IEDC Bled Schoool of Management

What IEDC Bled Schoool of Management does

IEDC Bled School of Management is a private, AMBA-accredited business school founded in 1986 in Bled, Slovenia, as the first institution of its type in Central and Eastern Europe. It operates from a single campus overlooking Lake Bled — designed by architect Vojteh Ravnikar and displaying more than 200 pieces of modern and contemporary art used as a teaching environment — and delivers executive education through modular classroom and experiential formats. Its core product portfolio spans degree programs (Executive MBA, DBA, PhD in Management, Master in Management) and non-degree executive programs (General Management Program, Young Managers Program, Healthcare Leadership Excellence Program, Open Programs, and Custom Made Programs). Distinctive operating features include the Art & Leadership experiential methodology in use since 1998, and a network of sponsored research chairs and institutes including the Coca-Cola Chair of Sustainable Development (2010), NLB Chair in Leadership Development (2019), Tokić Chair of Creativity and Innovation (2022), WISE (2018), BILDAI for digital transformation and AI (2023), the European Leadership Centre (2002), and the Centre for Arts and Leadership Development and Research.

The institution serves two primary customer segments: individual senior executives and young managers who enroll in degree and open programs, and corporate clients that commission tailored Custom Made Programs delivered either at the Bled campus or at client locations globally. Named enterprise users include Coca-Cola, NLB Group, Roche Slovenia, Tokić Group, and Luka Koper, with these relationships often structured as multi-year sponsored chairs that co-fund research and curriculum development. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; participants are directed to contact the school for program fees. Sales and marketing are handled by a dedicated team led by a Chief Growth & Digital Officer and Head of Sales and Marketing, pursuing both individual enrollment (mid-funnel webinars and information events) and enterprise field sales to corporate HR and leadership development buyers.

Revenue is generated almost entirely from tuition and program fees (degree programs, executive education, custom corporate delivery) plus ancillary conference and event revenue, with multi-year contracts typical for modular degree and custom programs. The customer base is internationally diversified: 107,000+ executives educated since 1986 from 100+ countries, supported by 17 active Alumni Clubs worldwide. The school is governed by a Management Board, Supervisory Board (chaired by Prof. Stjepan Orešković), and International Advisory Board (chaired by Janez Škrabec of Riko Group); a 2024 leadership transition installed Prof. Mislav Ante Omazić as President of the Management Board, while founder Prof. Danica Purg continues on the Board after her 2025 Thinkers50 Hall of Fame induction.

Name

IEDC Bled Schoool of Management

Legal name

IEDC-Bled School of Management

Website

https://iedc.si

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IEDC Bled School of Management is a private Slovenian business school offering executive degree programs (MBA, DBA, PhD, Master in Management) and executive education, serving senior executives, young managers, and corporate clients across 100+ countries from its Bled campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Education

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Strategic Leadership & Business Acumen (EDABAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Executive Education & Corporate Programs (Non-degree) (EDAHAHAN)

Keywords

• Executive education
• Business school
• Management programs
• Leadership development
• MBA programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bled

HQ country

Slovenia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Degree and Executive Programs: Revenue generated from tuition fees for Executive MBA, PhD in Management, Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), Master in Management, General Management Program (GMP), Young Managers Program (YMP), and Healthcare Leadership Excellence Program. Programs are delivered in modular formats with international faculty.
2. Open Enrollment Executive Education: Short-term and long-term open enrollment programs for individuals and teams covering various leadership and management topics.
3. Custom Corporate Programs: Tailored leadership development programs designed and delivered for specific corporate clients. Companies such as Coca-Cola, Roche Slovenia, NLB Group, and Tokić Group are named partners.
4. Conferences and Events: Revenue from hosting international conferences, alumni events, webinars, and forums including the Future 500 Forum and European Leadership Centre events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

IEDC Bled School of Management is a private business school delivering degree programs (Doctor of Business Administration, PhD in Management, Executive MBA, Master in Management) and executive education (General Management Program, Young Managers Program, Healthcare Leadership Excellence Program, Custom Made Corporate Programs, Technical Leadership Program, OnaVe Leadership Academy). It also operates research institutes and chairs in digital transformation, sustainability, social innovation, creativity, and leadership.

