Business Impact covers the big challenges facing global management education as the world asks more of its future business leaders.
ISSUE 3 2025 VOLUME 25
THE MAGAZINE OF THE BUSINESS GRADUATES ASSOCIATION (BGA)
LEADERS NEVER STOP LEARNING
Uplift & Empower Female leaders shaping the future
• DUTY OF CARE: SUPPORTING SELF-DISCOVERY & ACHIEVING BALANCE AT IÉSEG • BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS: QATAR DEAN ON PURSUING MEANINGFUL CHANGE • KAZAKHSTAN’S CATALYSTS: RESHAPING FRAMEWORKS AT NARXOZ UNIVERSITY
INSIDE
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Contents ISSUE 3 • 2025 • VOLUME 25
05 EDITOR’S LETTER
30 CATALYSING CHANGE How universities in emerging markets can spark change and achieve global competitiveness 34 SPOTLIGHT ON SCHOOLS An introduction to the UK’s Regent’s University London 36 GUEST COLUMN Why imposter syndrome prevails 38 DIRECTOR’S DESPATCH Reflections on a decade’s progress
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Garnering insights into gender equality from women at the helm 06 BUSINESS BRIEFING The latest news and research from business schools across BGA’s global network 10 DATA POINTS Business school leaders’ views on changing student expectations and demand, in an exclusive preview of an upcoming research report from AMBA & BGA
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16 BRIDGING THE GAP Exploring the merits of integrating work‑based learning into business curricula 20 COVER STORY PUSHING FOR PROGRESS Qatar University College of Business and Economics dean Rana Sobh on her passion for pursuing meaningful change 24 PERSPECTIVES How diversity, equity & inclusion feeds into policy and practice at schools across Latin America, Africa, Europe and Central Asia
12 COVER STORY GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHT
IÉSEG dean Caroline Roussel on widening access to business education and adapting to changing student profiles
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Business Impact • ISSUE 3 • 2025
22-23 SEPTEMBER 2025 | KRAKOW, POLAND ACCREDITATION CONFERENCE AMBA & BGA Mastering AMBA & BGA accreditation
The AMBA & BGA Accreditation Conference supports professionals navigating processes of AMBA and BGA accreditation or re-accreditation, as well as those pursuing dual AMBA & BGA accreditation. Keynotes and workshops cover each of the processes step by step, encompassing site visit insights, expert advice, best practices from top schools and strategies for maximising the value of your accreditation. Advance your accreditation with confidence
www.amba-bga.com/events/accreditation-conference-2025
EDITOR’S LETTER
EDITORIAL
Content editor Tim Banerjee Dhoul t.dhoul@amba-bga.com Head of editorial Colette Doyle c.doyle@amba-bga.com
A FAIRER FUTURE While there are an increasing number of female deans at the helm of business schools around the world, the industry must continue to address elements of inequality to achieve a true balance
Art editor Sam Price
Sub-editor Heather Ford
I n this issue’s Director’s Despatch , our intrepid membership director Victor Hedenberg reflects on how the proportion of female leaders he meets and liaises with has grown from one in six to around one in three over the course of his decade with the organisation. Marking this timely upturn, our cover features showcase the views and experiences of two female deans. At IÉSEG School of Management in France, Caroline Roussel tells us about her school’s duty of care towards inclusion and guidance, as well as the importance of being flexible enough to enable and support students in their personal journeys. We also learn how women are seizing opportunities in emerging sectors to play an integral role in the Arab world’s economic growth from Rana Sobh, dean at Qatar University College of Business and Economics. Sobh also enthuses about her ability to “push boundaries, explore new territories, solve complex problems and contribute to a greater purpose.” Elsewhere, another female dean, Dilbar Gimranova at the School of Economics and Management at Narxoz University, joins Maxim Romanov in recounting the institution’s journey of transformation under her leadership, as part of efforts to reshape Kazakhstan’s educational landscape and widen access. For all the power of these examples of women at the helm, female leaders remain
Insight, content & PR manager Ellen Buchan e.buchan@amba-bga.com CORPORATE Membership director Victor Hedenberg v.hedenberg@amba-bga.com Head of membership Debbie Kemp d.kemp@amba-bga.com
a minority in business leadership and the management education industry is no different in this respect. The gradual progression in proportion is rightly encouraged, but true equality remains a long way off for many, especially when you factor in the continuing gender pay gap and pervasive elements of subconscious bias. One problem relates to how women in the workplace are made to feel, with the phenomenon of imposter syndrome a common occurrence. While this is often linked to shortcomings in confidence, our guest columnist Sheena Yap Chan says that it is merely a logical response to a system that is broken, underlining the need to rethink definitions of leadership. “Confidence grows when we’re seen, supported and encouraged, especially by people who understand our journey,” she writes. In this, nurturing inclusive and supportive communities at business school appears key. It’s fascinating, then, to find out how gender equality feeds into the current practices and initiatives of BGA member schools in different country contexts as part of their approach to DEI. Schools in South Africa, Chile, Kazakhstan, Sweden, Spain and Peru all feature in the latest instalment of our Perspectives series.
