Executive Education

Executive Education is the term used for programs at graduate-level business schools that aim to give classes for Chief Executives and other top managers or entrepreneurs. These programs do not usually end in a degree, although there is an ever-growing number of "Executive MBA" programs that are very similar and offer a Masters of Business Administration upon completion of the coursework. Executive education programs are seen as a boon to both the school (as it usually comes with a hefty price tag in the form of tuition and fees) and the younger, traditional Masters of Business Administration students. The alumni network of the business school is bolstered by the ranks of these high executives, who can help the younger MBAs with finding jobs.

Estimates by Business Week magazine suggest that executive education in the United States is approximately an $800 million per year business, roughly 80% of which is provided by universities (mostly business schools). The fastest growing segment of the market is so-called "customized" programs, which are tailored for and offered to executives of a single company (as opposed to "open enrollment" programs).

History of Executive Education

Executive education programs are in a way the descendants of the MBA, which was developed in the U.S. in the early 20th century as a way to strengthen the management skills of senior executives. [ [http://edition.cnn.com/2005/BUSINESS/08/15/execed.defined/index.html/ CNN] ] The concept spread rapidly and globally, and companies soon recognized the advantages of educating their workforce. Their desire to do so without losing an employee to a classroom for two years gave birth to a variety of more flexible programs, from part-time studies to online degrees.

Executive education developed in the 1980s and 1990s, as the increasing pace and scope of global business demanded higher levels of education among employees. The dot-com boom further changed the scope of the U.S. business landscape by favoring employees and organizations who were quick to adapt and capable of change. As longstanding business concepts became obsolete, continual training was necessary--but earning a degree was not.

Today, the participation of the most prestigious universities around the world has lent credibility to executive education, unlike other non-degree/certificate programs that may or may not be recognized as valuable. The dot-com influence may be diminished, but the emphasis on learning new concepts throughout one's career has continued, and made executive education extremely popular in the U.S. (Duke University, for example, reports 25% annual growth for its Corporate Education programs.) [ [http://edition.cnn.com/2005/BUSINESS/08/15/execed.defined/index.html/ CNN] ]

Executive Education Centers

* Federal Executive Institute
* Helsinki School of Economics
* John F. Kennedy School of Government
* Brookings Institution
* Darden School of Executive Education
* Sloan School of Management
* The Wharton School - Aresty Institute of Executive Education
* Stockholm School of Economics - Executive MBA at SSE

ee also

* Business school
* List of business schools per country
* Executive development
* Leadership development
* Organizational development

Notes and References

Resources

* [http://www.imats.com/index.php Searchable Executive Education Directory]
* [http://www.executive-education.net Independent Executive Education Directories]