Enrollment for the Dual Executive MBA Programme between the UNWE and Northern Illinois University Has Begun

The enrolment for the dual Executive Master of Business Administration /EMBA/ Programme between the UNWE and Northern Illinois University /NIU/ - USA, which is the first of its kind in Bulgaria, has begun. The Programme starts in February 2023. The training will be in-person and it will be conducted in English on the campus of the University of National and World Economy. Students who complete the EMBA will receive two diplomas - from the UNWE and from the Northern Illinois University /NIU/, with accreditation from the AACSB - the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Only 4% of business programmes worldwide hold such an accreditation.

The dual EMBA programme provides three main advantages:

• Tuition fees are three times lower in Bulgaria. To study in a prestigious American or European EMBA programme you need about 120 000 euros, including living expenses. For the first time in Bulgaria we have achieved local price and local access to an EMBA Programme, with the price of 25 000 euros with additional discounts for early enrolment.
• The training is held in time frames providing an opportunity for a balance between the students' workload and the innovative training - after 5 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends.
• Students obtain leadership and management skills to be relevant in a new, digital, rapidly changing business reality.

The dual EMBA Programme in Bulgaria is identical to the EMBA Programme provided by the NIU College of Business in the USA – the same hours, the same curriculum. The lecturers from the NIU College of Business will travel to Sofia each month to deliver the courses in person jointly with the lecturers from the UNWE. The Programme lasts one year /12 months/. Every month will be held one course. All students will have full access to the student systems of both universities.

“The Executive MBA is the best of the best available in Bulgaria for professionals who have completed Bachelor's degree in any specialty and have work experience", says Assoc. Prof. Mihail Musov – Vice Rector for Research and International Affairs of UNWE, EMBA Coordinator for Bulgaria. According to his words, the Programme is innovative because it develops both professional and personal skills of students which turns them not just into managers but into the leaders that the business requires.

Assoc. Prof. Mihail Musov

"Completing the Programme, the graduates will be competitive to lead the change and to stimulate the innovation not only in leading companies in Bulgaria but also abroad. The EMBA is just the beginning of our students' professional transformation which does not end after the 12-month training. As part of the alumni communities of both universities, our colleagues continue their development within the network of former NIU and UNWE alumni. They can also continue to benefit from the exclusive contacts od both universitites with influential institutions and organisations all over the world", says Assoc. Prof. Mihail Musov.

"It is one-year programme for professionals that aims to upgrade their knowledge with all the new trends in the business management", outlines Mrs. Annie Filipova, the NIU Representative for Eastern Europe, member of the NIU MBA Board of Executive Advisors.

Mrs. Annie Filipova

"The admission on the Programme will be on the basis of a diploma with an average score of grades above |”Good /4.15/” in the six-points system. The full set of documents is available on the Programme website. The level of proficiency in English will be assessed in an online interview with an NIU representative in Bulgaria", points out Annie Filipova.

In addition to students, the Programme provides a unique opportunity for employers to improve the knowledge of their employees and to prepare them for the future. It will enable them to develop potential leaders in their organisation. The dual EMBA Programme is also highly suitable for professionals who wish to enhance their qualifications and management skills.

Disciplines studied in the Programme include: Digital Transformation / Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) / Management / Strategic, International Management / Leadership / Marketing, Global Supply Chain Management /Financial Analysis / Expences Analysis and Management.