In a world of constant change and mutation, God calls Christian leaders to be at the forefront of global decision-making influences and innovative processes to exemplify His shalom here on earth. BGU’s mission is to provide a prophetic voice for leaders who – in the midst of turmoil – work for harmony and peace in the most challenging areas of our shrinking global village.

To answer this call, BGU’s two professional doctoral programs in Transformational Leadership and in Ministry (DTL and DMin) aim at equipping, very practically, leaders who operate at high influence levels in organizations and Christian service throughout our global world. However, many global leaders need an approach to leadership that is very deeply  grounded in research and analysis in order to respond more precisely to the highest levels of  challenges. In that perspective, the new PhD program in Innovative Urban Leadership was created to equip such leaders as scholar-practitioners while focusing more on a scientist approach to research. This program is duly accredited by the TRACS accreditation agency since November 2019.

The vision as we developed this program is to equip scholar-practitioners who proactively innovate in the urban context and thought leaders who encourage a culture of innovation. Leaders will accomplish this goal as they build on demonstrated leadership practice and research skills to exemplify sustainable and regenerative leadership grounded in collaboration, community, and contextualization.

In BGU’s new PhD program, students will combine the ability to think critically, research thoroughly, and analyze profoundly with the skills to solve problems practically. With these skills, they will increase their ability to speak prophetically with power, wisdom, and authority. They will be able to influence decision-makers at the highest levels, just as Joseph did in the ancient Egyptian court (Gen.  41:39). The time has come to raise up leaders who can fashion workable and reliable global and creative solutions based on well-disciplined research.

BGU’s new PhD is a PhD in Innovative Urban Leadership. The urban focus of BGU’s programs is indeed embedded in this new PhD. Moreover, the innovation emphasis of this research-focused program will provide strong frameworks for innovation metrics analysis, the development and implementation of strategic innovation plans, and global leadership strategies, to global leaders who are called to be co-workers with our Creator God. Thus global leaders will be led create new meanings, new strategies, new models and new creative  innovative implementations out of what can often look like chaos. What a privilege!

Within a few weeks, the Covid-19 pandemic has turned upside-down all of our global, local strategic and life plans. We see heads of state and of organizations scrambling to make sense of the next steps. The after Covid-19 world will be different. How are global Christian eaders being equipped to tackle such a world? It is by being empowered to embrace God’s creativity while led by His innovative Spirit by means of thorough, deeply-rooted, and research-based approaches to situational analyses, syntheses, and innovative endeavors for never-before encountered scenarios. Ready to come onboard?

Let me also mention that, if you are a BGU DMin or DTL alumnus, you can be granted advanced standing upon program entrance since you have already integrated BGU’s values and perspectives. What a great opportunity to be embraced! To follow-up on this conversation, the PhD Program Director, Martine Audéoud, together with the PhD Advisory Team invite you to a presentation of the PhD program with a Questions & Answers time on Friday, May 8 th , at 10am EDT/2pmGMT on this Zoom link. Do not hesitate to contact Martine Audéoud or Lester Hirst if you have further questions or if you would like to apply for this program!

Dr. Martine Audéoud