IMD Annual Report 2019

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Dear Friends of IMD,

timely, personalized, interactive and disruptive. In 2019, for example, we brought this perspective to life through a partnership with UEFA where our MBA students worked with European football’s governing body, École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL) and ThinkSport to improve the fan experience at UEFA Euro 2024. Another example of this innovative approach is our groundbreaking new learning platform - IMD NEXUS - described in detail in this Report. Real Impact We see it as our responsibility to rigorously and honestly challenge the thinking and practices of executives and organizations while, at the same time, inspiring and enabling them to think and act in more ambitious, innovative and enlightened ways. It is only through these kinds of courageous conversations that leaders and businesses can truly grow in strength, earn success and fulfil their responsibilities to the wider world. Increasingly, executives and organizations are being held accountable by society and its citizens for their impact on employees, communities and the environment. Research conducted at IMD and elsewhere clearly shows that executives and organizations can do well (for themselves) by doing good (for others and for the world). In fact, we predict that in light of increasing societal and regulatory expectations, it will increasingly only be possible to do well by doing good. Society and regulators will increasingly force executives and organizations to internalize the cost of their actions. IMD’s degree and non-degree programs increasingly reflect this point of view, which also guides us to increase the proportion of research

During 2019, we crafted a number of important statements capturing central facets of IMD.

First, we formalized our purpose: Challenging what is and inspiring what could be, we develop leaders who transform organizations and contribute to society. It encapsulates what we stand for, guides and informs our work. We also defined who we are. This short paragraph includes a strong affirmation that founded by business executives for business executives, we are an independent academic institution with Swiss roots and global reach. These twostatementsemerged fromarigorousand rich engagement process involving our Foundation and Supervisory Boards, faculty, staff and alumni. Together with our tag line Real Learning. Real Impact they now guide all our activities. Real Learning Through this ambitious purpose statement, IMD is committing itself to redefining executive education, research and organizational transformation. Our objective, and the objective of the leaders we develop, goes beyond improving the bottom line or increasing an executive’s chances of a promotion or salary increase. We articulate a more holistic, engaging and inspiring vision of what it means to be a leader today and tomorrow, howorganizations can play their part in this rapidly changing world, and - importantly - why purpose and responsibility matter. It also drives our goal to deliver real learning that is sustained beyond the classroom and becomes everyday practice. It is pedagogically invigorating,