BGA accreditation manager Richard Turner r.turner@amba-bga.com Senior marketing executive – digital lead Shareen Pennington s.pennington@amba-bga.com Membership administrator Georgia Herbert g.herbert@amba-bga.com Commercial relations director Max Braithwaite m.braithwaite@amba-bga.com
Head of marketing & communications Leonora Clement l.clement@amba-bga.com Finance & commercial director Catherine Walke r
Director of accreditation & director of BGA services Mark Stoddard
Tim Banerjee Dhoul Editor , Business Impact
Chief executive officer Andrew Main Wilson GENERAL ENQUIRIES bga-membership@amba-bga.com
Copyright 2025 by The Association of MBAs and Business Graduates Association . All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. While we take care to ensure that editorial is independent, accurate, objective and relevant for our readers, BGA accepts no responsibility for reader dissatisfaction rising from the content of this publication. The opinions expressed and advice given are the views of individual commentators and do not necessarily represent the views of BGA. Whenever an article in this publication is placed with the financial support of an advertiser, partner or sponsor, it will be marked as such. BGA makes every opportunity to credit photographers but we cannot guarantee every published use of an image will have the contributor’s name. If you believe we have omitted a credit for your image, please email the editor.
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BRIEFING Why advanced education in Latin America needs a boost, the debate around hunting tourism in South Africa and a new initiative to foster good employment practices all feature in this round-up of news and research from BGA schools. By Tim Banerjee Dhoul , Ellen Buchan and Colette Doyle THE LATEST NEWS FROM ACROSS BGA’S NETWORK Business
SOCIAL PROGRESS SCORES HIGHLIGHT NEED FOR GREATER INVESTMENT IN HIGHER ED
framework for the AlTi Global Social Progress Index 2025 . In total, the index considers 57 drivers of social and environmental progress in 170 countries, assessing a society’s wellbeing and helping policymakers, investors and businesses benchmark success while identifying strengths and weaknesses. In Latin America, the index provides a detailed view of social development in the region, reflecting both progress and persistent challenges in health and security. However, Garcia, a regional director for the index in Latin America, earmarks advanced education as something of an “Achilles heel” in the region’s development. “Countries such as Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras show alarmingly low levels in this indicator,
limiting the training of human talent and reducing the region’s ability to compete in the global knowledge economy,” Garcia writes. Elsewhere, the scores for Brazil and Colombia reflect the need to strengthen investment in education and programmes that align academic training with market needs. In Argentina and Chile, meanwhile, the persistence of gaps in inclusion and academic excellence are highlighted, even though their overall scores compare favourably to the Latin American average. The index presses home the need for the region’s governments and private sector to work jointly to close structural gaps and ensure that economic growth translates into tangible wellbeing for the population. TBD
SCHOOL Incae Business School
COUNTRY Costa Rica
atin America faces significant obstacles in advanced education that limit its global
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competitiveness, according to a report on social development involving Incae Business School senior researcher Jaime Garcia. Encompassing expected years of tertiary education, academic freedom and numbers of female graduates, among other measures, the category of advanced education is part of the
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NEWS DIGEST
communities, while a quarter contribute to schools and public projects. In addition, game farms and lodges create jobs for trackers, service staff, cooks and artisans, providing opportunities in rural areas that offer few alternatives. It is from this knowledge that hunters derive their belief in improving conditions and infrastructure. Indeed, other research has suggested that banning hunting tourism can lead to job losses and an increase in poaching. However, there is less evidence to support hunters’ claims that the revenue they bring in supports sustainable wildlife management and opinion is divided over whether biodiversity conservation can work in tandem with the hunting industry. Hunting tourism in South Africa offers valuable insights into the debate between conservation and rural development, the study concludes. However, it calls for more research into its impact on the ground and in particular the views of those rural communities impacted the most. EB “Game farms and lodges create jobs for trackers, service staff, cooks and artisans, providing opportunities in rural areas that offer few alternatives”
