Bucharest, April 28, 2025: AVE (Association for Values in Education) announces its support for the MBA program Economics of Education and Leadership (EEL) run by Bucharest Business School – the business school of the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, in partnership with the World Bank and Ernst & Young Romania.
The MBA in Economics of Education and Leadership (EEL) program is a national premiere and the first of its kind in Southeast Europe dedicated to training professionals who shape the education system.
“We are honored to contribute to a project of such scope and relevance for the future of education in Romania. This MBA is a natural continuation of everything we have built through the Academy of School Leadership and Management – a space where theory meets practice, and educational management experience is put at the service of real reform. As a partner of the program, our goal is to prepare future leaders who can change education from the ground up, in a way anchored in economics, public policy and operational reality”, says Simona Pavelescu, Executive Director of AVE.
Simona Pavelescu joins the Advisory Board and Expert Team of the MBA program, supporting the dissemination, implementation and development of the MBA program, and coordinates the mentoring program, in which business leaders become mentors for the trainees.
By joining this program, the Association for Values in Education builds on the expertise gained in the Academy for School Leadership and Management (ALMS), a five-year initiative that has been completed by more than 260 school principals in Romania. ALMS was based on an intensive professional development process aimed at transforming leadership and management skills through trainings, workshops, one-to-one business mentoring, leadership profile assessment tools, case studies. Over 80% of the principals included in the programme reported significant improvements of over 70% in school leadership and management competences, while the standardized AITSL (School Leadership Self-Assessment Tool) assessments showed an average progress of 44% in the area of “Leading teaching and learning” and 28.5% in “Developing self and others”, correlated with an average increase of 2% in promotability in participating schools, compared to 1.73% in non-participating schools.
The EEL MBA program is aimed at a wide and diverse audience of decision-makers from the Ministries of Education, Economy, Finance, Defence and other relevant government sectors, education experts, university professors, school inspectors, mayors, school principals, NGOs and the private sector interested in reforming the education system.
Among the benefits offered to trainees are: professional development, interdisciplinary training, advanced leadership and management skills, as well as the opportunity to work on a final project applied to the real needs of the Romanian education system.
“In a context in which education plays a central role in the dynamics of socio-economic development, an MBA program dedicated to education leaders is no longer just timely, it is becoming a necessity. Training professionals who are able to understand in depth the complexity of the education system, its economic implications and related entrepreneurial opportunities, to manage resources efficiently and to shape sustainable policies, is a strategic investment in the future of society. At the Bucharest Business School – the business school of the Academy of Economic Studies of Bucharest – we assume this mission with responsibility, coherence and in line with our vision: leadership through value for a significant and sustainable impact”, says Prof. Univ. Dr. Vasile Alecsandru Strat, Dean, Bucharest Business School.
The MBA in Economics of Education and Leadership program lasts two academic years, structured in four semesters. Courses will start in October 2025 and will be conducted in a hybrid format, combining 70% face-to-face meetings, organized in Bucharest, and 30% virtual sessions conducted online. At the end of the program, participants will defend a graduation project (dissertation) and receive an internationally accredited MBA diploma AMBA.
The first year provides a solid perspective on education policy and the macro and microeconomic impact on the education system, with a focus on change leadership, European governance models and systemic design. In the second year, the focus shifts to education reform in practice, in particular new educational technologies, public policy evaluation and leading the implementation process.
“Given the current changes shaping the world in ways that seem out of control, investing in education is not only a priority but a necessity. Attending an MBA in Education and Leadership is a strategic commitment to personal and professional development, directly impacting society and cultivating authentic leadership. The MBA Program in Economics of Education and Leadership at ASE is intended to mark a new chapter in the training of educational leaders, addressing both decision-makers and managers in education in the public and private system, as well as professionals interested in an applied approach to the relationship between education and economics”, says Prof. univ. dr. habil. Madlena Nen, Director of the Economics of Education and Leadership MBA Program.
Registration for the program is already open and the deadline for applications is September 28, 2025. The program will begin in October this year.
Teaching will be ensured by an academic team composed of ESA professors, recognized for their expertise in economics, education and leadership, as well as by visiting academics from leading European educational institutions. Alongside them, local experts from the fields of education, business and culture will complement the learning process, providing participants with a practical and relevant insight into the topics covered.
“A leader in education not only manages a school, a university, an education system, but shapes the future of a country. With vision, he or she listens to the real needs of students, harnesses the potential of teachers and transforms schools into a place of trust, innovation and performance. The World Bank’s investment in an MBA program dedicated to education leaders reflects the belief that system transformation starts with people using data, trends, research, human intelligence assisted by artificial intelligence to build a system that serves the generations to come,” says Alina Sava, Senior Education Specialist at the World Bank.
“The MBA in Economics of Education and Leadership is an essential program for professionals who aspire to make a significant contribution to the field of education, shape effective policies and support the development of a well-trained workforce for a competitive economy,” added Bogdan Ion, Country Managing Partner, EY Romania & Moldova / Chief Operating Officer – EY Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe & Central Asia.
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AVE (Association for Values in Education)
The Association for Values in Education (AVE) is a non-profit organization, whose main objective is to bring the Romanian education system in the top 10 in Europe by 2035. AVE wants to support the transformation of the Romanian education system into one that promotes respect, honesty, team spirit and responsibility. You can keep up to date with AVE’s actions by following our LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram pages.
The Academy of Economic Studies of Bucharest
The Academy of Economic Studies of Bucharest is the leading higher education institution in economics and public administration in Romania and South-Eastern Europe, well positioned in prestigious international rankings. With a tradition of 112 years, ASE is a prestigious university, constantly adapting to the challenges of the market economy in close connection with the requirements of the business environment, always offering new opportunities to its 25,000 Romanian and foreign students. The Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest is proud of its 350,000 graduates, who have distinguished themselves, after graduation, as outstanding professionals in all areas of economic and social life, both in Romania and abroad.
Bucharest Business School
Since its founding in 2014, Bucharest Business School, the business school of the University of Economic Studies of Bucharest (ASE), has been committed to promoting leadership and excellence in Romania. With more than 30 years of expertise in educating entrepreneurs, managers, leaders and professionals through our six flagship MBA programs – ROCA Executive MBA (Romanian-Canadian MBA), INDE MBA (Romanian-French MBA), Energy MBA, Business Intelligence MBA, Creative MBA and Education MBA – we have become a leader in the Romanian Executive Education market, proudly supporting a network of nearly 3,000 alumni working in top companies.