The EMBA Programme develops international leadership skills in collaboration with EM Lyon Business School

Designed for professionals in expert and leadership positions, the Executive MBA (EMBA) programme focuses on the constant evolution of the business environment, organizational renewal, personal competence development, and leadership growth. In addition, the EMBA in Safety Management program broadens perspectives on the management of safety and well-being at work.

Understanding and leveraging the strengths of employees from diverse cultural backgrounds fosters innovation, builds stronger team structures, and enables better decision-making. Therefore, the EMBA studies include a course aimed at deepening the understanding of the challenges of working in multicultural teams and providing training to operate effectively within them.

An intensive course on leading multicultural teams in Lyon, France

Since 2008, the EMBA program has offered the "Building and Leading Multi-Cultural Teams" course as an intensive one-week module held in Lyon, France, organized by EM Lyon.

When the course was first established, the University of Oulu did not yet have equivalent teaching content or expertise required for such a course. As a result of mapping suitable partners, contact was made with EM Lyon Business School, one of France's most prestigious and oldest business schools. The institution has a strong international profile with campuses in Lyon, Paris, Shanghai, and Mumbai.

EM Lyon is particularly renowned for its education in entrepreneurship, innovation, and multicultural leadership, as well as for its close ties to the business world. The school offers a wide range of degree and executive education programs that prepare students to succeed in a global and rapidly changing business environment. Initially introduced as a three-day course, the program was later expanded into a full week to ensure a more comprehensive learning experience.

The course content approaches internationalization and global business primarily from a cultural perspective. Additionally, it emphasizes self-awareness and understanding of different behavioral profiles: the aim is to reflect on how one’s own behavior, as well as that of colleagues or customers, affects interaction and how this awareness can help to better understand others’ ways of working, ultimately building more successful teams.

In addition to strong theoretical content and workshops, the week-long intensive course includes at least one company visit, with the destination varying from time to time.

Towards a broader international network

Over the years, cooperation with EM Lyon has developed into a versatile partnership that includes MBA programs, student and faculty exchanges, and joint master's degree programs.

"Internationalization plays an increasingly important role in strengthening both the success of the business sector in Northern Finland and the vitality of the University of Oulu. Therefore, the importance of the Business School and its active international partners continues to grow," says Antti Kauppila, EMBA Programme Director.