Executive Leadership
About
Aimed at practising and aspiring leaders, this course offers valuable insights, particularly for individuals in decision-making positions or leadership roles.
This course will give you the knowledge and confidence to make informed business and leadership decisions to create value for your organisation.
The course develops leadership and management skills within a global environment, aligning with OECD's recommendation to build capacity in these higher-level skills. it also supports the Department for the Economy's Skills Strategy commitment to “develop a renewed approach to management and leadership in Northern Ireland”.
A key feature of the programme is the unique combination of important strands of executive development which you will learn and benefit from, namely:
- The identification of, and aspiration to world-class standards of both performance;
- A customer centric organisation irrespective of commercial and non-commercial activities;
- The acquisition and use of intellectual capital, knowledge and systems;
- The value of human capital and how talent is managed throughout the organisation.
Organisations benefit from leaders who understand the new business landscape and can make informed decisions when planning for the future and who have an appreciation of the social and emotional skills identified in the McKinsey research.
Delivery format and Attendance
The course will be delivered in ‘blocks’ for each module, each module is usually 2 and a half days. Assessment is 100% coursework – both individual and group work.
Registration and enrolment 20 September.
Module 1 - Creating the Future: 10 & 11 October, Belfast
Module 2 - Leading for the Future: 26 & 27 November, Belfast
Module 3 - Executive Coaching and Mentoring: 6 & 7 February, Belfast and 8 February, flexible online
Module 4 - Digital Transformation: 20 & 21 March, Belfast and 22 March, flexible online
Course Duration
The course will be taught over two semesters, starting in September 2024 and completed in March 2025.
The course consists of four modules which are three full days of teaching each. There will be two modules in Semester 1 and two modules in Semester 2.
Teaching, Learning and Assessment
The course is taught in immersive three day 'blocks' of teaching.
Teaching is by experienced academics from Ulster University Business School and practitioner guest speakers are also invited to speak to the class to add insight and best in class studies to the academic content.
Each module is assessed individually. All assessment is 100% coursework and is designed for individuals to make an impact within their organisations, making it practical in nature.
Career Options
Participants will be able to further their leadership careers and make an immediate impact in their organisations.
Successful participants may wish to continue their study to a Postgraduate Diploma and Masters degree in Executive Leadership.
Campus
Belfast
Academic Profile
The course is taught by experience academics from Ulster Business School and we also invite guest speakers to the class to provide real life examples of best practice.
Further Information
Modules
The four modules on this course are:
Creating the Future
We are living in a world characterised by rapid change and increasing technological, social, political and economic diversity. To succeed as a leader future trends, including technological, economic, social etc., must be considered so that steps can be taken to deal with their effects. The need for efficient strategic thinking is most obvious in times of accelerated change when the reaction time of the organisation becomes crucial to survival and growth.
All organisations experience such periods of change from time to time, alternating with periods of relative stability. Rolling forecasting, effective planning and appropriate strategies will assist leaders envision and communicate the future as part of the leader's inventory of personal skills.
This module explores the challenges that leaders have to face within the context of their organisational sector and the knowledge and skills they need to set future direction and to use strategic positioning to effectively gain competitive advantage. New approaches to strategic positioning are considered in addition to the competencies needed by the leader to engage effectively in strategy development.
Leading for the Future
The Leading for the Future module is designed to provide participants with the opportunity to articulate long term leadership, develop goals, identify skills gaps, reflect on leadership attributes/ skills and support repositioning of their purpose, values, leadership identity and philosophy.
You will be exposed to a range of leadership theories and frameworks to assist in developing insight into personal leadership practices. The module will integrate theory and practice by drawing on a range of case study organisations and expert guest speakers.
The aim of this module is to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of the leadership literature to enable them to assess their leadership skills and attributes. To assist with this process, participants will be introduced to self-assessment and reflective practice to provide them with a holistic and objective view of their leadership abilities and practice which will inform a personal leadership development strategy.
Executive Coaching and Mentoring
The Executive Coaching and Mentoring Module is designed to give participants knowledge of the context of coaching and mentoring in a business environment.
You will be supported to test a range of models and interventions, to assist skills development and performance improvement of the coach/mentor, the individual being coached/mentored, as well as to the overall benefit of the organisation/wider community.
Through the sessions participants explore the literature in this field and reflect on their personal development as a coach or mentor. The module uses action learning, peer learning, exploration of case study and creative learning techniques to explore how coaching and mentoring can successfully be applied in the business context.
Digital Transformation
Recent studies have found that achieving digital transformation is now critical to an organisation's survival. However, this 'transformation' from adopting a small number of digital applications to becoming a truly 'digital enterprise' is a real challenge and one that most organisations are struggling with.
People are central to effective digital transformation. Processes, technologies/tools and culture are also central to its effectiveness. All are required to deliver effective Digital Transformation.
The execution of a successful digital transformation strategy starts with a mind-set shift that places a heightened emphasis on people, processes, tools/technologies, culture and social systems to effect positive and sustainable change. Digital Transformation needs transformational leaders.
This module will equip participants with critical theories and concepts to analyse and differentiate the strategic values of emerging technologies (cloud computing, social media, big data, the internet of things etc.), and evaluate different methods of aligning technological opportunities with business strategy; critically reflecting upon its impact on Leadership.
Entry requirements
You hold a Second-Class Honours Degree or better OR have significant managerial / business experience.
Eligibility
Places are limited and open to applicants who:
- are over 18 years of age;
- are eligible to work in Northern Ireland;
- are ‘settled’ in Northern Ireland, and has been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least three years; or
- are a person who has indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK.
- meet the course specific entry requirements as detailed above.
- meet the Ulster University general entry requirements