IMBA Calibration Phase

Congratulations on completing your Orientation Phase! You are now entering the Calibration Phase, where you have the opportunity to shape your learning journey by selecting Impact Certificates (ICs) that align with your mission, career aspirations, and desired competencies.

What Is the Calibration Phase?

During the Calibration Phase, you will take a series of three-week-long challenges, grouped into Impact Certificates (ICs). Each IC is designed to develop a set of complementary competencies in key areas such as:

• Management
• Sustainability
• Innovation
• Leadership
• Technology
• Entrepreneurship

You can either follow a predefined program pathway (👉🏼 find more information here) or customize your learning path by selecting ICs that best support your goals.

Your Learning Journey in Calibration Phase

• 60 ECTS learners: Select one IC (15 ECTS)
• 90 ECTS learners: Select three ICs (45 ECTS), either customised or as part of a program pathway.
• 120 ECTS learners: select five ICs (75 ECTS), either customised or as part of a program pathway.

⏳ Timing: You select your first IC at the start of Calibration Phase. You don’t need to choose all three at once—you can decide as you go, adapting your path based on your evolving interests. If less than 5 learners have signed up for an IC up to one week before it's starts, it may get canceled as we cannot provide the interactive learning experience that you were promised.

Available Impact Certificates for the Impact MBA

Management

• Managing Sustainability Transformations in Organizations (previously Leading with Numbers)
• Leading towards Sustainable Growth
• Green Marketing and Strategic Communication
• Sustainability Management, cf. topic area Sustainability

Sustainability

• Foundations of Climate Sciences
• Improve the Global Impact of Your Organization
• Sustainability Management
• Climate Accounting and Reporting

Innovation

• Innovation Strategies for Business Transformation
• Managing Sustainability Transformations in Organizations (previously Leading with Numbers), cf. topic area Management

Leadership

• Think and Act Like a Leader
• Mental Health & Well-Being
• Inclusive Leadership & Diversity Management
• Leading the Change

Technology

• Clean Energy & Green Tech
• New Technologies
• AI for Everyone
• Data Mastery for Everyone

Entrepreneurship

• Get Funding Ready
• Prototype Impactful Solutions

How to Select Your Impact Certificates

Choosing your ICs is an important step in your MBA journey. To help you make an informed decision, follow these steps:

1️⃣ Explore Available Impact Certificates

• Check the Impact Certificates in your Learning App navigating to "Calibration" in your program and exploring the ICs by subject area. OR in the ToU Schedule: Look for ICs tagged with IMBA—these are available for your program. Make sure to check with ICs are available in which Block according to your Calibration Phase.
• Review the Challenge Introductions: Explore the videos, capstone projects, and competencies covered in each IC via the Learning App.

2️⃣ Consider Your Career Goals and Competencies

Ask yourself:

🔹 Which competencies will help me achieve my mission and career goals?

🔹 Do I want to follow a pathway, or do I prefer a flexible, self-curated learning path?

🔹 Are there competencies I want to develop now vs. topics I can explore in the future?

3️⃣ Use Available Resources to Make a Decision

If you’re unsure which ICs to choose, consider:

• Looking at pathways: These outline recommended ICs for specific career pathways.
• Talking to Your Peers: Connect with your mission group and past learners for insights.
• Seeking Inspiration from Future Roles: Check the potential career paths associated with different ICs.

4️⃣ Enroll in Your Impact Certificates

Once you've decided:

✅ Select your IC(s) in the App, make sure that you're enrolled to all three challenges.

✅ Ensure you receive calendar invites for live sessions (sent out automatically with signup in the App).

✅ Join the Slack channels for your challenges (linked in the Learning App, top right corner of each challenge introduction page).

FAQ: Common Questions About Calibration Phase

📌 Can I take ICs from different subject areas?

Yes! You can mix ICs across management, sustainability, innovation, leadership, technology, and entrepreneurship.

📌 What does my Diploma say depending which ICs I take?

Your official degree title is: MBA in Sustainability, Innovation, and Leadership

Please refer to this article to learn more about how program pathways will show up on your transcript.

📌 Do I need to choose all my ICs at once?

No! You can start with one IC and decide on the next ones as you progress.

📌 Where do I find available ICs?

Navigate to your program in the Learning App > select Calibration on topf of the page > browse through the Impact Certificates (you can e.g. filter by subject area).

📌 Can I switch ICs after enrolling?

Yes, if you have not missed out on the Kick-Off Live Session yet. You can unenroll and join the new IC in your Learning App.

📌 Can I take two ICs at the same time?

Theoretically, yes. Practically, please make sure that

1. The live sessions do not overlap so you're not missing out on the core part of your learning experience.

2. You have sufficient capacities in terms of time and focus to handle to assignments at the same time. Calibration is intense, so please make sue you're up for the challenge and can dedicate at least 20 hours (approx. 10h per challenge) of study time per week consistently over the course of 9 weeks to succeed.

📌 What happens if I don’t finish an IC in time, i.e. miss the 4-week grace period?

The same system applies as if you'd fail a challenge: you have to retake the challenge once it's offered again. As in Calibration, this might be up to 6 months until this happens, we highly recommend you to stay on track. If this should be the case nevertheless, join our Learner Support Office Hours to work out a solution.

📌 I want to audit or take an additional Impact Certificate (IC) – how do I sign up?

You can now sign up for additional ICs directly through the Learning App at a special community rate of €1,500 (regular price: €2,000). Please note that auditing was previously a workaround and we’re working on a more flexible, credit-free option in the future. In the meantime, we recommend connecting with current or past learners for insights or materials like slides, and checking out the IC’s reading list via the Challenge Introduction page.