In today’s world, where crises do not merely follow one another but overlap and intertwine, leadership demands something far beyond the status quo.
Recognizing this urgency, the Johns Hopkins University MS in Organizational Leadership program is proud to introduce a groundbreaking course: “Leadership in the Global Polycrisis.” This innovative offering equips students to tackle the complex, interconnected challenges of our globalized era. The course will debut in Fall 2025 and will feature an optional international “study away” component designed to deepen understanding and cultivate transformative leadership.
Global Challenges Through a Leadership Lens
How does one lead in an age defined by overlapping crises—climate change, energy insecurity, economic instability, ideological polarization, technological disruption, and fragile food systems? “Leadership in the Global Polycrisis” aims to answer this question by empowering students to critically analyze how these global forces interact and degrade human flourishing and planetary health. More importantly, it challenges students to explore their own roles as leaders capable of driving positive, systemic change.
Expanding Horizons: Study Away
What truly sets this course apart is its “study away” experience: a seven- to ten-day immersive international experience. This component takes students beyond the confines of traditional classroom learning, bringing them face-to-face with government officials, nonprofit leaders, policymakers, think tank analysts, business innovators, and local residents. Example field learning destinations include Singapore, China, Sweden, and Denmark—each offering a unique lens on navigating the polycrisis.
“We call it ‘study away’ rather than ‘study abroad’ because the focus isn’t on geography but on the sociological and ideological distance students traverse,” Program Director Frances Wu said. “This experience removes them from their comfort zones and exposes them to environments that stretch both their minds and hearts.
“We challenge students to engage with paradigms and practices that differ from their own, equipping them with tools to integrate these experiences into their leadership practices within their local communities and organizations,” she continued. “Transformation begins with the students and extends outward, creating a ripple effect that influences those they lead and serve. Rather than fostering a touristic mindset of traveling internationally to experience the exotic, we emphasize purposeful engagement—students are there to learn, transform, and grow into more effective leaders.”
For students unable to travel, the program ensures equity by offering a fully online version of the course, maintaining its core principles while respecting individual circumstances.
Leadership for a New Era
Wu’s vision for the course is rooted in a recognition that traditional leadership models—those fixated on organizational bottom lines and short-term results—are no longer sufficient. “We’re in a different day and age,” Wu said. “Leadership now requires a vision for ethical, sustainable, and equitable change, paired with the practical tools to implement it locally and globally.”
To this end, the “study away” experience, and the course as a whole, are designed to provide students with first-hand exposure to how diverse cultural, political, and socioeconomic systems address the global polycrisis. Through pre-departure preparation, field learning, and re-integration upon their return, students will develop actionable strategies to apply their new perspectives and convictions in their personal and professional lives.
Are you ready to rethink what it means to lead in a world fraught with complexity? The JHU MS in Organizational Leadership program, with its newest course, “Leadership in the Global Polycrisis,” offers the insights, tools, and experiences you need to grow into the leader who will transform our world.