Learning philosophy

Our learning philosophy follows the educational mission of the Stockholm School of Economics, which declares that a successful decision maker will approach the world with curiosity and confidence and who, as the philosopher Ingemar Hedenius said, is "free and alive in relation to the unknown".

SSE has formulated its overarching educational mission through the acronym FREE, which summarizes the key outcomes expected for our participants, whom by the end of the program will:

Have a Fact and science-based mindset

We are fundamentally a scientific institution, and facts are the basis for all critical and analytical thinking. Our graduates will make decisions based on facts and have the ability to differentiate between types of knowledge. This ability becomes particularly important in a world of alternative facts, "fake news" and filter bubbles.

Be Reflective and self-aware

The future will require more reflection and self-knowledge. SSE-trained individuals will be able to contemplate what role they play in the world, understand the impact they have on others, evaluate their personal preferences, and be aware of how their choices are determined.

Be Empathetic and culturally literate

We are convinced that an empathetic person becomes a better leader and decision maker; thus we hope our students will be able to consider the perspective of others fully. Cultural literacy is also critical. To interact with someone from another background, expertise, or profession than one's own is a prerequisite for the future.

Be Entrepreneurial and responsible

Students graduated from SSE will have an entrepreneurial and creative approach to the world. They will strive to create change in a responsible manner. They should not accept the status quo but seek improvement for society and the world at large.

The SSE MBA Executive Format employs a multifaceted learning approach, in which pedagogical tools vary depending on the subject area and type of challenge. SSE's educational mission FREE is supported by the pedagogical backbone of SSE: dedicated faculty, practice orientation, and problem-driven learning.

Theory

The SSE MBA Executive Format is an academic program based on research to improve your analytical capabilities. Our faculty consists of active researchers, all well recognized in their areas of expertise.

Practical and applicable - MBALive®

The program focuses on making research driven theoretical frameworks applicable to real managerial issues and solutions. The program brings hands-on action and real-world experiences to the classroom through cases, live projects, and the experiences of the participants. To get the most out of the process of using the models and implementing what you learn, we have developed a special pedagogy, MBALive®, which brings the real world to the program and the program to the real world.

The MBALive® pedagogy aims at developing an understanding of the complexity and dynamics of organizations. In this part of the program, you integrate and apply theoretical frameworks from the MBA courses to live management issues and cases in real companies. The MBALive® takes different forms corresponding to the learning philosophy of the program. It encourages you to think, do, and reflect in different ways.

You learn together with other participants, SSE faculty and case sponsors, and develop feasible recommendations for action and real change. All modules and most courses, in the program use the MBALive® pedagogy, so you do not have to wait until after graduation to bring your newly acquired knowledge and skills into the real world.

Reflective

Reflection is one of the central pedagogical tools employed in our program and aims at shaping a mental and social space where meaning can be created, and learning takes place. Thus, there will be ample time spent on reflective exercises.

Learning methodology

Our faculty will introduce their courses and readings, as well as digital module material and exercises, during off campus periods. These preparations guarantee a high level of interaction during campus weeks, which are filled with high quality learning experiences such as case discussions, interactive lectures, group exercises, guest speakers, company visits, etc.