Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping how organisations compete, innovate and lead across various industries, functions and geographies. From strategy and finance to marketing, operations and human resources, AI is becoming a core management capability rather than a specialist skill.
Recognising this important shift, Vlerick Business School in Belgium has taken a significant step to enhance its Full-time MBA programme with an Immersive AI learning track. It consists of a carefully designed set of courses, workshops, company visits, and experiential learning opportunities that equip future leaders to understand, apply and critically assess AI in real business contexts.
Beyond theory: AI as a leadership capability
At Vlerick, AI is treated as a management and strategic capability. The Immersive AI learning track does not aim to train data scientists, but to develop leaders who understand how AI works, how it influences decision-making, and how it should be governed responsibly.
Under the direction of MBA Programme Director Martin Butler, the focus is on relevance and applicability. The learning track helps you build confidence in working with AI across functions and industries. It enables you to engage with AI in a practical and informed way, whether you pursue a career in consulting, corporate leadership, entrepreneurship or an international organisation.
Building a strong foundation from day one
The AI journey starts at the very beginning of the MBA with a generative AI Prompting Course. This course not only introduces you to generative AI tools, but it helps you to develop a crucial skill: learning how to ask the right questions and critically evaluating AI-generated outputs.
By focusing on prompting, interpretation and judgment rather than coding, the course ensures that all participants develop a shared foundation in working effectively with AI, regardless of technical background. This sets the tone for the rest of the programme, where AI is consistently linked to business impact and leadership decision-making.
Understanding AI in the European business context
As a leading European business school, Vlerick places strong emphasis on the regulatory and societal dimensions of AI. MBA participants visit the European Commission to gain first-hand insight into European AI regulations and policies, and their implications for organisations.
With its campus in Brussels, at the heart of Europe’s political and regulatory ecosystem, Vlerick offers a unique vantage point on how policy, business and innovation intersect. This strategic location enables you to better understand how regulation shapes competitive advantage and risk management, and why AI governance is becoming an important leadership responsibility, particularly when pursuing an international career.
Learning from real-world innovators
Throughout the programme, MBA candidates engage with AI entrepreneurs, alumni and industry experts who share practical experiences from different sectors. At Ghent’s renowned Wintercircus tech hub, you’ll meet founders who’ve built AI-driven ventures, gaining insight into both the opportunities and challenges of innovation.
In addition, Vlerick’s partner network gives access to leading AI and technology conferences, ensuring exposure to global trends and emerging best practice.
Hands-on and applied AI experience
A defining element of the Immersive AI learning Track is its experiential and practical learning approach. MBA participants move beyond theory through engaging workshops and business games, like an AI Agent Creation Lab and an AI Agent Hackathon. Working in teams, you’ll design and build autonomous AI agents for applied business cases and organisational challenges, often in collaboration with real companies.
By defining problems, testing ideas and developing solutions, you’ll gain a realistic understanding of how AI creates value when aligned with strategy and leadership, mirroring real-world management challenges.
The programme also integrates AI into the leadership development track, where you’ll practise presentation and communication skills using virtual reality. This allows you to experiment with new technologies while strengthening your core leadership capabilities in a safe, immersive environment.
Additionally, the learning track addresses the impact of AI on recruitment and careers. You’ll explore how AI-driven hiring tools work and how to position yourself effectively in an increasingly digital job market.
A Full-time MBA designed for the future of leadership
With its Immersive AI learning track, Vlerick Business School ensures that AI is not treated as a trend, but as a core element of modern leadership education. By combining strategic insight, European context and hands-on experience, the Full-time MBA prepares you to lead with confidence in an AI-driven world, whatever career path you choose.
