SDA Bocconi and 2U – a new world-class high-impact partnership

9 November 2020
United we shall overcome, especially as of today. This awareness is where this new international partnership of SDA Bocconi School of Management with 2U, Inc. is rooted. 2U is a world leader in education technology and the first milestone in this common story will be, next year, developing and launching four short courses on 2U’s platform GetSmarter – Business Essentials, Sales Management, Blockchain and the emerging theme of Sustainable Fashion.

Issues and constraints caused by the pandemic make this alliance even more strategic for both partners. Demand for high-quality, flexible and timely education, delivered through innovative tools, is steadily expanding. Two areas—Blockchain and sustainable fashion—have been on the rise in 2020, both on the B2B and B2C sides. According to LinkedIn data, Blockchain topped the list of hard skills companies are looking for. As to sustainable fashion, a recent McKinsey survey confirms Covid-19 has increased European consumers’ attention; they ask “fashion players to act responsibly and consider the environmental impacts of their business.”

“We’re thrilled to join SDA Bocconi, on its mission to deliver a first-class business education to the world,” said Andrew Hermalyn, President of Global Partnerships at 2U. “The partnership between 2U and SDA Bocconi will provide students around the globe with engaging, career-relevant, and high-quality online learning that further centers business education in social responsibility and emerging technologies.”

“At SDA Bocconi, we’re training the next generation of business leaders in the skills needed to build value and profitability for their companies, with an emphasis on ethical and sustainable operations,” said Gabriele Troilo, Associate Dean of the Open Market and New Business Division of SDA Bocconi School of Management. “We’re now partnering with 2U to grow stronger on this mission and increase our global impact by delivering cutting-edge, rigorous online business programs to more learners in Italy and beyond.”

“No back row” is an effective motto at 2U, Inc. For more than a decade, it has been a trusted tech partner of great universities in designing and delivering higher education programs. Through partnerships like the one now with SDA Bocconi, 2U has helped improve the quality of learning for over 275,000 people – students, professionals and companies who have opted for a most strategic investment in lifelong learning.

SDA Bocconi School of Management