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Twin Curriculum: Postgraduate Diploma Programme in Advanced Leadership Studies, and the Ph.D. Degree Programme in Leadership (and Mastery of Change) 

Foreword  (by Prof. Jean-Pierre Bal)

Some years ago, while visiting an art exhibition dedicated to Rik Wouters^[1], a renowned Belgian sculptor and impressionist painter, I glanced at an excerpt of a letter he had written in 1914 to one of his close friends. One paragraph caught my particular attention:

"Art transmits itself by influence. The art of a man that touches you nearly always opens a door that you had unconsciously closed by yourself  (...)  But it is then not so much a matter of influence, rather that of an awakening of dormant or new feelings. Nowadays this is highly indispensable for the continuation of art."   

In our current times one would feel tempted to transform the last sentence into: "Nowadays this is highly indispensable for the continuation of leadership". In our 21st century numerous communities and organisations, whether large, small, public, or private ones, and around the globe, are perhaps more than ever before, in search of effective leaders. Moreover, the complex intertwining of diverse challenges that will affect our century and the world at large could surpass any of those our ancestors experienced. Our institution offers the postgraduate Twin Curriculum in leadership as a response to the search for seasoned leader-educators and advisors, and prepares experienced individuals to these crucial roles in our society. 

While the other top-echelon programme of our Graduate School, the Chronos, meets the specific needs of Chief Executive Officers (CEO), the doctorate-level Twin Curriculum programme focuses mainly on the educational and consultative dimensions in leadership development and organisational change. 

The Twin Curriculum leads to a postgraduate diploma in advanced leadership studies, and to a PhD degree. The twin concept takes root in the reality that in order to successfully complete a PhD thesis (dissertation) in leadership, a very comprehensive curriculum needs to be mastered beforehand, as well as leadership development practice. Moreover, the field of leadership studies has evolved  substantially in the past decade, the knowledge and practice requirements having grown accordingly.

The Postgraduate Curriculum for the Ph.D.  -- the "Philosophiae Doctor"

To establish what the doctor of philosophy qualification actually entails we need to travel back in time, to the root-meaning of  "Philosophiae Doctor". In its colloquial academic use the term philosophy often refers to the specific discipline of philosophy. The broader meaning is that of love-of-knowledge (as in the Renaissance), and by extension that of the continuous search for wisdom. In Latin the word "doctor" equals teacher, or a learning facilitator. By completing our postgraduate diploma curriculum, and subsequently earning the Ph.D. degree, Twin Curriculum graduates strive to be "knowledgeable learning facilitators in the wise art of effective leadership and in mastery of change". The awakening of dormant leader-talents, and the further growth of practising leaders, are cornerstones of our continuity-embracing curriculum. The developmental aims, as well as the paths leading to their success, are nevertheless strewn with obstacles, steppingstones, barriers, and springboards. With these goals and realities in mind our School wishes that our programme-participants (a term preferred over student) be prepared as best as possible towards their heightened professional goals. Our participants and faculty therefore engage into a journey, supported by a strong mutual commitment, and the vortex doctorate programme and educational approach.

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| Foreword | Approach | Pillars | Modes | Thesis | Admission | Tuition fees | PhD Paths |