Education

Society faces enormous challenges in all aspects of life. Science and technology have the capacity to provide breakthrough innovations that address these challenges, leading to promising business opportunities. As the speed and scope of evolutions are increasing rapidly, so too does the risk of taking strategic decisions without a thorough understanding of the drivers and consequences of innovation.

This Master's programme helps strategic decision makers to better understand the drivers and consequences of technological evolution and to better understand the innovation ecosystem of which they are part. Innovation occurs in an ecosystem that hosts a variety of interacting actors, such as knowledge institutions, venture firms, established businesses, innovation brokers and government agencies. Better knowledge can facilitate public acceptance of key innovations-a key condition for the creation of new markets.
In the future, the renewed Master of Science in Industrial Management programme will offered under the title of Master in Technology for Decision Makers (MTD).

This is an advanced Master's programme. It can be followed on a full-time or part-time basis.

Profile

The programme is targeted at professionals with a high potential to be the leaders of the future in both business and public organisations.

Specifically, participants learn to
- translate societal challenges into business opportunities;
- understand the key drivers and the state of the art of science and technology;
- analyse the ecosystem in which innovation occurs;
- explore future uncertainties affecting the innovation ecosystem through scenarios;
- design innovation strategies for better performance.

For specific admission requirements, click on the desired programme in the 'Choose your courses of study' section.

Objectives

The Master in Technology for Decision Makers programme aims to educate and inspire decision makers and future leaders by providing them with a global perspective on the exponential advances in technology. The programme plans to do this by identifying actors and unravelling the interplay between them to create a context for decision making processes and by developing future scenarios in high-level interdisciplinary teams.

Graduates of the programme:
- have a sound understanding of the global perspective on science and technology, in view of the overall societal challenges ('grand challenges'),
- understand the contextual innovation ecosystem (economic and societal) and the interdependence of these ecosystems,
- understand the current evolution in the technology drivers and sectors,
- understand the context and processes of decision making (e.g. normative, ethical, psychological, behavioural), both in the private and public sector,
- understand the context and techniques to visualise possible future scenarios, as a base for strategy development geared toward addressing global and organisational challenges,
- are able to acquire sufficient insight into technology and its evolution and to foresee possible future developments,
- are able to integrate insights in several sectors (such as political, economic, socio-cultural, environmental and technological),
- are able to stay abreast of current evolutions (lifelong acquisition of knowledge). They are able to collect analyse, and critically assess information (drawn from sources including the academic literature from diverse disciplines, their networks, and e-learning),
- are able to identify and address problems and find acceptable solutions in a legitimate way, critically applying new skills, techniques and methods,
- are able to translate these solutions autonomously into strategic visions in unpredictable, complex, and specific contexts,
- are able to give their decisions a sound base, related to the formidable challenges which our society will face,
- value and foster creative, critical, and independent thinking,
- apply a broad interdisciplinary and participative approach to innovation development
- strive towards a society which is smart, green, sustainable, inclusive, and aiming at high employment.

(Inter)national

MTD is taught by internationally renowned academics, business executives and government officials. It consists of nine residential weeks of lectures, high-level guest seminars, discussion sessions, decision making games, workshops and site visits. MTD runs from January 2013 to April 2014. Residential weeks are from Tuesday to Saturday and take place in Leuven, Belgium.

Spotlight

Programme benefits

Participants benefit from the programme
- by acquiring better knowledge of the fundamentals and cutting-edge developments of science and technology;
- by increasing capabilities related to risk management, decision making and strategy development;
- by networking with leading organisations from all fields in the private and public sector;
- by learning to develop successful innovation strategies that address societal challenges and organisational goals

Contact

Faculty of Engineering Science
Programme director
E. Mathijs
Coordination committee
K. Maex - Vice Rector of the Science, Engineering, and Technology Group at KU Leuven
K. Debackere - KU Leuven Managing Director and Executive Director of KU Leuven R&D
L. Melis - Vice Rector of Educational Policy at KU Leuven
F. Baert - Managing Director of KaHo Sint-Lieven University College
J. Van Helleputte - Director of Strategic Development at IMEC
Administrative office
Kasteelpark Arenberg 1 bus 2200
3001 HEVERLEE
tel. + 32 16 32 13 50
fax + 32 16 32 19 82
info@eng.kuleuven.be
www.eng.kuleuven.be

General information
Study Advice Service
Naamsestraat 80 box 5415
3000 LEUVEN, Belgium
To contact us please complete the contact form on our website.

Useful links

Visit this programme's website.

Download this brochure

Download this Master's brochure.

Order this Master's brochure.