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Executive MBA

Poznań University of Economics

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In more than twenty years of its history, Wielkopolska Business School has organised over two thousand

training projects, which have been attended by more than 45,000 participants

Wielkopolska Business School PUE in numbers:• 3 MBA programmes – over 100 alumni per year,

• 70 fields of postgraduate study – over 2,000 students

per year,

• 500 lecturers and a network of cooperating external trainers

and business practitioners,

• over 2,000 training and consulting projects for companies, in-

volving 45,000 participants, since the School was established.

What distinguishes us from others?• a focus on training the management staff of companies and

institutions,

• consulting services in all areas of company and institution

management,

• a comprehensive offer including MBA programmes, post-

graduate studies, open and closed training courses, market

research and consulting projects,

• international cooperation and contacts.

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Poznań University of Economics,Wielkopolska Business School

I am sure our offer will meet your requirements in terms of both the

content and the quality of our services. We are looking forward to receiving your

applications.

Director of Wielkopolska Business School PUE, Prof. Marek Cieślak

Prof. Marek Cieślak – Director of Wielkopolska Business School PUE

The Executive MBA programme at the Poznań University

of Economics (PUE) is offered by Wielkopolska Business

School. Wielkopolska Business School PUE is the university’s

educational unit established to:

• develop a homogeneous portfolio of programmes at post-

graduate and equivalent levels,

• increase the University’s offer of courses and training pro-

grammes,

• coordinate training and consulting services commissioned

by outside entities,

• foster cooperation with business practice.

Wielkopolska Business School’s mission is to meet company

and institution managers’ expectations regarding the de-

velopment of managerial skills, and implement the latest

corporate management ideas to help managers operate in

today’s market environment.

The School’s main characteristics are the international nature

of its activity, a focus on training the management staff of

companies and institutions, a broad scope of activity, as well

as the complementary character of its training and consul-

tancy offer. Besides the MBA programmes, the offer includes

open training courses, courses commissioned by individual

companies, and professional training and consulting services.

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Executive Master of Business Administration

The Executive MBA programme has been run in Wielkopolska Business School PUE since 1991. From the very beginning,

the programme has been delivered in conjunction with an increasing number of foreign partners. Classes are conducted 40%

in English and 60% in Polish. The programme fully follows the EQUAL standards concerning the MBA.

Since 2006, the PUE’s Executive MBA has been one of the few programmes in Central Europe to have the prestigious in-

ternational EPAS accreditation. The programme has been awarded the highest Master Class  in FORUM’s ratings of MBA

programmes.

1st pillar: International perspective 2nd pillar: Practical perspective 3rd pillar: Strategic perspective

• lecturers from the world’s leading

universities,

• part of the programme is held at one

of the foreign partner universities

(ISCTE Business Schoo l or Turku

School of Economics),

• 40% of classes are conducted in

English,

• a joint diploma from Wielkopolska

Business School and ISCTE Business

School.

• final tests take the form of application

projects,

• verification of acquired skills through

consulting projects and a simulation

game,

• 40% of classes are conducted by

business practitioners from Poland

and abroad.

• particular emphasis is put on strategic

aspects of management in domestic and

overseas markets,

• an interdisciplinary programme allowing

competence development in strategic areas

of management, economics, finance and

marketing,

• an opportunity to increase knowledge in

selected areas as part of a group of elective

subjects.

The Executive MBA programme is supported by three pillars: 

International perspective, Practical perspective and Strategic perspective.

Completing MBA studies is seen as reaching the highest level of managerial education, and the qualifications gained by students are considered most prestigious internationally.

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The Executive MBA programme is designed for mana-

gers who have experience of running a business. Special

emphasis is laid on strategic corporate management, both

in the domestic and the international market. The programme

is very strongly oriented towards developing managerial

skills. It also features teamworking in the form of practice-

-oriented consulting and international team projects.

The main aim of the programme is to cover the most im-

portant areas of a modern company operations and to pro-

vide participants with managerial training, with particular

emphasis laid on practical aspects in order to enhance the

participants’ entrepreneurial and leadership competences.

