Shape your career. Strengthen International Institutions. Lead with impact. International Organizations carry the weight of global expectations. They negotiate peace; they respond to crises; they finance development; they safeguard public goods. Yet today, International Organizations – such as the United Nations, EU Institutions, International NGOs and International Financial Institutions – operate under mounting pressure in a context characterized by geopolitical fragmentation, financial constraints, public scrutiny and institutional fatigue. In this environment, policy knowledge and technical expertise are no longer enough. What is increasingly required is leadership and management capacity.
The question, therefore, is no longer whether you care about impact, but whether you are equipped to lead it. The Executive Master in Management of International Organizations (EMMIO) at SDA Bocconi School of Management is designed precisely to support your professional and personal development.
Designed for Executives
The programme structure reflects the realities of senior professionals. EMMIO requires only 25 days on campus in Milan – divided into two intensive terms – combined with distance learning between modules. This format allows participants to continue leading teams and delivering institutional mandates while progressively strengthening their managerial expertise.
As one alumna serving in a European regional initiative shared: “EMMIO sharpened my managerial skills and equipped me to navigate complex global challenges with confidence.”
The only Executive Master in Management designed for International Organizations.
EMMIO is the only Executive Master in Management fully dedicated to the governance, strategy and operational realities of International Organizations. The programme explores the full spectrum of management for international civil servants, from personal leadership dynamics to institutional strategy.
At the individual and team level, you will deepen your ability to leverage human capital, strengthen negotiation skills, and manage complex stakeholder networks across regions, mandates and political contexts.
At the organizational level, EMMIO provides rigorous managerial tools tailored to International Institutions. You will engage with risk management frameworks, financial management in multilateral settings, Public–Private Partnerships, impact investing mechanisms, resource mobilization strategies, as well as digital transformation within International Organizations.
A truly global Executive Cohort open to Public and Private sector leaders
If you are a mid- or senior-level professional with at least 5+ years of experience – serving in the UN system, EU institutions, International Financial Institutions, global NGOs, foundations, or social-driven private sector – we invite you to apply to the Executive Master in Management of International Organizations (#EMMIO) at SDA Bocconi School of Management (ranked #1 among EU Business Schools by Bloomberg Businessweek and #6 by the Financial Times).
Each year, only 25 experienced professionals are selected.
Participants come from Headquarters, Regional and Country Offices across the globe with a class reflecting a global ecosystem shaped by institutional responsibility rather than geography alone. This diversity creates a uniquely rich environment where governance, compliance, strategy, operations and development finance are discussed by those who practice them daily. As one alumnus, now Head of the Strategy Unit at a Multilateral Development Bank, noted:
“EMMIO is about shaping the future of International Organizations together.” For some, EMMIO represents a strategic inflection point toward institutional leadership. For others, it strengthens their ability to operate effectively at the intersection of public and private governance. As one Alumnus said:
“EMMIO is not just an academic qualification – it is a transformative journey that enhances one’s capacity to lead, influence, and deliver impact on a global scale.”
Your next step
The next cohort begins with a face-to-face term in Milan from 28 September to 15 October 2026, followed by distance learning from November 2026 to April 2027, and concludes with the final face-to-face term and graduation in May 2027.
Applications close 16 July 2026.
If you are ready to move from expertise to institutional leadership and to strengthen your capacity to manage international organizations effectively, we invite you to apply.
- Reserve a one-to-one chat with the EMMIO Program Coordinator
- Learn more from our Alumni and Alumnae and contact our Guidance, Recruitment & Admissions team – diana.ajuz@sdabocconi.it