Delivered by the Office of Lifelong Learning and Incubator (OLLI)

Executive Leadership Pathway

90 Hours

1. Introduction

The American University in the Emirates (AUE), through its Office of Lifelong Learning and Incubator (OLLI), is proud to offer a comprehensive Executive Leadership Pathway designed to develop high-impact leaders across government, corporate, and institutional sectors in the United Arab Emirates and the wider GCC region.

This pathway comprises three progressive and stackable executive programs:

Emerging Leaders Accelerator

Strategic Leadership Accelerator

Executive Leadership Mastery Program

Collectively, these programs deliver a total of 90 training hours, integrating face-to-face executive learning, applied case studies, simulations, and guided online components. The pathway is carefully structured to support leadership development across multiple career stages—from emerging leaders to senior executives, while ensuring practical relevance, strategic depth, and immediate workplace application.

The programs focus on developing critical competencies required in today’s complex and rapidly evolving environment, including:

Strategic thinking and decision-making

Leadership effectiveness and team performance

Innovation and digital transformation

Stakeholder management and negotiation

Risk, crisis, and strategic leadership

This Executive Leadership Pathway has been designed as a high-impact, market-responsive initiative, fully aligned with AUE’s strategic vision for executive education, industry engagement, and revenue diversification. It reflects best practices in executive development and is positioned to meet the evolving needs of government entities, corporations, and professional sectors across the UAE and GCC.

Each program within the pathway is developed in a fully structured, implementation-ready format, including:

Program overview
Learning Outcomes (CLOs)
Module structure
Teaching and learning methods
Assessment strategy
Certification
Delivery model

2. Academic Recognition and Credit Transfer

In alignment with AUE’s commitment to lifelong learning and flexible education pathways, participants who successfully complete all three programs (90 hours) will be eligible for academic recognition as follows:

9 Credit Hours (CHs) toward relevant Bachelor’s degree programs

6 Credit Hours (CHs) toward relevant Master’s degree programs

3. Conditions for Academic Recognition

The above academic recognition is subject to:

Compliance with AUE academic policies and approval procedures
Review of program relevance and equivalency by the respective colleges

This unique feature positions the AUE Executive Leadership Pathway as a strategic bridge between professional development and formal academic education, enabling participants to accelerate their academic journey while simultaneously advancing their professional careers.

Duration: 25 Hours (21 Face-to-Face | 4 Online)

Certification: AUE Certificate in Emerging Leadership Excellence

4.1 Program Overview

The Emerging Leaders Accelerator is designed to support high-potential professionals and first-time managers in transitioning into leadership roles. The program focuses on building foundational leadership capabilities, structured thinking, communication effectiveness, and early decision-making skills required in dynamic organizational environments.

4.2 Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

Apply basic strategic thinking frameworks to workplace challenges
Demonstrate structured problem-solving techniques
Communicate effectively with teams and stakeholders
Identify leadership styles and apply appropriate approaches
Manage interpersonal challenges and team dynamics
Demonstrate accountability and ownership in decision-making

4.3 Program Modules

Module	Topic	Hours
1	Foundations of Strategic Thinking	4
2	Problem Solving and Decision Making	5
3	Leading Self and Others	4
4	Communication and Influence	4
5	Introduction to Innovation Mindset	4
6	Applied Case Exercise	4

4.4 Teaching and Learning Methods

Interactive workshops
Case studies
Group discussions
Role plays
Short simulations
Guided online learning

4.5 Assessment Strategy

Participation and engagement: 20%
Case study analysis: 30%
Group exercise / presentation: 20%
Final applied assignment: 30%

4.7 Target Audience

First-time managers
Supervisors
Team leaders
High-potential employees

Duration: 30 Hours (25 Face-to-Face | 5 Online)

Certification: AUE Advanced Certificate in Strategic Leadership

5.1 Program Overview

The Strategic Leadership Accelerator equips mid-to-senior managers with advanced leadership capabilities to drive organizational performance, lead teams strategically, and make informed decisions in complex and uncertain environments.

5.2 Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

Participants will be able to:

Apply strategic analysis tools to organizational challenges
Make data-driven and risk-informed decisions
Lead high-performance teams across functions
Manage stakeholders and negotiate effectively
Drive organizational change and transformation
Align team performance with strategic objectives

5.3 Program Modules

Module	Topic	Hours
1	Strategic Thinking and Business Acumen	5
2	Decision-Making Under Uncertainty	5
3	Leading High-Performance Teams	5
4	Stakeholder Management and Negotiation	5
5	Organizational Change and Transformation	5
6	Strategic Leadership Simulation	5

5.4 Teaching and Learning Methods

Executive workshops
Strategy simulations
Real case studies
Group problem-solving sessions
Online learning modules

5.5 Assessment Strategy

Participation: 15%
Case study analysis: 25%
Simulation performance: 30%
Strategic assignment: 30%

5.6 Certification

AUE Advanced Certificate in Strategic Leadership

5.7 Target Audience

Senior managers
Department heads
Project directors
Government professionals

Duration: 35 Hours (30 Face-to-Face | 5 Online)

Certification: AUE Executive Certificate in Leadership Mastery

6.1 Program Overview

The Executive Leadership Mastery Program is a high-impact executive program designed for senior leaders responsible for strategic direction, transformation, and organizational performance. The program focuses on executive decision-making, innovation, financial acumen, and leadership in complex environments.

6.2 Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

Participants will be able to:

Develop and evaluate organizational strategies
Apply financial and strategic decision-making frameworks
Lead digital transformation and innovation initiatives
Manage crises, risks, and strategic challenges
Influence stakeholders at executive and board levels
Solve complex organizational problems through strategic thinking

6.3 Program Modules

Module	Topic	Hours
1	Executive Strategy and Competitive Advantage	6
2	Financial and Strategic Decision Making	6
3	AI, Innovation and Digital Transformation	6
4	Risk, Crisis and Strategic Security Leadership	5
5	Executive Communication and Negotiation	6
6	Capstone Project (Real Organizational Challenge)	6

6.4 Teaching and Learning Methods

Executive seminars
Boardroom simulations
Case-based learning
Executive coaching
Real-world strategic projects

6.5 Assessment Strategy

Participation: 10%
Case study analysis: 20%
Simulation performance: 20%
Capstone project: 50%

6.6 Certification

AUE Executive Certificate in Leadership Mastery

6.7 Target Audience

Directors
Executives
Senior government leaders
Future C-level leaders

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