Take the Lead is an initiative of De Tijd that offers a range of educational programmes for business professionals wanting to take the lead in their fields. Our current programmes are designed and delivered by Vlerick Business School, and are awarded an official certificate upon successful completion.

If you already have a subscription to De Tijd, you can get a 3-month digital subscription to L’Echo.

Mediafin NV is the controller for the processing of your personal data via its websites including the website https://takethelead.tijd.be/. In this respect, Mediafin may share information about your use of its websites with Vlerick Business School (as a partner). For more information please refer to the Mediafin privacy statement.

Following your enrolment in Take the Lead, Mediafin NV and Vlerick Business School act as joint controllers for subscription, events (kick-off and graduation) and marketing concerning Take the Lead. Your personal data processed in this regard will be stored in the database of Vlerick Business School which acts as point of contact for the processing of your personal data and the exercise of your rights. The personal data processed by Mediafin NV and Vlerick Business School include your name, e-mail address, telephone number(), gender(), nationality, function() and employer() (*not obligatory). Upon enrolment, you can opt-in to receive future communications of Mediafin NV and/or Vlerick Business School. In such case you can also – at any time – withdraw your consent for the processing of your personal data by sending an e-mail to database@vlerick.com.

Learn more about your rights and the use of your personal data in the Vlerick privacy policy.

– Professionals, consultants and entrepreneurs with at least three years’ experience in any function or industry
– Individuals who are keen to use GenAI tools and develop techniques to boost productivity
– Forward-thinking professionals who want to master cutting-edge technology to stay competitive

The programme starts with a physical event on 14 October (6:30 P.M. – 10:00 P.M.).
After this kick-off the programme continues online in 6 modules. To make the learning highly interactive, 4 online sessions, are offered:
– Live session 1: Master Data: 24 october
– Live session 2: Making decisions : 3 november
– Live session 3 : Creativity: 7 november
– Live session 4: Customer Engagement: 14 november

We finish the programme with a graduation event on 27 november (10.00 AM – 2.00 PM) where you can network with your peers.

This 6-week learning journey is made up of 4 online modules. Each module requires approximately 4 hours of work per week.

Module 1: Enhance your productivity
Understand the core concepts and capabilities of AI
Explore how GenAI models generate content
Dive into current AI trends

Module 2: Master data skills
Use AI to generate, structure, summarise and analyse complex data sets
Create compelling data visualisations to communicate insights
Experiment with cutting-edge AI tools for advanced data analysis

Module 3: Make better decisions
Explore how AI can help to assess business options and scenarios
Learn to use AI to make more informed, data-driven decisions
Discuss the ethical implications of using AI in decision making

Module 4 : Become a creative champion
Use AI tools to generate ideas
Master techniques to refine and evaluate AI-generated concepts
Learn how to integrate AI into brainstorming and other creative processes

Module 5: Redefine customer experience
Discover how AI can give customers a faster and more personalised service
Explore how AI can enhance different forms of customer engagement

Module 6: Agentic AI and the future
Analyse the key principles, applications, and limitations of Agentic AI.
Evaluate, select and implement Agentic AI to transform specific workflows.
Apply futures studies techniques to forecast emerging trends and societal impacts of AI.

Every module will involve various learning activities, including expert interviews, case studies, personal reflection, applications in your company, discussions with your peers, faculty expertise through videos.

In the 6 weeks of your online learning journey, a mix of different didactic formats will be used. There will be live online sessions, short videos, testimonials, readings, individual assignments, reflection and other interaction and knowledge sharing between participants. There will be a mix of read/listen/watch/test/do assignments.

The programme will be entirely conducted in English. Participants are expected to have a proficient level of English.

The expected time investment in the learning programme is 4 hours per week (including videos, readings, webinars and assignments) for a period of 6 weeks. It is designed to allow for self-paced learning during each of the 6 online modules. However, the programme has strict module start and end dates to allow you to benefit maximally from peer feedback and group learning as you progress through the journey.

Yes. Always mindful of the impact on participants’ work, the programme is mostly delivered online, allowing you to fit the programme into your busy schedule. Nevertheless, you should bear in mind that it is an intensive course requiring at least 4 hours per week. We schedule the live online sessions during lunch hours to avoid interference with your professional agenda.

Bjorn Cumps, Professor of Management Practice in Financial Services Innovation & Fintech at Vlerick Business School, is the programme director and as such responsible for the programme’s storyline.
The programme content and assignments have been carefully selected and designed by Vlerick Business School professors, some of whom will be present during the live online events.

The synchronous events (physical kick-off event and 4 online events) are a great opportunity to interact with business experts and professors, and to connect with your fellow participants. We encourage you to not miss these events, but if you do, online webinars will be recorded and uploaded on the platform afterwards.

The registration fee for the programme is € 1.895 (excl. VAT).
This includes:
– all learning content (6 modules),
– the physical Kick-off & Graduation events
– 4 interactive online events
– 3-month digital subscription to De Tijd
Invoices are sent digitally to the email address communicated in the registration form.

If you already have a subscription to De Tijd, you can get a 3-month digital subscription to L’Echo.

This programme is eligible for some subsidies such as ‘Prime formation/Opleidingspremie’ from the Brussels government or the KMO portefeuille in Flanders.

Once completing at least 80% of the online modules before the deadline, you will receive your official Vlerick Business School ‘Take the Lead – AI completion certificate.

