Academic objective and positioning

Academic objective

The degree programme combines the principles of Design Thinking with practical aspects of leadership. Participants are organized into different teams to address central aspects of leadership, innovative forms of collaboration, the principles of strategy development and the diversity of organizational cultures. Inspired by case studies and short sessions of input from experts, participants try out all kinds of design leadership interventions of their own. They learn how to develop themselves and their organization, take a creative approach to innovation and change and steer them in the longer term.

Participants on the CAS Design Leadership degree programme

  • flesh out their personal leadership profile by deliberately changing their perspective and by developing a greater awareness of, and sensitivity towards, their own strengths and weaknesses
  • learn the fundamental principles of a contemporary leadership style and how to apply it in complex organizational settings
  • develop an acute sense of the specific characteristics of different organizational cultures and how to deal appropriately with contradictions between them, in different contexts
  • work intensively on their presentation skills and improve their public speaking, communication and coaching skills
  • broaden their expertise in strategy development and how to combine this with operational acumen
  • work in interdisciplinary groups to explore a wide range of processes, methods and tools for teambuilding, cooperation and innovation management
  • learn how to transfer, and successfully apply, design-based processes at the organizational, strategic and team levels.

Positioning

In the context of the MAS Strategic Design, the CAS Design Leadership is characterised in particular by the interlocking of a dedicated design approach with the teaching of contemporary leadership styles and up-to-date forms of collaboration. The programme is particularly suitable for people who want to sharpen their individual leadership profile and develop a keen sense for situational action in different organisational cultures.

The «spider model» shows the dimensions of curriculum in strategic design.

Know Yourself – Develop an awareness of yourself and your own value system, and an understanding of how these influence your own positioning and strategic behaviour.

Master Tools – Gain a broad knowledge of the concepts, methods and other instruments which help with strategic decision-making and support the required processes.

Shape Experiences – Build up expertise in aesthetic and experience-based elements and their influence on, and interaction in, the implementation of strategic decisions.

Enable People – Empower third parties by the clever application of collaborative and communication skills.

Navigate Complexity – Learn how to handle complex systems and about contextual relationships and how these can be influenced by interventions.

Transform Organizations – Learn about the idiosyncrasies of organizations and other communities.

Understand Technologies – Raise awareness of the potential of technological developments and their direct interaction with cultural aspects of everyday life.