Be part of the inaugural World Wise cohort.
The inaugural World Wise cohort offers a rare opportunity to join a new Minerva executive program from the very beginning.
Pilot cohort focus: The inaugural cohort will be based in Asia, with future cohorts expanding to additional regions.
Program design: Cohorts are built regionally to enable deeper, context-specific leadership development. Participants engage with leaders from other regions through in-person accelerators and, ongoing global community experiences.
Thanks to significant sponsorship from the Nippon Foundation, participants in the inaugural cohort will receive a deeply discounted tuition rate compared to future offerings. This support allows early participants to access a world-class executive leadership experience while helping shape the future of the program.
Who This Program Is For
World Wise is ideal for professionals who want to expand their leadership impact in global or cross-cultural contexts.
This program is a strong fit if you:
- Are preparing for international or cross-cultural leadership roles
- Lead or collaborate with global, hybrid, or multicultural teams
- Want to build cultural fluency, not just global exposure
- Are seeking practical leadership tools you can apply immediately
- Want to stand out in global, competitive industries
Typical participants include:
- Managers and senior managers pursuing global roles
- Directors preparing for expanded international responsibility
- Team leads managing distributed or multicultural teams
- High-potential professionals identified for leadership growth
- Professionals transitioning into globally oriented sectors
World Wise is particularly well suited for professionals operating in markets, where leadership effectiveness depends on navigating cultural nuance, hierarchy, communication styles,
and cross-border collaboration.
Cultural fluency–taught explicitly
Every session is interactive and discussion-based. You will:
- How leadership expectations and work processes can vary by region
- How culture influences communication, trust, and decision-making
- How to adapt your leadership style to different contexts
The program combines general leadership frameworks with region-specific nuance, so you can lead effectively—not generically.
Active learning–no lectures ever
Many leadership programs bring together people from different countries, but don’t explicitly teach how to lead across cultures.
World Wise is designed specifically to build cultural leadership capability. You’ll learn:
- Analyze real leadership challenges
- Practice leadership behaviors with peers
- Apply tools during live sessions–not after the fact
This ensures what you learn transfers directly to your day-to-day work.
A global experience, built intentionally
World Wise integrates:
- Live virtual seminars with a regional cohort and in-person international engagement
- In-person leadership accelerators in international cities
- Real-world simulations and applied leadership challenges
- Expert faculty with deep global leadership experience
You don’t just study global leadership—you practice it.
Program Curriculum
Program Schedule
Course/Event
Dates
Session Date
Session Times
Session Number
English Language Bootcamp
June 6th to 25th
June 6th
TBD
(9 PM - 12 PM JST or 7 PM - 10 PM JST)
1
June 7th
TBD
(9 PM - 12 PM JST or 7 PM - 10 PM JST)
2
June 13th
TBD
(9 PM - 12 PM JST or 7 PM - 10 PM JST)
3
June 14th
TBD
(9 PM - 12 PM JST or 7 PM - 10 PM JST)
4
June 8th to 25th
2, 30 min 1-on-1s by appointment per student
In-Person Tokyo Kick-off with workshops
July 4th to 5th
July 4th to 5th
TBD
Course 1: World Wise Exec Leadership
July 11th to August 25th
July 11th
TBD
(9 AM – 12PM JST or 7PM - 10 PM JST)
1 & 2
Sept 8th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
3
Sept 15th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
4
Sept 22nd
9 - 10:30 PM JST
5
Sept 29th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
6
Oct 6th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
7
Oct 13
9 - 10:30 PM JST
8
Oct 20
9 - 10:30 PM JST
9
Oct 27th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
10
Nov 3rd
9 - 10:30 PM JST
Nov 10th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
Course 1: World Wise Exec Leadership
July 11th to August 25th
July 11th
TBD
(9 AM – 12PM JST or 7PM - 10 PM JST)
1 & 2
Nov 10th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
Course 2: Structured Processes for Complex Decision Making Course Lead
Sept 5th to Nov 10th
Sept 5th
TBD
(9 AM – 12PM JST or 7PM - 10 PM JST)
1 & 2
Sept 15th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
4
Sept 22nd
9 - 10:30 PM JST
5
Sept 29th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
6
Oct 6th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
7
Oct 13th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
8
Oct 20th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
9
Oct 27th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
10
Nov 3rd
9 - 10:30 PM JST
Nov 10th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
Persuasive Communication for Global Leaders Lead
Nov 21st to Dec 22nd
Nov 21st
TBD
(9 AM – 12PM JST or 7PM - 10 PM JST)
1 & 2
Nov 24th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
3
Dec 1st
9 - 10:30 PM JST
4
Dec 8th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
5
Dec 15th
9 - 10:30 PM JST
6
Dec 22nd
9 - 10:30 PM JST
7
In-Person Accelerator Program
Mar 6th to 14th
TBD
World Wise Leadership Accelerator
In-person immersion
One required accelerator, one optional (7-10 days each)
Locations include: San Francisco, Berlin, Seoul, Hyderabad, London
This is where your cultural fluency becomes real.
*Dependent on location
During the accelerator, you will:
- Participate in region-specific intercultural workshops
- Lead a design sprint with Minerva undergraduates*
- Work on a real-world consulting challenge
- Engage with senior leaders and innovators
- Reflect on your leadership practice in global contexts
Join a lifelong global leadership community
Quarterly virtual leadership workshops
A global alumni community platform
The annual World Wise Leadership Summit (starting in 2028)
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to join the inaugural cohort?
Take the next step in your leadership journey and be part of the founding World Wise cohort at a significantly reduced tuition rate, made possible through the Nippon Foundation sponsorship.
Contact us through ExecutiveEducation@minerva.edu