VIEW FROM THE TOP
CHANNELLING CONFIDENCE AMID THE CHAOS
Analysing the answers from a survey of deans and directors, AMBA & BGA CEO Andrew Main Wilson discovers overall optimism in spite of ongoing challenges in enrolment, economic uncertainty and competition from alternative education providers
W
e recently conducted a survey canvassing the
needed” at 45 per cent, followed by “increased competition” at 40 per cent. Respondents stated that the three key issues arising from economic uncertainty were “student affordability”, cited by no fewer than 64 per cent, “rising inflation and its impact on operational costs” at 55 per cent, with the answer, “reductions in government grants or public funding” coming in at 48 per cent. Those who took part in the survey were also asked to pick the top three technologies that they would describe as “key” to the future of their business school in terms of presenting both challenges and opportunities. Unsurprisingly, the top response was artificial intelligence, which was mentioned by all the respondents to this question; this was followed by online learning platforms, including Coursera and LinkedIn, at nearly 77 per cent. Slightly less than half (48 per cent) cited machine learning and 28 per cent opted for blockchain certifications and credentialling, while 23 per cent chose virtual reality; augmented reality was also mentioned as a pivotal technology tool by just under six per cent of respondents.
Lastly, we asked for your opinions on the reasons for changes in enrolment trends. Some 39 per cent said they had experienced a decline in domestic enrolments, while 46 per cent saw a reduction in international enrolments. In contrast, just nine per cent recorded an increase in domestic enrolments, while only six per cent reported an increase in international enrolments. Turning to a shift in enrolment preferences, 28 per cent of deans and directors at business schools had experienced this, with a notable increase in the demand for part-time or online programmes. Just 16 per cent claimed to have experienced no significant changes. When asked to rank their main source of competition, 42 per cent said this came from other business schools within the same country, 32 per cent nominated other business schools globally and 15 per cent referenced other business schools within the region. Only eight per cent mentioned alternative education providers, suggesting that market penetration by non‑conventional providers, such as purely online educators, is still relatively small.
opinions of AMBA and BGA deans and directors around the world to understand
their views on what they believe to be the principal challenges facing business schools in this uncertain economic climate. Whether it’s geopolitical conflicts, trade tariffs, restrictive student visa legislation, or soaring price inflation levels, our industry is facing a wide variety of external pressures. We were extremely pleased, therefore, to discover that confidence in a business school’s ability to remain competitive remains high: in fact, some 40 per cent of respondents said they felt “very confident”, while more than half (52 per cent) replied to say they felt “somewhat confident”. It is certainly worth noting that only eight per cent reported they were not feeling confident at all. We then asked which three challenges are impacting business schools most significantly at present. The top three challenges were “economic uncertainty” at 57 per cent and “changing market demand from employers regarding future skills
46 Ambition • ISSUE 4 • 2025
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