The teaching format involves on-campus classes that stimulate students' participation as well as individual tutorials in order to make the relationship with teachers more personal. Students must carry out a personal piece of coursework, tutored by teaching staff.

The Master's course comprises the following educational activities:

• Taught sessions, run by the teacher responsible for that subject, in which the programme's central themes are presented and discussed.
• Practical and seminar sessions, in which the students' active participation is encouraged in order to develop their research, speaking, discussion and teamwork skills.
• Tutorials: individual activities whose aim is to supervise academic progress and development, future professional orientation and guidance as regards transversal skills.
• Teamwork: group activities carried out in small groups in the classroom for the acquisition of general skills and independent learning.
• Individual work: independent activities done by the student, such as the completion of exercises, writing of coursework and reports, and oral presentations.

The required subjects have three hours of teaching per week, one of them dedicated to discussing practical cases in small groups (about 15 students). The elective subjects, of two hours per week, combine teaching, practical and seminar sessions. Each subject has an appointed teacher who coordinates the team of lecturers giving the classes. This person sets the assessment method and coordinates the activities linked to the subject, including tutorials.

Following the ECTS criteria, the 6-credit (required) subjects involve around 150 hours of work for students, including personal work, group activities, seminars and teaching sessions. The elective, 4-credit classes involve around 100 hours work, and also combine practical and teaching sessions. 24 hours of classes and seminars are offered for each subject; the required ones also include 12 hours of additional practical work throughout the semester. Semesters are divided into 12 weeks of teaching, followed by around four weeks for completing coursework and exams.

Student assessment is continuous and will combine the systematic writing, during the course, of short essays about matters related to both the subjects taught and the seminars; satisfactory participation in debates and practical sessions; and passing the exams.

The IBEI also organises weekly discussion seminars, where guest researchers and high-profile, experienced professionals provide their points of view, opinions and experiences in order to stimulate students' analytical and reflective skills.

IBEI is offering its students the possibility to participate in an exchange programme.

Those students who wish to participate in the exchange programme will spend one semester of their respective master's programme at the foreign university of their choice, take a number of electives there, and the credits obtained abroad will count towards their IBEI degree. Participating in the international exchange programme implies extending the Master's to 18 months as the students will need an additional semester (normally the autumn/winter semester) to accommodate their stay abroad.