Graduates of the Executive MBA programme obtain:

• an Executive Master of Business Administration diploma,

issued jointly by the Poznań University of Economics

- Wielkopolska Business School and ISCTE Business School,

• an Executive Master of Business Administration postgradu-

ate studies diploma of the Poznań University of Economics,

• a certificate of completing the  Business Communication

Skills language workshop.

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The programme, which lasts  two years, consists

of 550 hours of instruction (including 14 in an e-learning

mode). Classes are conducted in Polish (60%) and in

English (40%). 40% of them are taught by business prac-

titioners. The classes are held during four-day sessions

organised once a month. During the first year, students

have an opportunity to participate, free of charge, in a lan-

guage workshop called Business Communication

Skills, developed specially for the Executive MBA

programme.

The Executive MBA programme covers 20 modules includ-

ing three out of seven selected by students, a team consult-

ing project (in the first year), a team international consulting

project (in the second year), company study tours, interna-

tional specialised workshops and a dissertation presented at

the end of the second year.

The curriculum is covered by completing specific modules.

Their order is established in the way that will gradually re-

duce gaps in the participants’ knowledge of basic busi-

ness-management issues in the first year of studies. The

second-year modules give a strategic, broader and deeper

picture of company operations.

Programme and organisationWielkopolska Business School PUE has a formalised qual-

ity assurance system based on British standards which is

unique in the Polish education market. The elements of the

system include the Advisory Board of Executive MBA made

up of representatives of the academic and business com-

munities, national and international external examiners, the

Course Committee representing students’ interests, a mo-

nitoring system in the form of annual reports approved

by the Advisory Board, as well as students’ regular evalua-

tion of all classes.

In class, teachers mostly use activating teaching methods

such as team projects at companies, case studies,

plenary and team discussions, presentations and exercises.

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Curriculum of Executive MBAModule Contact hours

Induction Workshop 4

Managerial Skills Development 20

Effective Organisation Functioning 32

Managerial Economics 32

Accountancy for Managers 28

Law Regulations in Business 24

Company Study Tour 8

Strategic Marketing Management 40

Finance Management 40

Team Consulting Project 12

Elective (1x24):

• Information Systems in Management

• Operations Management and Logistics

• Coaching in Business

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Total 1st year 264

Strategic Management 48

Human Resources Management 40

Strategies in International Business 32

International Study Tour 16

Specialized International Workshop 20

Elective (2x24):

• Globalisation in Contemporary World’s Economy

• Psychology in Management

• Managing Change

• System Approach to Organisation

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Team International Project 12

Dissertation 8

Simulation game 26

Total 2nd year 250

Business Communication Skills 36

Total 550

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The following are the issues that will make this

programme distinctive:

• over 20 years’ experience, over 50 editions and 1130 alumni,

• the highest quality, confirmed by rankings, ratings and ac-

creditations – top positions in rankings and ratings of MBA

programmes:

• Master Class in the FORUM rating,

• prestigious, international EPAS EFMD accredi-

tation, awarded to the best business schools in

Europe,

• accreditation by Warsaw’s FORUM Association of

Management Education,

• some classes and assignment projects are common to Ex-

ecutive MBA students and students of partner schools,

Why choose the Poznań University of Economics’ Executive MBA Programme?

• nationally unique, UK-developed, formalised quality assur-

ance system adapted to Polish conditions,

• unique and original character of programme modules

(team consulting projects, Company Study Tour, Interna-

tional Study Tour, Specialised International Workshops,

Feedback Workshops),

• module final assignments in the form of application projects,

• team of experienced lecturers and business practitioners

from Poland and abroad,

• cooperation with prestigious foreign partners (ISCTE Busi-

ness School, Turku School of Economics, ESC Rennes

School of Business and SKEMA Business School).

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International cooperation

From its very beginning, Wielkopolska Business School PUE

has closely cooperated on the Executive MBA programme

with a number of foreign universities and business schools.

Particularly noteworthy is cooperation with partners who,

owing to formally signed agreements, share responsibility for

implementing the programme and ensuring its quality. The

partners include:

ISCTE Business School

Turku School of Economics

A collaboration with a thus selected group of partners allows

us to use their unique competence by hiring specialists in

specific fields, which should ensure a high quality and re-

levance of the content taught. Additionally, since the Schools

are located in different parts of Europe, they represent differ-

ent, unique cultural values and attitudes, which enriches the

students’ international perspective.