Product overview

IEDC-Bled School of Management is a management education institution offering a portfolio of degree programs (DBA, Executive MBA, Master in Management, PhD) and executive education programs (GMP, YMP, Custom Made Programs, Healthcare Leadership Program). The institution also houses research institutes and chairs including BILDAI (Digital Transformation and AI), WISE (Sustainability and Ethics), Coca-Cola Chair of Sustainable Development, NLB Chair in Leadership Development, Tokić Chair of Creativity and Innovation, European Leadership Centre, and Centre for Arts and Leadership. Programs are delivered through classroom-based and experiential learning approaches at the Bled campus in Slovenia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BILDAI (Bled Institute for Leadership in Digital Transformation and AI): Institute dedicated to harnessing the transformative potential of artificial intelligence and digitalization, established in partnership with Roche Slovenia.
• WISE (World Institute for Sustainability and Ethics in Rising Economies)
• European Leadership Centre (ELC)
• Coca-Cola Chair of Sustainable Development
• NLB Chair in Leadership Development
• Tokić Chair of Creativity and Innovation

Products and services

• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is IEDC's AMBA-accredited senior doctorate in management for senior executives and managers. It is designed for experienced leaders who want to develop advanced research capabilities, address complex organizational challenges, and contribute to management practice and scholarship.
• Executive MBA The AMBA-accredited Executive MBA is IEDC's flagship degree program designed for mid-career managers and senior executives who want to develop strategic management, leadership, and functional expertise without interrupting their careers. It combines residential learning, international exposure, and applied projects.
• Master in Management The Master in Management is IEDC's graduate degree program preparing early-career managers and graduates for management careers through foundational training in strategy, finance, operations, marketing, and leadership.
• PhD in Management The PhD in Management is IEDC's research-oriented doctoral program for candidates pursuing academic and research careers in management. It develops scholars capable of producing original research contributing to management theory and practice.
• General Management Program (GMP) The General Management Program (GMP) is IEDC's flagship short executive education program for middle to senior managers seeking to broaden their strategic and general management perspective. Delivered in a modular format on the Bled campus with internationally experienced faculty.
• Young Managers Program (YMP) The Young Managers Program (YMP) is an executive education program for high-potential early-career managers preparing for broader management responsibilities. It provides foundational training in strategy, finance, leadership, and general management.
• Executive Education Open Programs IEDC's open enrollment executive education portfolio includes short programs in leadership, strategy, finance, marketing, and other management topics for individual executives enrolling directly. Programs combine classroom, experiential, and residential learning formats.
• Custom Made Programs Custom Made Programs are bespoke executive education offerings designed and delivered for individual corporate clients. Programs are tailored to specific organizational goals, audience profiles, and learning outcomes, delivered on the Bled campus or at client locations.
• Healthcare Leadership Excellence Program The Healthcare Leadership Excellence Program is a specialized executive education program for healthcare executives, clinicians, and administrators. It addresses leadership challenges specific to healthcare organizations, combining management fundamentals with sector-specific insights.
• Technical Leadership Program The Technical Leadership Program is a partnership program preparing engineers, scientists, and other technical professionals for leadership roles. It combines management and leadership training with technical context to support transition into leadership positions.
• OnaVe Leadership Academy The OnaVe Leadership Academy is a partnership program delivering leadership development in collaboration with Slovenian industry and academia. It targets emerging leaders and managers within sponsoring organizations and partner institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 107,000+ executives educated since 1986
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Roche SloveniacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Roche Slovenia partnered with IEDC in 2023 to establish BILDAI (Bled Institute for Leadership in Digital Transformation and AI). The institute is dedicated to harnessing the transformative potential of AI and digitalization, developing leaders to navigate and shape this new era. Roche Slovenia's General Manager, Ms. Eva McLellan, co-chairs BILDAI's Board of Directors.
• Tokić GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Tokić Group partnered with IEDC to establish the IEDC Tokić Chair of Creativity and Innovation in 2022. The cooperation encompasses design and dissemination of innovative study programs, modules, and teaching methods aimed at developing creative problem-solving and decision-making capabilities. Focus areas include creative thinking, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making.
• NLBcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019NLB and IEDC established the IEDC NLB Chair in Leadership Development in 2019. The partnership focuses on research in management education dimensions and developing teaching tools, seminars, conferences, and educational events aimed at promoting and advancing management education. NLB is also a listed corporate client.
• Cologne Business SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Founding academic partner of WISE. WISE was established by IEDC together with Cologne Business School, University of Stellenbosch Business School, and National Institute for Innovation Management at Zhejiang University. The institute serves sustainability professionals in rising economies through research, professional development, certification, and networking events.
• Zhejiang University School of Management (National Institute for Innovation Management)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Founding academic partner of WISE. WISE was established by IEDC together with Zhejiang University's National Institute for Innovation Management, Cologne Business School, and University of Stellenbosch Business School. Focuses on innovation management and rising economy sustainability.
• University of Stellenbosch Business SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Founding academic partner of WISE. WISE was established by IEDC together with the University of Stellenbosch Business School, Cologne Business School, and Zhejiang University's National Institute for Innovation Management. Connects prominent academic centers of excellence in sustainability with corporates.
• Luka KoperminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Luka Koper is a proud sponsor of WISE (World Institute for Sustainability and Ethics in Rising Economies), an institute headquartered at IEDC focused on sustainable business, business ethics, CSR, and environmental responsibility in rising economies.
• Coca-Cola CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Coca-Cola Company has been a continuous sponsor of IEDC's Coca-Cola Chair of Sustainable Development since its establishment in 2010. The sponsorship supports creation of breakthrough global projects developing management professionals ready to address complex social and environmental pressures. Prof. Marina Schmitz holds the Coca-Cola Chair. Coca-Cola is also listed as a client of IEDC's corporate programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves16 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• INSEAD: Global business school with MBA, executive MBA, and custom programs. Overlap is strongest in international executive education and custom corporate programs, though INSEAD operates at vastly larger scale and brand recognition across multiple campuses.
• London Business School (LBS): Top-ranked business school offering Executive MBA, MBA, and a wide portfolio of open-enrollment executive programs and custom corporate offerings. Competes for the same global senior-executive participants as IEDC's EMBA and custom programs.