STUDY HIGHLIGHTS COMPLEXITY OF HUNTING INDUSTRY’S IMPACT IN SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa’s controversial hunting industry. It found that hunters believe they are shaping the economy, growing infrastructures and changing social dynamics. However, whether local communities share this perception remains an open question. What’s clear is that the industry is big business, driven largely by tourists from the US. International hunters stay on game farms and reserves for far longer than their South African counterparts and invest up to four times more per visit, according to the NWU study. This doesn’t just impact tourism mechanisms around them but also the wider community. For example, nearly a third of international hunters donate the meat from their kills to local
SCHOOL NWU Business School North-West University COUNTRY South Africa
he prevailing narrative about hunters in the Western world is that of the “bad guys”, but the
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hunters themselves tend to see things differently, particularly in relation to their community impact. A recent study by North-West University’s (NWU) Tourism Research in Economics, Environs and Society (TREES) sought to further understand
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SCHOOL Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) Business School GOOD EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES AT HEART OF NEW PROGRAMME
COUNTRY UK
anchester Metropolitan University (MMU) Business School has launched a new
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DEPTH OF DISCRIMINATION IN CHILE’S CONSTRUCTION SECTOR REVEALED
part-time MBA programme aimed at developing responsible leaders who are not only equipped to navigate complex corporate landscapes, but also committed to fostering a positive employment environment. The programme draws on the university’s board-level involvement with the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter (GMGEC), an initiative dedicated to promoting fair and inclusive employment practices as a means of contributing positively to the wider community and setting standards for ethical business conduct. The new MBA incorporates practical insights and real-world applications of good employment practices from speakers and researchers involved in the initiative, with several ongoing projects involving MMU faculty feeding into the programme. These include the Greater Manchester Good Employment Learning Lab, a platform for collaboration between researchers, policymakers, practitioners and managers. Students also benefit from access to GMGEC’s network of more than 1,000 businesses, from small enterprises to large corporations, through networking and knowledge-sharing events. TBD
of harassment and discrimination, alongside wage gaps and a lack of adequate infrastructure as obstacles to women’s entry and retention in the sector. To address these barriers, many female employees opt for strategies such as over-qualifying themselves academically or ‘masculinising’ their behaviour. Another key finding of the study is the precariousness of workplace infrastructure, with 63 per cent of women reporting that there are no lactation rooms and 43 per cent indicating that there is no access to nurseries or childcare arrangements. The results of the study were presented at an event attended by Chile’s Minister of Women and Gender Equality, Antonia Orellana, along with public and private sector leaders. “It’s not just about opening up spaces for women in construction, but also about ensuring decent and safe conditions. Without bathrooms or changing rooms and with a 30 per cent wage gap, there is no real equality,” declared Orellana. CD
C onstruction remains one of the most exclusionary industries for women in Chile, with females making up only nine per cent of the workforce, according to a report led by Carla Rojas Neculhual, gender and inclusion co-ordinator of FEN UChile’s People Management Observatory. The report details the discrimination and harassment faced by the construction sector’s female minority: some 60 per cent of workers perceive gender discrimination and 50 per cent have been subjected to derogatory comments, while 44 per cent have feared being harassed. Indeed, the study highlights normalisation SCHOOL Facultad de Economía y Negocios Universidad de Chile (FEN UChile) COUNTRY Chile
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NEWS DIGEST
SCHOOL Queen’s Business School, Queen’s University, Belfast DATA INFORMS NEW TWO-WAY MENTOR SCHEME
COUNTRY UK
usinesses collect vast amounts of data but often struggle to translate it into meaningful
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insights. Queen’s Business School (QBS) intends to offer a solution through its new Data Duo Mentoring programme. This 12-week initiative matches master’s in business analytics students at the school with business professionals who want to make better use of their data. Although data-driven decision-making is in the ascendancy, it is not uncommon for companies to lack expertise in it. Through this programme, professionals from any industry – whether that’s a small business, charity or large organisation – can gain fresh insights into how data can drive smarter decisions, improve efficiency and unlock opportunities. The business analytics MSc at QBS is a one-year programme built around three core areas: business knowledge, statistics and computing. As such, students will be versed in the latest tools and techniques and able to provide industry participants with guidance on how to better understand and use data in a practical business setting. It is also hoped that the experience will empower students to identify career goals and objectives, build their understanding of industry and increase their confidence. The initiative is free for professionals from any industry, requiring only an openness to learn and explore new possibilities with the support of a knowledgeable student. CD