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At the beginning of December 2006, Wielkopolska Busi-

ness School received the prestigious EPAS (European Pro-

gramme Accreditation System) accreditation, which is also

enjoyed by Europe’s best business schools.

The aim of EPAS accreditation is to identify leading MBA

programmes in Europe and to provide potentially interested

parties (companies and students) with objective information

on programmes which meet the highest international qual-

ity and excellence standards. 

The basic reasons why Wielkopolska Business School re-

ceived EPAS accreditation include a high level of programme

internationalisation, formalised system of quality assurance

(including external and foreign examiners), strong corporate

links, students’ great interest in the programme and high

evaluation of the programme in the Polish education market.

EPAS AccreditationThe accreditation procedure at Wielkopolska Business

School lasted about a year and involved writing a re-

port on the School and its MBA programme, programme

self-evaluation and a visit by a five-person accreditation

panel in June 2006. The process ended on 6 December

2006, with EPAS accreditation being awarded on the basis

of a decision made by an independent, 15-member EFMD

Programme Accreditation Board. The last re-accreditation

process took place in 2012.

EPAS is a prestigious, international accreditation which aims to identify

leading MBA programme

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We have over 1,100 alumni representing the management per-

sonnel of leading Polish and international companies. Regu-

larly conducted research has demonstrated that

• 66% of our alumni were promoted thanks to completion of

the Executive MBA programme,

• nearly 80% of them have had their remuneration significantly

increased,

• 96% declare that the knowledge acquired thanks to the

Executive MBA programme compensates for its cost.

Wielkopolska Business School’s Alumni Association – MBA

Club promotes a full integration of Executive MBA alumni and

students. It enables them to establish interesting professional

but also informal relations, and creates a unique opportunity

to spend free time in an attractive way.

Our alumni“MBA studies inspired me to manage groups of people consciously and wisely. I’ve derived great satisfaction from building teams and influencing staff development for ten years. Four of our employees have completed MBA studies and are now pursuing their own careers. It’s those people I’m most proud of.”

Jolanta Latuszewska,Deputy Director, Corporate Division,

BRE Bank S.A.

“As a 1995 alumnus of the MBA programme, I strongly encourage my colleagues to study at the Poznań Uni-versity of Economics. I believe that MBA studies at PUE Wielkopolska Business School offer new opportunities for professional development.”

Jacek Sobkowiak, Executive Director CEE

Wavin Metalplast-Buk Sp. z o.o.

“The knowledge acquired from Polish and overseas lec-turers is extremely valuable and based on specific expe-riences from business practice. I use the knowledge in the day-to-day management of my company.” Planinko Vurdelja, Chairman of the Board, HELIOS Polska

Alumni say:

Executive MBA alumni are among the management staff of such companies as:

Amica Wronki, Apotex Inc., Bank Zachodni WBK, BRE Bank, Coca-Cola, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, Grupa Ener-getyczna Enea, Grupa Wydawnicza Infor, Henkel Polska, Imperial Tobacco, KGHM Polska Miedź, Kompania Piwowarska, Międzynarodowe Targi Poznańskie, Nestlé Polska, NIVEA Polska, Novartis Poland, Orange, Pepsi Cola General Bottlers Poland, Philips Lighting Poland, Polkomtel, PZU Życie, Siemens, Solaris Bus & Coach, STU Ergo Hestia, Telekomunikacja Polska, T.U. Allianz Polska, Volkswagen Polska, Wavin Metalplast-Buk, Wrigley Poland

www.mbaclub.pl

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What can you learn?Managerial skills development

The classes enable students to diagnose their management

skills and aptitude, and to actively develop skills which will

enhance their personal effectiveness in class and help them

deal with other people.

Effective Organisation Functioning

The subject familiarises students with modern conceptions

of organisation and management, as well as with the rela-

tionships between various areas of corporate activity.

