Global Executive Academy (GEA) is an intensive, eight-day leadership and management program designed for experienced executives from around the world. This transformative learning experience blends the best of MIT’s research, frameworks, and faculty expertise into a rigorous, fast-paced curriculum that fits the demands of busy professionals.

Participants engage deeply with critical topics such as general management, leadership presence, enterprise strategy, systems thinking, innovation, negotiation, analytics, finance, and productivity. Taught in English, the course is designed for mid-to-senior level professionals looking to elevate their leadership skills, refine their executive presence, and broaden their impact on their organizations.

Whether you’re from São Paulo or Saudi Arabia, a VP in finance or a managing director in operations, you’ll join a diverse and global cohort that enhances learning through varied perspectives and shared experiences. Executives return home with confidence, clarity, and a stronger global network.

GEA is an immersive, high-touch experience that blends foundational knowledge with experiential learning and executive-level reflection. The program is structured to take participants on a two-week journey: the first week focuses on developing individual leadership presence and effectiveness; the second turns to leading at the organizational level.

Expect a dynamic mix of teaching methods:

• Interactive lectures from world-class MIT Sloan faculty
• Hands-on exercises that build skills through doing
• Improvisational leadership workshops that challenge participants to lead on their feet
• Small group collaborations on negotiation cases, communications, and leadership dilemmas
• Applied finance and systems thinking sessions that build essential vocabulary and frameworks for decision-making
• Real-time feedback from faculty and peers to refine your leadership presence

You’ll become familiar with MIT’s 4 Capabilities Leadership Model—a foundational framework for adaptive, innovative leadership—and use it to map your own strengths and opportunities for growth. You’ll engage in managerial communications training that helps you understand how others perceive you, and how to shape that perception strategically. You’ll also explore feedback loops and complexity in systems thinking, build financial fluency for executive decision-making, and sharpen your ability to negotiate across cultures and scenarios.

The course format fosters rich cross-cultural dialogue and personal connection. Participants naturally form a strong community, often bonding over social events like harbor cruises, Red Sox games, or informal dinners. Peers stay in touch well beyond the program via dedicated WhatsApp groups.

• A “big picture” understanding of how to maximize personal productivity in project management, communications, and executive relationships
• Familiarity with MIT’s 4 Capabilities Leadership Model and a toolkit to chart your leadership growth
• A clear articulation of your personal brand and your organization’s value proposition
• Practical ideas and frameworks for leading innovation and managing enterprise-wide change
• Hands-on negotiation experience, including culturally diverse simulations
• An understanding of systems thinking and its application to organizational complexity
• Financial concepts and tools that improve fluency in budgetary and strategic discussions
• A deeper awareness of your leadership presence and the signals you send—even after you leave the room
• A new network of high-performing, globally diverse peers who are also committed to growth and innovation

Qualified candidates are admitted on a rolling, space-available basis, and space is limited. Early application is encouraged and will increase your chances of being accepted. As this course is scheduled to be held in person, please also allow for Visa processing times.

Email execacademy@mit.edu if you would like to speak with a program director or visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for answers to common questions about our courses.