Spotlight on Executive Education

KPED offers a wide variety of courses to help people hone the skills they need to take the next step in their career, from upskilling in leadership and people management to specific custom designed courses for organisations that want to tap into King’s expertise. Here we speak to alumni and professionals who have taken the plunge into Executive Education.

King’s Business School Emotional Intelligence for Leadership

A practical short course developing leadership skills for more productive working relationships. As a leader, emotional intelligence is crucial in building high performance teams, conflict resolution and managing effectively. Contrary to opinion, emotional intelligence is a skill that can be learned and honed, to help you to become more emotionally adept and manage challenges.

King’s Intelligence Studies

Bryony Macleod (MA Intelligence & International Security, 2019) is an Intelligence Analyst at HM Revenue & Customs. Having already studied for her master’s degree at King’s, when offered the opportunity to apply for extra training Bryony knew exactly where she wanted to go.

‘I came to King’s to study for my master’s in Intelligence & International Security - it’s a really interesting course and one of the few programmes available on this topic in the UK. In addition to our lectures, we benefitted from a lot of fantastic speakers and had access to a vast number of interesting papers. While at the tail end of my degree, I secured a role as an Intelligence Analyst at HMRC. I’ve now been here for two years and become very involved in the professional development opportunities, which has enabled me to tap into my King’s connections to arrange events and conferences with guest speakers.

I returned to King’s to do the Intelligence Studies programme - it’s an opportunity that’s available to other professionals, and I was quite unusual in having already taken the master’s, but the course covers different topics and gives great additional insight, often from world renowned experts. Alongside the lectures and seminars, there is also the opportunity to complete an essay at the end of the course, and I took the opportunity to revisit and rework an essay from my master’s. This has gone on to be published in a recently released journal within the profession, having been selected as one of only three significant academic pieces. This has reached a really high-level audience, which in terms of a development opportunity is brilliant.’

King’s Forensics, Department of Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine

The Bolashaq Bespoke Programme in Forensic Science, Law and Intellectual Property first started at King’s in 2018 under the direction of Dr Nunzianda Frascione. The first course welcomed a cohort of 28 participants funded by the Bolashaq International Scholarship, which was established in 1993 by the President of Kazakhstan in order to educate talented students at the best universities in the world. Participants spent 12 months learning from King’s and UK forensic and scientific experts and conducting individual research projects. King’s is currently hosting its second cohort. 

Mira Kulikpayeva, Head of the Department of International Law & Comparative Legal Studies, at the Institute of Legislation & Legal Information, had a lifelong dream to study in the UK. So, when her employer, the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan, partnered with KPED to offer the Bolashaq Bespoke Programme in Forensic Science, Law and Intellectual Property, she knew she had to apply.

‘The Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan announced a competition for a Bolashaq scholarship to go to King’s. I applied, first among the staff at my Institute and the Ministry of Justice.  After successfully passing all stages of the competition, I won a scholarship and was admitted to King's to study Forensic Science, Law and Intellectual Property.  

I was really impressed by the interdisciplinary approach to forensic medicine and intellectual property - which I had not previously experienced, having earned my PhD in Kazakhstan.  King’s scientists and experts are highly skilled. They share knowledge and skills in an interactive format, teaching us how to work with scientific sources, develop critical thinking and analyse advanced scientific research.         

 My studies at King’s have opened up new horizons in my law career. I developed new contacts and partnerships with international experts and began to collaborate much more closely with the Parliament of Kazakhstan. I now take a more active part in examining and discussing draft legislation, armed with new knowledge and skills. I also continue to work on the implementation of English Law to the legal system across Kazakhstan. 

By being the recipient of the Bolashaq scholarship at King’s, I have grown in confidence and motivation for further career growth and professional recognition in both the civil service and academic community. 

Additionally, my husband Yerlan, who also works at my Institute was fortunate to win the Bolashaq scholarship, so we are able to study together at King’s.  We officially got married in London and soon after I gave birth to our first baby – daughter Lyaisan. And recently we also welcomed a baby boy Akhmet. This is a journey for us together – to pass the competition and win the scholarship, to go abroad and to become a married couple, and to become parents in London. And we made it!’

Find out more about executive education at King’s.