Looking Back, Dreaming Forward: Celebrating 10 Years Of The AMP

A short few months after we celebrated the 30th anniversary of our Executive MBA, another milestone for our management training approaches: the Accelerated Management Programme turns 10 years old!

For a decade of turning professionals into knowledgeable and experienced leaders, today we talk to Asja Kamenica, AMP’s first (!) ever manager, and Benoît Masset, current manager, who reflect on the evolution of the programme as well as what’s to come.

During which period did you manage the AMP?

Asja Kamenica:  I was there from the start, in my then capacity as programme and project manager, working on the initial concept with Olivier Witmeur and later with Michel Verstraeten, first Academic Director of the Accelerated Management Programme, and for many years thereon. I even contributed with the short-term format and the modular approach. It seemed to be the right way to design a management programme in business essentials for up-and-coming managers. Moreover, sequencing executive training within shorter learning paths was more and more in demand at the time and was to become standard in the coming years.

The AMP is turning 10, as the Programme Manager, how do you feel about it?

AK: I’m super enthusiastic that Solvay Lifelong Learning continues to offer this hands-on executive training - that has seen over 15 cohorts composed of professionals who were able to further foster their business acumen in their professional environment and careers upon finishing the programme. I am glad to have played an important part in its success too!

Benoît Masset: I'm honoured to be leading with Bruno van Pottelsberghe, Dean of the Solvay Brussels School and Academic Director of the AMP, a flagship programme in general management in Belgium. The AMP is a very effective programme allowing young managers to be trained on management essentials in only 18 days. It makes management education widely accessible to people who in their personal or professional life do not find the time to train for the leadership position they aspire towards. It is a truly agile and 'accommodating' programme, in that sense.

Over the last 10 years, what do you think the AMP has brought to lifelong learners?

BM:  Over the last 10 years, nearly 300 lifelong learners have followed this programme. Most of them, by the end of the programme, had acquired the confidence and the know-how to lead organisations, people and projects. The AMP has always been very much impact-oriented where the knowledge and skills acquired in class must be directly applicable at work. 

AK: After 10 years, the AMP has gathered solid notoriety and a track record that speaks for itself. With every new cohort now connected to the Solvay Executive MBA, it continues to create value as it helps increase the performance of participating professionals, their teams and companies. Also, as we all know, learning new skills is indispensable for personal and professional growth today.

What was the special thing about this programme when you were PMing it?

AK: In my role, it was about the recruitment of a very diverse and talented pool of participants and accompanying them in their learning journey that was a particularly enriching experience for me professionally. I believe it is the same for all the dedicated programme managers at SLL.

BM: It's hard to only select one feature! I would say that the integration of the AMP into the level 1 of the Executive MBA is a major change that happened under my time at the service of this programme. This means lifelong learners of both programme study together, thus increasing networking opportunities, and have access to the same international and high-level pool of instructors. Moreover, the integration allows AMP lifelong learners to benefit from an admission fast-track to the last two levels of the Executive MBA and an advantageous reduction on their tuition fees. 

Where do you see the Accelerated Management Programme in the next decade?

BM: More alive than never! According to the United Nations, most of the jobs that will exist by 2030 are still unknown. Lifelong learning will have an even bigger role than nowadays and the next generation of managers will need training for example on how to manage companies, people and projects that will be more digitalised. 

AK: I am sure the programme will continue to thrive. Also, developing and understanding major business concepts and adopting key management skills will continue to be in demand. Long live AMP!