Abilitie, TED, and St. Edward's University launch 12-week mini-MBA

$4,500 part-time program offers live classes with executive-level faculty and in-person global connections

AUSTIN, Texas, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Abilitie, TED, and St. Edward's University today announced a new collaboration to offer a global 12-Week mini-MBA. The part-time program is virtual and concludes with an in-person weekend in a global business hub. It is designed to help working professionals build practical business skills for the age of AI without stepping away from their careers.

Originally introduced in 2019 as the Invited MBA, the program combines curated TED content, immersive business simulations, live faculty-led discussions, and a global cohort experience. Participants earn a professional education certificate from St. Edward's University.

"The 12-Week MBA brings powerful TED ideas into the flow of real-world business challenges, helping leaders expand how they think, solve problems and show up for their teams," said Darby Coleman, senior director of TED@Work.

Globally, over 80% of managers do not hold an advanced business degree. This widespread shortfall poses a challenge for organizations striving to develop leadership pipelines in the global marketplace. Short-form MBA experiences—such as the 12-Week MBA—are increasingly being utilized to equip leaders with essential business acumen and people management skills.

"Tomorrow's leaders need more than just knowledge. They need to practice business judgment," said Bjorn Billhardt, CEO of Abilitie. "The live, interactive nature of the 12-Week MBA helps professionals build financial fluency, strategic thinking and leadership capability."

Participants learn in live online sessions held three days per week and work through team-based business simulations modeled on real leadership challenges. The curriculum is designed to help participants understand business finance, think strategically, manage resources and make sound decisions in complex, fast-changing business environments.

"St. Edward's is committed to academic excellence, and we are proud to be part of this exciting partnership," said Marianne Ward-Peradoza, provost of St. Edward's University. "We recognize that today's professionals need flexible, high-impact opportunities to advance their skills, and this program exemplifies how we are creating pathways that empower them to remain competitive."

To preserve the interactive nature of the program, classes are capped at 40 per section and 200 per cohort. The experience concludes with a live in-person weekend in Berlin and Dubai. Room and board is included in the tuition. Applications for the fall 2026 cohort are open, tuition is $4,500 and scholarships are available. Prospective students can learn more at 12weekmba.com. The program is also offered in closed-cohort settings for companies that want to level up their employees.

About the 12-Week MBA

The 12-Week MBA experience is a collaboration between TED, Abilitie, and St. Edward's University. TED is a nonprofit built around a simple belief: Ideas change everything. Powerful ideas, powerfully presented, can move us to feel something, think differently, and take action. Abilitie is a global leadership development company that helps professionals build critical business skills. The Bill Munday School of Business at St. Edward's University is a top-ranked graduate school with AACSB accreditation.

Media Contacts

Becca Flores, Director of Marketing, TED@Work, rebecca.flores@ted.com, (212) 346-9333
Gina Curran, Director, Abilitie, gina.curran@abilitie.com, 512-731-2166