Being part of the BBS Alumni Community means playing an active role in shaping the future. This is the vision behind the Management Frontiers Open Program, an annual initiative that, through a different theme each year, continues to provide participants with the perspectives and tools needed to understand and navigate complexity.
The theme of this edition is vision: imagining, designing and building. Alec Ross’s The Italian Dream serves as the guiding thread of a journey that, through a series of thought-provoking dualities, invites participants to explore business, social and humanistic issues, with the aim of developing a shared framework for interpreting the present and shaping the future.
Regardless of participants’ country of origin, this Open Program is conceived as a school for the future: thoughtful, intellectually rigorous and genuinely critical. It offers new perspectives on the most relevant challenges that BBS Alumni face in their professional and personal lives, creating a space for open reflection on growth, prosperity and transformation.
Delivered primarily online, with a concluding on-campus session for those who wish to attend, the program once again combines theory and practice. A series of highly inspirational lectures will be complemented by a day at the BBS Campus dedicated to collaborative activities, discussion and networking.
Reflecting on the foundations of society will take participants beyond geographical and disciplinary boundaries, encouraging them to examine the values that underpin our world and the ways in which those values shape professional, social and personal choices. It is a journey designed to imagine the future, better understand the present and contribute, with greater awareness, to meaningful 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 – Welcome Session with Alec Ross
- November 17, 2026 | 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. | Online – Young and Old / Form and Substance
- November 24, 2026 | 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. | Online – Learning and Superficial Stimuli / Short-Term and Long-Term Thinking
- December 1, 2026 | 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. | Online – Unity and Division / Trust and Distrust
- December 12, 2026 | 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | On Campus – Final Session
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.
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 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 30 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.