Strategic Marketing Management

The classes help students understand the significance

of a company’s marketing orientation for its strategy

implementation, ways of conducting a company marketing

diagnosis, and the development of market activities

consistent with the latest trends.

Law regulations in business

The purpose of the module is to develop the skill of selecting

the right legal form of business activity, to learn how

to use relevant acts, and to acquire the skills of preparing and

executing commercial contracts.

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Accountancy for managers

The classes teach students to understand information con-

tained in financial reports and in particular elements of a fi-

nancial report. At the same time, they make students aware

of how much of the information needed in the corporate

management process is provided by the accounting system.

Finance managementThe classes help students understand a company’s financial

environment and financial analysis techniques supporting

strategic corporate management. An element of the module is

to develop a financial plan in the form of an application project.

Managerial economicsThe classes show the entirety of a company’s relations with

its environment and the microeconomic bases of manage-

ment which are important from the viewpoint of effective

company management.

Strategic managementThe classes are aimed at teaching how to assess a compa-

ny’s strategic position and, on this basis, determining and

implementing the right corporate development strategy.

Human resources managementThe purpose of the classes is to teach methods and tech-

niques of human resources management that make it pos-

sible to exploit the potential of a company employee.

International business managementThe classes show the strategic implications of company ope-

ration in an international environment, with special emphasis

laid on marketing, financial and logistical aspects.

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The international project is an extension

of the team consultancy project, carried out at a selected

overseas firm. The purpose is to put theory into practice even

further and use it to solve the company’s specific problem.

An important element of the overseas visit is identifying cul-

tural differences and developing the team’s adapting skills.

The project concludes with a written report and a public

English-language presentation of key issues and benefits de-

riving from the fact that the project was implemented abroad.

The simulation game is a module which

allows students to apply the acquired skills in simulated

market conditions. To play the game, students use the

knowledge gained in the following modules: Strategic

Marketing Management, Managerial Economics, Finance

Management, Strategies in International Business and

Strategic Management. Some classes within the module are

conducted in the form of e-learning.

The Company study tour  is a visit

to a selected international company (co-organised with the

MBA Alumni Association – MBA Club). The aim of the visit is

to show students the functioning of a company, particularly

an international business one, and to present examples of

“good practice”. The presentation of companies and methods

of solving selected management problems is accompanied

by meetings with employees – alumni of Wielkopolska

Business School’s MBA programmes.

Team consulting project It requires students to use in practice the theory they study

during the MBA Programme in order to solve a specific re-

search problem at a selected company. The project, carried

out in teams, provides an opportunity to develop the skills of

interpersonal communication, cooperation, negotiating, and

reaching compromise. The team work ends with a written

report and a public presentation of major issues and benefits

deriving from the consulting project.

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The International Study Tour is

a four-day study visit to a partner business school abroad.

Students participate in classes taught by the overseas

school’s lecturers and make visits to selected companies in

order to familiarise themselves with management practice,

particularly in the area of international business. Visits are

planned alternately to Lisbon’s ISCTE Business School, Nice’s

SKEMA Business School or the Turku School of Economics.

The Dissertation constitutes a synthesis of

students’ cognitive and practical experiences during the

programme. Its purpose is to demonstrate the ability to use

theory in order to solve in practice an organisation’s strategic

problems and to apply analytical tools in professional company

management.

Electives:• Information Systems in Management

• Operations Management and Logistics

• Coaching in Business

• Globalisation in Contemporary World’s Economy

• Psychology in Management

• Managing Change

• System Approach to Organisation

Recruitment

Admission requirements:

• university degree,

• at least three years’ professional experience,

• team management experience,

• management aptitude and high motivation

to study,

• good command of English, to be able to actively

participate in the classes.

An applicant for the Executive MBA programme is

required to submit the following documents:

• completed application form,

• one photograph,

• curriculum vitae,

• copy of the diploma of higher education, to con-

firm the applicant’s degree.

Applicants undergo an enrollment procedure con-

sisting of a psychological test, an interview and an

English-language test.

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POZNAŃ UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICSAl. Niepodległości 10, 61-875 Poznań

tel. +48 61 854 32 25, 854 32 26, 854 32 27www.ue.poznan.plwsb@ue.poznan.pl