Program Structure 2022

Participants are expected to conceive and develop a group project throughout the year. The project is developed in phases:

1. Participants identify a problem they face in their workplace connected with one of the four core topics of the program.

2. Before the international module, participants will divide in groups and organize ideas for a project.

3. Groups submit a 1-page outline with the basic ideas of the project before the international module.

4. On the last day of the International module, the groups will share the findings of the lectures in an internal seminar, present their outline and exchange ideas with advisors and the rest of the cohort. In August, there will be a meeting with all the mentors and participants of the program.

5. In September, each group will submit the first draft of the final project for feedback.

6. Each group will be paired with one advisor to better develop their projects.

7. In November each group will submit the final version of the project after the orientation of the advisors to be presented to a wider audience in December.

Course evaluation will be based on the following formula:

1.  Class Participation – 50%

Attendance and individual participation, as well as engagement in the group project will be evaluated.

2.  Final Group Project – 50%

The evaluation of the project will be based on:

a.   Merit and relevance of the project;

b.  Innovative approach to the subject;

c.   How the ideas are presented; the structure of the text and the consistency of the proposed solution. 

Attendance is not an option--it is a requirement.

Punctuality, alertness, and participation in class discussions and exercises will be taken into consideration. 

Absences will need to be communicated with at least 1 week in advance. For each absence after 2, the final grade may be lowered by one letter. Any student who misses 3 or more modules is subject to failure, unless justified as excused absences.

"Excused" absences include the following:

• Illness or injury that is documented by a letter from a physician or health professional.
• "Mental duress" (divorce, death of friend or family member) that is documented in writing.
• Officially sanctioned and sponsored travel that is documented by a letter by senior management.
• Required court appearances that are documented by a letter from the clerk of the court.

Following the approval of the academic committee, participants who successfully complete the requirements will receive a formal certificate of completion issued by the Columbia Global Centers | Rio de Janeiro. The minimum requirement to receive the certificate of completion of the course is an average of B, or 80%. 

Strengths Assessment and workshop

May 06 (Friday) 

09:00 AM- 5:00 PM 

Rio de Janeiro

Instructor: Dr Brian Perkins (Senior Lecturer – Teachers College, Director of the Urban Education Leaders Program at Teachers College, Columbia University in the Department of Organization and Leadership)

The participants will take an online survey that uncovers the strengths of your team of leaders along 34 empirically-validated themes. It enables your leaders to discover their top five Strengths Insights and build their daily activities and long-term strategies around them. Along with the Strengths Discovery report, your leaders receive an Action-Planning Guide which helps in releasing the power within and transforming your educational organization along the way. 

During the workshop, the instructor will convene the group by administering the different instruments, analyzing the resultant reports, tracking the organization’s progress, building an improvement plan customizable to the organization’s needs and aspirations, and transforming the plan into actions and strategies. Our goal is to work with the participants to unlock the full potential of our leaders and nurture the organization’s growth in a measurable and sustainable manner. 

International Module

End of June (Monday-Friday)

09:00 AM - 5:00 PM New York (Columbia Campus)

Classroom sessions, group visits and activities, along the lines of traditional executive education programs. The themes selected for the international module are in synergy with the training that will be offered in Brazil. The module will consist of academic sessions in the morning, with afternoon visits, with a total of 6-8 hours daily for 5 days.

1.Daily schedule*

• *Agenda to be confirmed

2. Internal Seminar and Roundtable:

On the last day of the international module, participants will present the problem that they have identified on their workplace and start to discuss possible solutions. The groups will share the findings of the visits and lectures in an internal seminar. A roundtable with Members of the Board of Advisors will bring closer the group of professionals that will be part of the program and connect with the group as well as discuss relevant themes related to the group projects and strategies of advancing the theme of women leadership in the public and private sector.

Inclusive Leadership Intensive

September 16 (Friday) 

09:00 AM - 05:00 PM 

Rio de Janeiro

Instructor: Dr. Cindy Pace (Lecturer Organizational Leadership, HCM Program, Columbia University School of Professional Studies; Vice President, Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at MetLife.)

This module seeks to introduce students to the latest theory, research and practice of “Inclusive Leadership,” an evolving framework, for understanding the role of people leaders, teams, and individual contributors in cultivating diverse, equitable, and inclusion environments in companies and organizations. This interactive, intensive course will leverage insights, research, and experiences of leading scholars and practitioners in the fields of leadership, diversity, and inclusion. The content covered is grounded in inclusive leadership development, diversity management, team effectiveness, organization development, and intergroup relations. Students will learn hands-on strategies for fostering inclusion at every level of the organization, and how and why it matters on the overall culture and climate of the organization in a systematic way. Class discussions, assignments, and readings will pose questions such as: How to foster a culture of inclusion? How do we know when inclusion is actually taking place?

Technology’s Impact on Communications

October 22 (Friday) 

09:00 AM - 05:00 PM 

Rio de Janeiro

Instructor: Alexis Wichowski (Adjunct Associate Professor, Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs)

In this module Professor Wichowsky will discuss technology’s impact on communications. First, we will provide common understanding of current technological developments impacting government, society and citizens. Afterwards, Alexis will explore intended and unintended consequences of technological advancements for good and ill on institutions and the regulatory relationship between fast-developing technology and slow-moving bureaucracies.

The goal is to explore the importance of data for the public sector and its influence on decision making.