.gu.se; www.handels.gu.se/exed 

Olof Billebo, Business Manager, GU School of Executive Education, tel +46 31 786 13 83, +46 703 320 1383,
e-mail olof.billebo@handels.gu.se; www.handels.gu.se/emba 

GU School of Executive Education delivers an Executive MBA program with a Nordic-Asian focus, and custom programs for the private and public sectors. Program deliveries take place in Sweden and globally. By designing programs to always combine academic rigor and lasting practical relevance, GU School of Executive Education develops leaders and executives. The School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg holds AMBA and EQUIS accreditations, and is in the final stage of its AACSB accreditation process. www.guexed.com

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