IIM Ahmedabad opens admissions for 25th cohort of its flagship General Management Programme

>> Flagship executive education programme integrates cross-functional management, leadership, strategy, AI and analytics with immersive learning in Dubai and Ahmedabad
Dubai: The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) has opened admissions for the 25th cohort of its flagship General Management Programme (GMP), extending a long-running executive education offering to working professionals across the Middle East, the GCC, Europe, India and South Asia.

The programme prepares mid- and senior-level executives to take a broader view of business and strengthen their effectiveness in roles that demand decisions across functions, markets and organisational priorities.

The nine-month IIM Ahmedabad General Management Programme, approved by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Dubai, is now entering its 25th cohort, a significant milestone that builds on the programme’s legacy of 24 cohorts and the experience of senior professionals from diverse industries and geographies.

Participants attend 100 sessions, including 60 live online sessions and 40 face-to-face sessions delivered through 10 days of immersion at the IIMA Dubai and Ahmedabad campuses. GMP develops the managerial range that senior roles increasingly require. Participants strengthen their ability to make strategic decisions, lead teams, improve organisational effectiveness and examine opportunities for innovation and operational improvement.

Speaking on the opening of admissions for the milestone 25th cohort, Prof. Sunil Sharma, Dean, IIMA – Dubai Campus, said, “Senior leadership increasingly calls for more than functional expertise. Executives must connect strategy, technology, people and performance while making sound decisions in conditions of uncertainty. The General Management Programme enables experienced professionals to widen their managerial perspective, challenge established assumptions and approach complex organisational questions with clarity, judgement and confidence.”

Investment in leadership development continues to grow as organisations contend with technological change, evolving business models and new capability requirements. Future Market Insights estimates that the global leadership development programme market will rise from USD 98.7 billion in 2026 to USD 263.1 billion by 2036, representing a compound annual growth rate of 10.3 per cent. PwC’s study of 200 senior GCC executives found that 90 per cent expect India to retain its global GCC leadership position through 2030, while also identifying skills development as a strategic priority as AI reshapes work and capability requirements. Gallup, meanwhile, identifies effective leadership as the single greatest influence on organisational performance and reports that managers account for 70 per cent of the variance in team engagement.

Previous GMP cohorts have brought together professionals with 8 to 25-plus years of experience from markets including the UAE, Kuwait, the United States, Canada, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Participants have represented functions such as customer support, supply chain, marketing, business development and sales, finance, accounting and investment, with roles ranging from managers to Directors, Vice Presidents, CXOs and business or functional heads. Their organisations span consulting, engineering, retail, technology, telecommunications, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, transportation and BFSI, giving classroom conversations a distinctly cross-sector and international character.

The curriculum progressively expands participants’ view of management. It begins with core concepts in economics, accounting, organisational behaviour, technology and decision-making before moving across marketing, finance, operations and supply chain, human resources and organisation design. Participants then engage with competitive strategy, business-model innovation, leadership, entrepreneurship and governance, alongside contemporary themes such as AI and machine learning, analytics, digital transformation, change management, ethics, sustainability and stakeholder management. The progression helps executives understand not only individual functions, but also the choices and interdependencies that shape enterprise-level performance.
The programme uses live online learning, peer discussions, assignments and a capstone project to connect management concepts with the realities participants encounter at work. Participants also examine approximately 40–50 cases across industries and business functions, drawing on cases from IIM Ahmedabad and Harvard. By working through complex, real-world business situations, participants strengthen their critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making abilities, enabling them to approach managerial challenges with greater rigour and judgement.

Through a Prepare–Learn–Reflect–Apply approach, participants establish context before each learning intervention, engage with faculty and peers, reflect on its relevance and take the learning back to their organisations. Participants who complete the programme receive an IIM Ahmedabad Certificate of Completion and IIMA alumni status, extending their association with the Institute beyond the classroom.