The first international week of the year focuses on skill development at one of our European partner universities: the renowned Corvinus University in Budapest. This week, on the topic of the Responsible Leadership elective theme, is scheduled for later this month from, Monday, June 24 to Friday, June 28.

This international week is designed to inspire our students with contemporary themes in responsible leadership management. They will discover the latest opportunities and tools available to managers that will allow them to develop their skills as transformative managers and leaders to tackle future challenges. Along this week, projects will be developed and presented on the last day.

What can students expect of this week? Which skills will they define? And what are the must-sees of Budapest? We joined forces with Corvinus delegate Nikolett Rujp-Ofella to give you a little preview of our upcoming international week in Budapest.

First of all: how did Corvinus University and Maastricht University connect?

Maastricht University was one of Corvinus University of Budapest’s initial international student exchange partners, and it remains one of the largest in terms of international exchange students today. Corvinus University of Budapest enjoyed an existing collaboration with Maastricht University School of Business and Economics. Both MBA Programme Directors repeatedly met at educational conferences and started exploring further collaboration possibilities. And now, we’re here: at the start of our first joint educational week.

Can you introduce us to Corvinus University?

Corvinus University of Budapest is one of Hungary’s leading educational institutions in the field of economic and social sciences. Currently, about 10,000 students study at Corvinus University, including 2,000 international students. The institution maintains close relations with more than 200 partner universities worldwide. Corvinus regularly achieves high positions in international higher education rankings: with its Masters in Business and Management, it was ranked number one in the region in the 2019 Eduniversal Ranking; and with its Masters in Management and Leadership, it has been ranked among the 100 best business schools in the world year after year by the Financial Times since 2005. Corvinus University of Budapest is the only university in the field of economic sciences in Hungary that has two international institutional accreditations (AMBA, AACSB).

What can students expect of the recently built Corvinus University campuses during the international week?

In February 2024, the most sustainable building in the country opened: the Corvinus Gellért Campus. As of March 2024, the new campus is home for Corvinus Executive MBA, and thus it will be home for the upcoming international week held between 24-28 June 2024 for UMIO’s Global Executive MBA students.

During the week, the fifth floor of the J Tower will be exclusively used by participants of the international week. Classes will take place in the Panorama room, named after the astonishing panorama it provides over the city. The spacious Panorama room is equipped with hybrid technology and can be easily rearranged to accommodate the needs of the various sessions such as teambuilding activities, workshops, presentations, or regular lectures. On the same floor, participants will have access to breakout rooms where they can work in groups.

On the top of K Tower, there is a Rooftop Café with an open-air terrace where the view gets even more amazing. Participants are welcome to spend the breaks here and enjoy the view of the city. On Wednesday, we are organizing a Wine & Dine event led by one of our EMBA Alumni which will take place on the Rooftop Café. Participants can learn about Hungary’s wine regions, grape and wine varieties while enjoying some of Hungary’s finest wines at the top of the city.

Can you share some insights about the upcoming international week at Corvinus University?

The international week will feature leadership as its central theme. A key part of the international week is the „Decision Making For Executive Leadership (Fligby)” course led by Dr. Zoltán Buzády, Academic Director of ‘Leadership & Flow Global Research Network’. The overall aim of this course is for participants to discover their personal-professional Flow ‘Zone’ in leadership and professional creativity and find more meaning and joy in being a responsible and authentic leader.

In addition to the course, an interactive workshop will be held on „Gender and Leadership in Central and Eastern Europe”, featuring guest speakers who are leaders and experts from various industries.

Participants will also get involved in a case competition, which proposes real-life leadership challenges coming from a potential M&A transaction. The session builds on three short consecutive cases that present an opportunity to examine several aspects of the merger process, highlighting challenges specific to Central European business culture.

During the week, participants will have the opportunity to visit three Hungarian companies, all of which take different angles on leadership. Zwack Unicum, founded in 1840, makes liqueurs and spirits including the famous Hungarian spirit, Unicum. The company has a rich and interesting history from a leadership perspective as it had to survive the turbulent times of the Communist regime in Central Europe. Jókenyér (meaning „good bread” in Hungarian) is a family-owned bakery chain, founded in 1994. The company is one of the first Hungarian pioneers of high-quality sourdough bakery products.

The current Managing Director had been working in the world of organisational development for 20 years before he became the Managing Director of Jókenyér in 2022. Jókenyér launched a programme called „Break out of the Bubble!” which aims to allow managers to step out of the box and do something physical after all the mental work. The experience will then presumably have an impact on the way they do their normal work and the way they handle situations. The third company visit will take participants to Ízlelő restaurant, a social enterprise founded in 2007, that offers disabled people an opportunity to work. Only people with disabilities work at this restaurant, which provides customers with a unique opportunity to explore new ways of interacting with waiters and waitresses.

Which skills will students define and develop during the week?

Because the week focuses on leadership, students will work on their leadership skills, especially critical (self)reflection, complex problem-solving, and intercultural communication. The cultural and historical legacy of the CEE area has a distinct influence on preferred leadership styles, gender, and leadership questions, which may challenge students in novel ways, allowing them to practise resilience and flexibility.

Which advice would you give our students who will join this international week?

Be curious and open-minded, become aware of your uneasiness, and follow it, learn from it. Ask brave questions, listen carefully and be present.

Last but not least: which landmarks are must-sees when we visit Budapest?

Budapest is a beautiful city, but definitely make sure to visit the following places to catch its full beauty:

• Castle District: Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church
• Hungarian Parliament Building
• St. Stephen’s Basilica
• Shoes on the Danube Bank
• Széchenyi Lánchíd
• Heroes’ Square

This article presents a preview of the elective week on Perspectives on Responsible Leadership at Corvinus University, Budapest, Hongary. This elective module of our Responsible Leadership elective is part of the executive modular part-time MaastrichtMBA programme. The programme has a Triple Crown accreditation and is aimed for professionals with at least 5 years of working experience.