International Week 2025: a bridge between business cultures and global innovation
18 November 2025Boston, October 2025. For one week, participants of the Executive MBA English Edition and the Global MBA Ferrari left the hills of the BBS Multicampus to take part in an immersive experience within one of the world’s most dynamic business and academic environments.
The International Week, organized by Bologna Business School in collaboration with Northeastern University, offered an opportunity to explore American business models, managerial practices, and educational approaches through lectures, company visits, and meetings with professionals and faculty members.
From October 13 to 17, participants, accompanied by Professor Riccardo Silvi, Professor of Business Administration and Management Accounting and Academic Director of the Executive MBA, alternated classroom sessions and field experiences, engaging directly with companies at the forefront of technological and organizational innovation. It was an opportunity to broaden their understanding of international business and to see how different corporate cultures interpret transformation and change today.
A week between learning, enterprise, and culture
The program began on Monday, October 13, with a welcome session by the joint faculty: Professor Monica Baraldi Borgida (Northeastern University), Professor Krassimir Marchev (Northeastern University), and Professor Riccardo Silvi (Bologna Business School). The opening day focused on entrepreneurship in the New England context, with the lecture Entrepreneurship at the Intersection of Institutions and Society by Professor Ted Miller, followed by a visit to the Harvard University campus—an opportunity to experience one of the world’s most renowned academic institutions.
On Tuesday, October 14, participants explored business transformation and innovation with Professor Krassimir Marchev, before visiting Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, a pioneer in RNAi therapeutics. There, they met the company’s management team, who shared insights into a biotech organization capable of combining scientific research with social impact.
Wednesday, October 15, was dedicated to leadership and financial management in transformation. After the session with Professor Robert O’Haver, the group visited the Wind Technology Testing Center, the first U.S. commercial facility for full-scale wind turbine blade testing—a symbol of a rapidly evolving sector and a tangible commitment to energy transition. The week concluded on Friday, October 17, with visits to IPG Photonics, a cutting-edge company in laser technologies, and Boston Scientific, a global leader in medical devices, where managers from the Innovation Center welcomed the group for an open discussion on development processes and innovation challenges.
A transformative experience
For Nicolò Zortea, participant of the Executive MBA English Edition, the most valuable aspect of the International Week was “getting to know my classmates better and building new relationships. But above all, visiting companies I would not have had the chance to access otherwise and meeting professionals who took the time to explain every aspect of their work in detail. Engaging with such different realities and stepping outside one’s comfort zone is a truly invaluable opportunity.”
The company visits, at the heart of the experience, opened new perspectives: “they gave me new points of view and allowed me to take a closer look at industries very different from the one I currently work in.” The educational approach shared between Bologna Business School and Northeastern University further confirmed the value of interdisciplinary learning: “the openness and enthusiasm of the professors, together with activities such as Design Thinking, were very useful in exploring new perspectives and business models.”
For Eva Ciocan, from the Executive MBA English Edition, the week represented a moment of both professional and personal growth: “the most meaningful aspect for me was being exposed to a completely different environment and way of thinking. Having worked only in European contexts, visiting the U.S. for the first time allowed me to notice significant differences in approach and perspective. This broadened my understanding of business and leadership and will certainly enrich my professional journey.”
When asked about the most meaningful moments, Eva has no hesitation: “the company visits were my favorite part. Having the opportunity to interact directly with professionals from leading organizations in different sectors added great practical value. The open discussions, with questions and answers, made the learning experience dynamic and effective.”
Finally, the collaboration between the two institutions left a lasting impression: “I was particularly struck by the open communication and strong cooperation between Bologna Business School and Northeastern University. The joint approach reflected a genuine spirit of partnership. It was also very positive and pleasant to see Monica, a former BBS professor, actively involved at Northeastern. The entire experience was extremely rewarding and well worth the effort.”
Learning and international perspective
The International Week demonstrated how education gains depth and relevance when it stems from the encounter between different worlds. The joint lectures with Northeastern University and the company visits in the United States offered participants the chance to engage with diverse methods, languages, and managerial approaches, and to see how innovation takes shape across global contexts.
An intense week that combined knowledge, practice, and dialogue, leaving each participant with new tools and new questions to bring back to their professional and educational paths.
