City Leaders Program · Founding Cohort · May 2026
The world's first leadership program built for mayors
and city leaders in cities of 1,000 to 300,000.
Seven months. Online. Practice-based.
Three Pillars of Transformation
The city you want begins with the leader you become. Courage to act in uncertainty. Wisdom to decide with integrity. The capacity to remain present under pressure.
Practice, not only theory. Progress, not only promises. You apply what you learn through live city development projects — creating real results during the program.
You act local. Your support is global. Connect with 100+ city leaders across 50+ countries — sharing real experience and collective wisdom that continues beyond.
We understand
"Leading a city is one of the most demanding forms
of leadership that exists — and one of the least supported."
You face pressure from multiple directions simultaneously — citizens, councils, budgets, crises — often without peers who truly understand, without time to step back and think.
Most programs teach you how to manage complexity. What they don't give you is the capacity to lead from within it — with clarity, integrity, and the confidence to make decisions that outlast your term.
The leaders who join now are not simply enrolling in a program — they are co-founding a global institution. Their names will be part of this institution's history. Their experience will shape every future iteration of this program.
By the time you graduate,
your city will already be in motion.
A public event that places your city's future on the table — and activates citizens as co-authors of its direction.
Co-designed with key stakeholders. Ready to present to funders and council before the program ends.
Engaging people ages 15–26 in real transformation connected to city change — not simulation.
A formal collaboration between your city and an institution built during the program.
Practical, funded, and ready to adapt to your specific context and constraints.
An award or certification that builds international credibility and attracts investment attention.
The Programme
Each module builds on the last — from inner leadership to global toolkit. You study, practise, and implement simultaneously. By month seven, your city already has results to show.
Full curriculum →Module 01
Months 1–2
Dr. Ferial Puren · Prof. Vladimir Maykov
Module 02
Months 2–3
Alec von Graffenried · Mathias Müller
Module 03
Months 3–4
International Faculty
Module 04
Months 4–5
Full faculty · Peer groups
Module 05
Months 5–6
International Faculty Network
Module 06
Months 6–7
Dr. Ferial Puren · Graduation Panel
Your Qualification
This certificate is awarded to
Your Name Here
For the successful completion of
Swiss Professional Certificate in Intentional Strategic,
Ethical & Regenerative City Leadership
The Swiss Professional Certificate in Intentional Strategic, Ethical & Regenerative City Leadership is a document you can present to citizens, councils, and partners — not just keep in a drawer. It names what you learned and what you committed to.
Our Faculty
Our global faculty consists of former mayors and urban development pioneers.
Not academics who study cities — practitioners who have transformed them.
Program Director · South Africa
"The inner architecture of leadership under pressure"
Integral Psychology · Russia
"How consciousness shapes decisions that shape cities"
Mayor of Bern · Switzerland
"What it actually means to govern a European city"
City Development · Liechtenstein
"Small-city constraints as competitive advantage"
Urban Practice · South Africa
"Guides leaders through the inner development that change requires"
Leadership · USA
"Helps city leaders find the leadership style that creates systemic change"
Futures · Netherlands
"Brings foresight tools that help you lead today with tomorrow in view"
Systems Science · Mauritius
"Bridges systems science, AI, and planetary intelligence for city leaders"
Regenerative Economy · Greece
"Teaches practical strategies to transform urban areas into regenerative economies"
Integral City · Scotland
"Guides whole-system city strategies that align people, environment, and potential"
How GMA is Different
| Traditional Programs (Harvard, Oxford, INSEAD) | GMA City Leaders Program | |
|---|---|---|
| City focus | Megacities and corporations | Cities of 1,000–300,000 |
| Cost | £15,000–25,000 | £4,800 founding / £6,000 standard |
| Approach | Theory + case studies | Implement while you learn |
| Starting point | Policy and strategy | Inner leadership first |
| Outcome | Certificate | Real project in your city |
| Format | Residential, 1–3 weeks | Online, 7 months, 3–5 hrs/week |
| Network | Global corporate leaders | 100+ mayors and city leaders |
Three doors. No pressure. All paths lead to the same place.
Ready to join
Secure your place before the cohort closes. Founding members receive a permanent £1,200 reduction — the lowest price this program will ever be offered.
£4,800Founding rate · Save £1,200 · or from £1,000/month
Apply Now →Want to explore
A 30-minute conversation to understand whether this program fits your situation, your city, and your goals. No obligation, no sales pressure.
Schedule a Call →Need council approval
A two-page document for your council or funding committee — with ROI framework, accreditation details, and cost comparison.
Download PDF →"The cities of the future are being shaped now.
The question is who will shape them."