Being part of the BBS Alumni community means playing an active role in shaping the future. This is the purpose behind the Management Frontiers Open Program, which each year explores a different theme, continuing to offer tools and perspectives to understand and navigate complexity.
The theme chosen for this edition is vision: imagining, designing, building. The Italian Dream by Alec Ross will serve as the compass for a journey that, through a series of dualities — young and old, form and substance, learning and superficial stimuli, short term and long term, unity and division, innovation and tradition — will guide participants in exploring business, social and humanistic issues, with the aim of drawing a shared map to interpret the present and shape the future.
Regardless of participants’ country of origin, this Open Program aims to be a school for the future, fostering awareness and a genuinely critical perspective, capable of offering fresh insights into the most relevant issues Alumni face every day. An opportunity for shared reflection, as objective as possible, on the challenges of growth, prosperity and transformation.
Delivered online with a final in-person session, the course once again combines theory and practice. A series of highly inspirational lectures, featuring speakers including Francesco Cupertino (Full Professor, Polytechnic University of Bari), Alessandro Cillario (Co-CEO & Co-Founder, Cubbit) and Marco Lombardo (Senator of the Italian Republic), will be complemented by a day on Campus dedicated to activities exploring the theme, discussion and networking.
Reflecting on the foundations of society will take us beyond geographical and disciplinary boundaries, offering participants the opportunity to consider its underlying values and how these can shape their professional, social and personal experience. A journey to imagine the future, understand the present and contribute, with greater awareness, to shaping change.
ACCREDITATIONS AND RANKINGS
Bologna Business School is EQUIS – EFMD Quality Improvement System accredited, one of the most important international quality assessment and continuous improvement systems for Schools of Management and Business Administration.
Bologna Business School’s Open Programs are included in the Financial Times Ranking in the Executive Education 2026 category.
Structure
The program consists of four evening online sessions, enriched by the participation of internationally renowned guest speakers, followed by a concluding on-campus session.
The final day represents the culmination of the program, offering participants the opportunity to engage directly with the faculty, take part in collaborative activities, and strengthen their network within the Bologna Business School Community.
Schedule:
- November 10, 2026 | 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. | Online
- November 17, 2026 | 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. | Online
- November 24, 2026 | 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. | Online
- December 1, 2026 | 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. | Online
- December 12, 2026 | 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | On Campus
Faculty
Faculty members at Bologna Business School work together offering outstanding teaching standards. An international and interdisciplinary approach is guaranteed by a joint team of distinguished national core professors, adjunct, visiting professors, guest speakers and top managers.
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Alec Ross
Distinguished Adjunct Professor
Bologna Business School
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Martina Del Castello
Managing Director
SSM Business Unit
Networking
The open program is an experience built around people and relationships, fostering valuable connections through continuous interaction among participants, faculty members, and managers. During the classroom sessions, a dynamic network develops, enriched by the diversity of experiences, roles, and industries. A vibrant ecosystem that enhances learning and continues to generate value over time.
COMPANIES
Companies within the Bologna Business School network actively contribute to the development of the Open Programs by helping shape the content and bringing real-world experience into the classroom. Managers and professionals take part through testimonials, real business cases, and direct contributions, enriching the learning journey with a practical perspective. Interaction with companies from different industries encourages a continuous exchange of experiences and best practices. This ongoing dialogue between the classroom and the business world creates a dynamic ecosystem where skills, perspectives, and approaches come together, generating value for all participants.
FEES
The participation fee for the program is:
- €900 (+ VAT), special rate reserved for members of the BBS Community;
- €2,500 (+ VAT), for participants sponsored by companies and institutions;
- €2,000 (+ VAT), for individual participants.
The participation fee includes attendance at all program sessions, access to all learning materials available through the online platform, and access to Bologna Business School services, including a personal Wi-Fi account and use of the study areas.
Special discounts are available for:
- early registrations;
- companies that are members of the BBS Business Network;
- Alma/BBS and Profingest Alumni;
- groups of at least three participants.
INTERPROFESSIONAL FUNDS
Alumni and Companies can check the availability of vouchers at the relevant Interprofessional Fund:
Fondimpresa – for supervisors / middle management
Fondo Dirigenti PMI – for managers in industrial SMEs
Fonditalia
Fondirigenti – for executives
Fon.Coop – for cooperative companies
REQUIREMENTS
The program is limited to a maximum of 60 participants in order to ensure an effective and interactive learning experience, and is open to professionals with diverse backgrounds and levels of experience.
APPLICATION PROCESS
To participate, it is necessary to request the application form by emailing openprograms@bbs.unibo.it. The team is available to provide all relevant information and support candidates throughout the process.
FAQs
Yes, there is a certificate upon successful completion of all courses, the final examination and 70% attendance. The certificate will attest to successful completion of the courses and will award 60 university credits (CFU).
The documents used in the classroom and any further reading or exercises will be uploaded to our platform, whose credentials will be delivered in the classroom.
Should a group of colleagues wish to participate in the program, it is possible to contact the Program Manager to evaluate an ad hoc participation price.
Our short courses do not require a specific course of study. It is important to have a few years of work experience behind you that can help you, inside the classroom, by bringing real cases dealt with and solutions adopted during your work.
