In partnership with the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Hertie School contributed to the delivery of the UN Executive Leadership Programme for Sustainable Development. Designed for senior leaders from international organisations, governments, business and civil society, the programme combined academic expertise, executive coaching and peer learning to strengthen participants' ability to lead systems change and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Challenge
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires leaders who can navigate complexity, build partnerships across sectors and drive transformational change. Participants faced the challenge of leading organisations through rapidly evolving political, environmental and technological landscapes while balancing competing priorities and engaging diverse stakeholders.
The programme was designed to strengthen participants' leadership capabilities, helping them adopt systems thinking, lead collaborative processes and translate global sustainability ambitions into meaningful organisational action.
Our solution
Together with UNSSC and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Hertie School contributed to a six-month executive leadership programme that combined academic excellence with practical application.
Participants explored topics including:
- systems thinking and systems transformation
- collaborative leadership
- strategic foresight and scenario planning
- stakeholder engagement
- negotiation and mediation
- digital transformation and artificial intelligence
- global environmental governance
- implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.
The programme combined expert faculty sessions with executive coaching, peer learning and applied leadership exercises, enabling participants to strengthen both their strategic thinking and their personal leadership practice.
How we delivered
The programme combined weekly online learning with an intensive in-person residency, creating a highly interactive learning experience over six months.
Participants engaged in expert-led seminars, facilitated discussions, simulations and collaborative workshops while exchanging experiences with senior leaders from across the United Nations system, governments, civil society, academia and the private sector. Dedicated Leadership Inner Circles provided structured coaching and reflection throughout the programme, while the final residency enabled participants to deepen peer relationships and apply new approaches to real-world sustainability challenges.
By bringing together a diverse international cohort, the programme fostered lasting professional connections and strengthened participants' capacity to lead collaborative action for sustainable development.
