Lifelong Learning with TRIUM's Innovative Module 7

Lifelong learning initiatives are becoming an ever more popular offering among the world's leading business schools, be they in the form of reduced fees for electives post-graduation, free online learning options, or course credits. In most cases, it is a business school's directors and faculty who take the lead on options for continuing education after an executive MBA (EMBA). Very exceptionally, it's the alumni themselves who come up with the idea, as is the case with TRIUM.

TRIUM's Global Executive MBA is a highly-ranked degree program delivered through the alliance of three top business schools; NYU Stern School of Business in New York, HEC Paris and London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

In 2012, the TRIUM group did the slightly unusual by embracing an additional, albeit unofficial, study module called 'Module 7', a lifelong learning course proposed by one of its graduating executive MBAs. Here's a look at the history of Module 7, its creator, and what this course brings to TRIUM's community of EMBA alumni. 

Miguel de Almeida: Executive MBA alumnus and creator of Module 7

"The concept of Module 7 is probably in the head of almost every student. They don't want the program to end," says Miguel de Almeida, a 2011 executive MBA graduate of TRIUM, and the creator of the module in question.

Almeida is no stranger to setting new ideas into motion. After completing his EMBA, he became cofounder of four successful businesses in fewer than a handful of years. "I am not one to stay put for long and thoroughly enjoy changing environments and challenges," he states. Changing environments and challenges was precisely what he also wanted to achieve with Module 7; this, and keeping the classroom and concept of lifelong learning within easy reach of graduates.   

Planned in the year of his graduation and orchestrated with the help of his wife, his friend and a classmate, Module 7 launched in Cascais, Portugal in 2012. World-class academic speakers, such as LSE professors Michael Cox and Saul Estrin, were brought in and lectures, panels and discussions were had, all without, as Almeida makes sure to point out, the weight of assessments.

Lifelong learning, meeting with old classmates, networking, and the option to attend at a new location every year are factors which give Module 7 its primary appeal. The course's success prompted TRIUM to recognize it as a key fixture in the annual alumni calendar and, since 2013, Module 7 has been held in Istanbul, Washington DC, Rome and Moscow.

Moscow 2016: Module 7 in practice

Module 7 has yet to be held in the same city twice. Each year brings a different location and a course that offers the advantage of industry insights into what's happening at a local level, as well as internationally.

2016’s edition was held in Moscow, Russia’s capital and the largest city situated entirely on the European continent. EMBA alumni and their families  had the opportunity to take in visits to the Bolshoi Ballet and the Kremlin, as well as St Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum and some of Russia’s royal palaces - events which took place outside of the module’s timetable of speakers and activities.

Russia's national strategy and its position within the current global context was the subject of the module’s first panel session and featured Sergey Karaganov, head of foreign and defense policy and dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at Moscow's Higher School of Economics.

The founder of Russia's first space exploration company, Mikhail Kokorich, and chairman of the Digital Currency Council, David Berger, also spoke during the module on the topics of entrepreneurship and fintech respectively. Name-dropping at these events seems to be easy, but does nevertheless illustrate the caliber and scope of the program's sessions.

In 2017, Module 7 will take place in Durban, South Africa. Keynote speakers will include South Africa’s deputy prime minister, Cyril Ramaphosa, and reigning King of the Zulu nation, Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu.

While Almeida continues to attend each edition, he no longer organizes the annual get-togethers. This responsibility has been passed on to graduating EMBA cohorts, ensuring that this is a student-driven lifelong learning initiative, and one that seeks to preserve long-term relationships between EMBA alumni and their alma mater.