CEMS Round Table 2025: Co-Creating the Future of the CEMS Programme at VSE
Recently, the Faculty of Business Administration at VSE proudly hosted the CEMS Round Table 2025, a collaborative stakeholder workshop that united corporate partners, alumni, students, and faculty to discuss essential updates and innovations for our CEMS Master in International Management programme.
Held biennially, the Round Table ensures substantial time for implementing meaningful curricular changes. This year, our focus was on reshaping the curriculum to respond effectively to disruptive market changes, particularly the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, an intensified focus on sustainability, and evolving global business environments.
The three-hour workshop, moderated by Ladislav Tyll, Academic Director of the CEMS programme at VSE, centered on envisioning the essential skills required by graduates in 2030. Participants actively engaged in identifying competencies currently absent from our curriculum, determining which new areas to integrate, and highlighting elements that may no longer align with emerging needs.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology literacy were key themes that emerged, highlighting areas where we already provide some foundational knowledge, but recognizing a need to further strengthen and expand our curriculum to fully equip students for the future. Participants recommended leveraging innovative educational approaches, such as flipped classroom methods, to enhance practical engagement and deepen learning experiences.
Other essential future-oriented skills highlighted during the discussions included resilience, agility, adaptability, self-awareness, a growth mindset, financial literacy, and the ability to teach or mentor others.
Conversely, some traditional components, including Final State Exams, general management courses, and even language instruction, were critically evaluated. The necessity of the Global Citizenship Seminar was also questioned.
Building upon insights from the workshop, exciting new developments will soon follow. We anticipate introducing a new Digital Transformation course, specialized AI skill seminars, refreshed finance-oriented courses, and significant updates to core CEMS-exclusive courses. These updates will aim to strengthen digital literacy, enhance data-driven decision-making, and encourage consideration of environmental and social impacts.
Several of these curriculum innovations will take effect as early as September 2025. We sincerely thank all participants for their invaluable contributions and enthusiasm in shaping the future of our programme.
Corporate partners
- Jan Radil (Hilti, CEMS 2003 graduate)
- Martin Hrachovec (ASAHI)
- Martin Brodík (Škoda Auto)
- Martin Makovec (Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield)
CEMS alumni
- Michaela Bauer (CEMS alumni 2002)
- Petr Šmíd (CEMS alumni 2005)
- Anna Bohoněk (CEMS alumni 2018)
- Jakub Valníček (CEMS alumni 2021)
Current students
- Isabelle Anzuck
- Jakub Sommer
- Filip Kolář
- Sofia Kuliková
Lecturers
- Heřman Kopkáně (Corporate Finance)
- Michal Andera (Entrepreneurship and New Business Venturing)
- Daniela Pauknerová (Global Leadership)
- Marek Hudík (Microeconomics)
In addition, external expert Marek Miltner was invited to bring an independent perspective.