Direct peers

• IE Business School: Spanish-headquartered international business school with MBA, executive MBA, and extensive custom corporate programs across multiple formats. Comparable in international positioning, executive education depth, and cross-border delivery model.
• Hult International Business School: Global business school with campuses in multiple countries, strong in international MBA and executive education. Comparable in international participant focus and modular program structure, but with broader multi-campus infrastructure.
• SDA Bocconi School of Management: Italian business school offering MBA, executive MBA, and custom programs with strong international participant mix. Comparable to IEDC as a European specialist focused on executive education and corporate clients, with overlapping degree and open-enrollment portfolios.
• IMD (International Institute for Management Development): Swiss-based private business school focused on executive education, MBAs, and custom corporate programs. Comparable in its exclusive reliance on executive and corporate clients, with similar emphasis on global faculty and small cohort delivery, although at significantly larger scale.
• Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus University): European business school offering MBA, executive MBA, and custom programs with an international participant base. Comparable in scale, European location, and emphasis on custom corporate delivery and open-enrollment leadership programs.

Regional players

• Copenhagen Business School: Major Scandinavian business school offering degree programs and executive education with a Nordic and European participant base. Comparable as a European executive-education provider with similar custom-program offerings, though primarily serving a different geographic cluster.
• University of St. Gallen (HSG): Swiss business university offering management degree programs, MBAs, and executive education. Comparable to IEDC as a German-speaking/European specialist with similar small-cohort executive education and corporate program offerings.
• CEU Business School (Central European University): Business school historically based in Budapest with international MBA and executive education. Most directly comparable as a Central European private-school competitor for the same regional executive participant pool as IEDC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/iedc
• Xx.com/iedc_bled
• Facebookfacebook.com/iedcbled
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iedc-bled-school-of-management

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IEDC Bled Schoool of Management