If you enroll on the programme, we need to be able to contact you about this learning journey. Your personal data will therefore be stored in the database of Vlerick Business School which is the controller of the processing of your personal data. Your name, function, employer and e-mail address will also be shared with Mediafin NV, publisher of De Tijd and L’Echo, for the organisation of the programme (events). You can voluntary opt-in to receive future communications from each organising party. In such case you can – at any time – withdraw your consent for your personal data being used for the purpose you agreed to by sending an e-mail to database@vlerick.com”. Learn more about your rights and the use of your personal data in our privacy policy.

Any professional, consultant or entrepreneur with at least 3 years’ working experience who wants to take the leap towards embracing sustainability in the organisation, regardless of their business function and sector (hr, sales, finance, supply chain, …), people seeking ways to integrate social and environmental issues in their business organisation, people wanting to be convinced or wanting to convince others that sustainability is core to future business success and a necessity for growth, innovation and competitive advantage. As the course will be offered in English, the participants are expected to have a proficient level of English.

The programme starts with a physical event on 1 April (6:30 P.M. – 10:00 P.M.).
After this kick-off the programme continues online with 8 modules. To make the learning highly interactive, 3 online sessions, are offered:
– Interactive session on Strategy: 17 April (12:30 P.M. – 1:30 P.M.)
– Interactive session on Reporting: 25 April (12:30 P.M. – 1:30 P.M.)
– Interactive session on Social Sustainability: 8 May (12:30 P.M. – 1:30 P.M.)
We finish the programme with a graduation event on 26 May (7:00 P.M. – 9:30 P.M) where you can network with your peers.

This 10-week programme consists of 8 modules. Each module requires approximately 4 hours of work per week.

Module 0: Introduction to the programme
Familiarise yourself with the learning journey
Learn the practical details of the programme
 
Module 1: Profit and purpose
Learn how profit and sustainability are not mutually exclusive
Discover how to create profit and social value
 
Module 2: Framing sustainability & stakeholder engagement
Find your way in the ‘sustainability dictionary’: sustainability, CSR, ESG, sustainable development, stakeholder engagement, business ethics
Learn to set priorities for sustainability, where to start, and how to use a materiality matrix to define stakeholders’ interests.

Module 3: Design a strategy for sustainability
Develop the cornerstones of a strategy for sustainability and identify the linkage between stakeholders’ interests and the purpose of a strategy;
Create a common understanding of the role and importance of strategy for sustainability.
 
Module 4: Sustainability Reporting
Understand the rationale behind sustainability reporting
Discover sustainability reporting standards & frameworks
 
Time to catch up
This week, no extra material will be added to the platform, but we foresee time for you to catch up or to look back on your learnings from previous modules.

Module 5: Environmental sustainability
Discover approaches for carbon reduction
Explore biodiversity, water and pollution issues
 
Module 6: The social side of sustainability
Classify different types of social sustainability
Learn to view society, organisations and inter-group relations from the perspectives of privilege, equity and inclusion

Module 7: Financing sustainability
Dive into sustainability valuation in a company
Understand how to incorporate sustainability into asset value
 
Module 8: The consumer’s perspective on sustainability
Assess your company’s corporate reputation 
Identify and address reputational risks in your supply chain 

Every module will involve various learning activities, including expert interviews, case studies, personal reflection, applications in your company, discussions with your peers, faculty expertise through videos.

In the 10 weeks of your online learning journey, a mix of different didactic formats will be used. There will be live online sessions, short videos, testimonials, readings, individual assignments and reflection, team assignments and other interaction and knowledge sharing between participants. There will be a mix of read/listen/watch/test/do assignments.

The Sustainability Management programme will be entirely conducted in English. Participants are expected to have a proficient level of English.

The expected time investment in the learning programme is 4 hours per week (including videos, readings, webinars and assignments) for a period of 10 weeks. It is designed to allow for self-paced learning during each of the 8 online modules. However, the programme has strict module start and end dates to allow you to benefit maximally from peer feedback and group learning as you progress through the journey.

Yes. Always mindful of the impact on participants’ work, the programme is mostly delivered online, allowing you to fit the Sustainability Management programme into your busy schedule. Nevertheless, you should bear in mind that it is an intensive course requiring at least 4 hours per week. We schedule the 3 live online sessions during lunch hours to avoid interference with your professional agenda.

Marion Debruyne, Dean, Full Professor and Partner at Vlerick Business School, is the programme director and as such responsible for the programme’s storyline.
The programme content and assignments have been carefully selected and designed by Vlerick Business School professors, some of whom will be present during the live online events.
We have opted for a ‘learning buddy’ approach. Each participant will belong to a small peer group of 4-5 people, allowing them to discuss ideas and provide feedback to each another, and opening up new perspectives for inspiring and challenging each other throughout the learning journey.

The synchronous events (physical kick-off event, graduation and 3 online events) are a great opportunity to interact with business experts and professors, and to connect with your fellow participants. The online events are recorded and available on the platform afterwards, but we encourage you to attend to make the most out of the networking opportunities.

The registration fee for the Sustainability Management programme is € 2.195 (excl. VAT).
This includes:
– all learning content (8 modules),
– the physical kick-off and the graduation event
– 3 interactive online events
– 3-month digital subscription to De Tijd

Invoices are sent digitally to the email address communicated in the registration form.

After completing at least 80% of the online modules, you will receive your official Vlerick Business School ‘Take the Lead – Sustainability Management’ completion certificate.