Zain Group, in collaboration with Spain’s IE University, has been awarded the Silver Award in the “Professional Development” category at the 2025 European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) Excellence in Practice Awards. The award recognizes their joint initiative, the Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity University (IDEU), an Online Stackable Master Program in Digital Transformation.
The IDEU program was launched in 2023 and was co-designed by IE University and Zain Group’s Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity department. It addresses the growing need for digital capabilities and leadership within the telecom sector. The program is modular, online, and stackable, reaching over 2,000 professionals across Zain’s eight markets.
Bader Al-Kharafi, Zain Group Vice Chairman and Group CEO stated, “The IDEU educational pioneering initiative in partnership with IE University epitomizes Zain’s unwavering commitment to purpose-driven progress and organizational impact. This prestigious recognition from EFMD serves as a testament to our dedication to Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity.”
Martín Rodríguez Jugo of IE University added that “This award honors our commitment to lifelong learning. The MDT -IDEU program is a model of what’s possible when corporate purpose and academic innovation come together—and we are grateful to Zain for their trust and partnership.”
The IDEU program has shown significant results with over 2,000 employees enrolled achieving a 92% course completion rate. Additionally, nearly 8,000 individual course certifications have been awarded along with 400 university certificates.
This EFMD recognition adds to previous accolades received by the IDEU program including Gold Winner at Brandon Hall EdTech Excellence Awards (2025) and Winner at Merit Awards for Learning & Development – Middle East (2024).
Winners of the EFMD Excellence in Practice Awards will present their cases at the 2025 EFMD Executive Development Conference in October.
IE University focuses on education through its six schools offering programs that foster global vision and entrepreneurial mindset among students from around the world.
