Curriculum of the CEMS MIM Programme
Get the most out of your CEMS experience abroad amongst fellow global cosmopolitans! Full-scale cultural and linguistic immersion is one of the defining elements of the CEMS MIM and the CEMS year as a whole, offering you endless opportunities for cross-cultural learning.
The CEMS MIM consists of three terms: two academic terms (Term 1 & Term 2) and the internship term (Term 3). The two academic terms must be consecutive (August–July), while the internship (Term 3) can take place at any time during the graduate period of studies, but not overlapping with Term 1 and Term 2. As a CEMS student, you are required to spend at least two out of the three terms abroad.
CEMS uses the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) framework to facilitate the understanding and comparison of grades given according to different national systems. The CEMS MIM requires 66 ECTS for graduation.
In order to facilitate arranging your study plan, we describe below the different elements in the CEMS MIM curriculum. To read more detailed curriculum information and about the ECTS credit system, please consult the Student Guide.
CEMS Academic Year 2025/2026
CEMS Academic Year 2026/2027
CEMS has continuously been working to ensure the CEMS MIM remains aligned with evolving stakeholder expectations and trends in higher education. As part of this process, student-centric graduate descriptors have been introduced, providing an up-to-date picture of the knowledge, skills, and mindsets expected from CEMS graduates.
Building on this foundation, the graduation requirements and the curriculum have been adjusted. The revised curriculum will be implemented across all CEMS schools starting in the 2026/2027 academic year.
- Hard Skills courses replaced by Data Analytics courses (taken at home school, host school, or as a Global Online Elective).
- A mandatory Self-Leadership Skill Seminar in Term 1 as part of the skill seminar requirement.
- Technology awareness, data-informed decision-making, self-awareness, self-leadership, and ESG integrated into core courses (Global Strategy, Global Leadership, and other CEMS courses).
Learn more about each module below!
Each element of the CEMS MIM curriculum is designed with the CEMS values in mind, honouring both our values and mission, as well as our commitment to sustainable development. Modules are carefully crafted to ensure that CEMS students emerge from their practical learning experience as international business practitioners, ethical and responsible citizens and reflective and resilient leaders. CEMS students will be challenged to drive transformation, advocate for data and technology in business and solve problems with innovation and evidence-based solutions.
Block Seminar
The Block Seminar is a 3-ECTS one-week course that takes place at the beginning of Term 1. Block Seminars bring together professors and students from various CEMS schools. Subjects derive from different cultural and academic perspectives; and many topics are not a part of the universities’ standard curricula. You are automatically assigned to the Block Seminar of your Term 1 school.
Global Strategy
Global Strategy is a course that enables you to understand and navigate the international business environment. The course provides a critical view to the principal challenges that managers face. It is designed to develop students’ understanding of what constitutes an effective strategy and how a strategic perspective can guide managerial decisions in global arenas. To cope with the myriad challenges, organizations need to engage in a variety of strategic change projects, constantly inventing and implementing new policies and practices in a sustainable manner. This is the course to help you grasp the why, how and what of strategy in reshaping the future of economies and societies in a way that is meaningful and impactful.
Global Leadership
Global Leadership equips you with the knowledge and skills to manage people across borders and within multinational teams, creating culturally savvy individuals that show empathy and can relate to and interact with different cultures. Leadership is about exciting, inspiring, energizing, embracing change, and putting values first. Wherever your professional development takes you, knowing how to lead people from diverse cultures in a global world will be crucial for your success. Being a CEMS student, you deal with diverse cultural backgrounds and get trained to be the best leader in the making.
Global Citizenship Seminar
The Global Citizenship Seminar is a two-day course bringing together representatives from Corporate and Social Partners, professors and students in a unique synergy. Within the Global Citizenship seminar, you will have the opportunity to engage with the Sustainable Development Goals through experiential learning. Take responsibility for solving problems as a responsible citizen and manager. Feel the challenges that have traditionally occurred due to lack of empathy and action towards the society and the environment. Be part of the solutions creating innovative business models through sustainable innovation and social entrepreneurship.
Hard Skills / Data Analytics
Within the 45 ECTS of coursework required for the CEMS MIM degree, it is compulsory for students to complete (at least) 5 ECTS (cumulative) of ‘hard skills’ elective courses during the CEMS MIM Programme. Hard skills courses emphasize the training of students’ quantitative and computational skills and expertise. The main focus of these courses is not the theoretical/conceptual background of these skills but their application and implementation in preferably real business-decision settings.
As of academic year 2026/27, it is compulsory for students to complete a cumulative minimum 5 ECTS of ‘data analytics’ elective courses during the CEMS MIM Programme, which replaces the hard skills course.
Skill Seminars
Skill Seminars are training seminars in practical skills to kick-starting an effective professional career and fundamental to adjusting easily to an international management environment. Delivered as interactive class sessions, CEMS skills seminars are integrated into the programme to help students have efficient soft skills. The skills development topics covered during our sessions include, but are not limited to: sustainability, strategy skills, personal and career development, consulting skills, marketing and communication skills, leadership and teambuilding.
As of academic year 2026/2027, a mandatory skill seminar of minimum 0.5 ECTS will be introduced. The Self-Leadership Skill Seminar is a hands-on, experiential module focusing on developing three core components of self-leadership: self-awareness, self-motivation, and self-regulation. As an early component of the CEMS curriculum to be delivered in Term 1, this seminar lays the groundwork for students’ personal development and provides a strong foundation for the concepts and frameworks explored more deeply in the Global Leadership course in Term 2.
Business Projects
The Business Project is a consultancy-like project in which you collaborate directly with CEMS Corporate & Social Partners to help solve real-life business problems. This reinforces the partnership between universities and companies in jointly shaping your learning process in international management contexts. The project is designed to give you hands-on business experience with a company to learn about their industry while finding solutions for the challenges of tomorrow. At the end of the project, you will also be asked to reflect on the sustainability impact of your Business Project
Global Courses
- Global Online Electives
The CEMS Global Online Electives course offering is aimed at providing students access to courses across the Alliance to add further value to their CEMS experience. It allows CEMS students to take one elective course at any CEMS member schools apart from their home and host school.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the annual meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP). The CEMS Climate Change Course and its Model UNFCCC is a CEMS flagship semester-long lecture series on the topic of climate change and climate policy at the Masters-level. The lecture series are followed by a unique two-day simulation of UN climate negotiations, where over 200 students from 12 CEMS universities play the roles of government, non-government and industry representatives.
- Summer & Language Courses
CEMS students have the opportunity to enroll in summer and language courses at certain CEMS schools. The objective of this initiative is to widen the global opportunities and advantages for CEMS students, beyond the existing home and host school experience. Schools offer places in their regular summer/intensive courses where the participation is self-funded by the students. The courses are considered as regular CEMS elective courses, however, the eligibility for credit counting towards the master's degree will vary based on the policies of the home school.