ACCESSIBLE RESEARCH HELPS BUSINESS LEARN FROM THE PAST
Jyväskylä and Aalto University in 2019, the article has attracted more than 100,000 views to date, with 90 per cent of downloads coming from outside Finland. The level of impact denoted by these figures highlights the value of accessible business research, as lead author and Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics professor Juha‑Antti Lamberg explained. “The large number of downloads is undoubtedly due to the general interest in this topic, but without open-access publication these numbers would not have been possible. This shows the importance of open access for research knowledge.” On the back of the article’s popularity, Lamberg and others have since delved into the effect of chance on Nokia’s major strategic choices, while a forthcoming study uses micro-historical methods to show how unrealised plans, or near-histories, can shape decision‑making and the direction of an organisation. EB
SCHOOL Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics COUNTRY Finland
record-breaking research paper from the University of Jyväskylä has helped
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fuel fascination and reflection around the decline of Nokia’s
mobile phone business. According to the article, The Curse of Agility: The Nokia Corporation and the Loss of Market Dominance in Mobile Phones, 2003-2013 , strategic agility was to blame. Nokia’s model, the paper argued, valued internal competition but instead of fostering new ideas, it led to resources being too widely dispersed between different teams. It’s a story that continues to resonate strongly with the business world and with tech firms in particular. Published by researchers from the University of
SHARE YOUR NEWS AND RESEARCH UPDATES by emailing Business Impact editor Tim Banerjee Dhoul at t.dhoul@amba-bga.com
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Data points Tim Banerjee Dhoul looks beneath the surface of a key finding from upcoming AMBA & BGA research to examine the context behind changing student expectations and demand, as well as what business schools are doing to rise to the challenge
of respondents (54 per cent) admitted to experiencing challenges due to a lack of demand from prospective students. Leaders link declining demand to a range of factors encompassing all these challenges, including the costs of tuition (66 per cent), increased competition from within the higher education industry (60 per cent), increased competition from outside the higher education industry (47 per cent) and changing employer preferences (40 per cent). Some 43 per cent also highlight the risk of a perceived lack of return on investment. There is further concern from 72 per cent of respondents that the perceived value of multi-year degrees, including the MBA, has diminished among prospective students. Moreover, when asked if students are looking at alternative credentials, such as industry certifications and short-term courses, instead of traditional business degrees, 23 per cent strongly agreed and 49 per cent agreed.
lmost all business school leaders acknowledge that there has been a shift in the
Of course, there is a link between these two challenges, with technological change an important influencer of the future skills deemed essential to a future manager’s toolkit. There is some trepidation among leaders here, with a majority of AMBA & BGA respondents (63 per cent) saying they are “somewhat prepared” to train students for the workforce demands created by AI, automation and other disruptive technologies. Only six per cent say they are “very prepared”, while 14 per cent say they are “not very prepared” or “not prepared at all”. Increased competition is another central concern, appearing in the top three current challenges for 41 per cent of school leaders surveyed. The most commonly cited challenge of all, however, relates to the global climate of economic uncertainty, a top‑three challenge for 57 per cent of those polled by AMBA & BGA. In this context, it is perhaps not surprising that in another survey section, more than half
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expectations of students. When asked if prospective students’ expectations over the business school experience have changed in the past five years, 85 per cent said “yes”. Of the remaining 15 per cent, only six per cent said “no”, with nine per cent unsure either way. The question was one of a series posed around changing market dynamics and demand in a new AMBA & BGA report. Changing expectations are driven, in part, by what employers want to see from their graduate hires and the new possibilities presented by technology. Responding to these developments drives two of the leading considerations for schools right now. Among 105 leaders surveyed, 45 per cent listed “changing market demand in terms of future skills needed” and 34 per cent cited “technological disruption” in their top three challenges impacting their institution.
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AMBA & BGA RESEARCH
HOW ARE SCHOOLS RESPONDING? Revamping curricula and introducing new programmes are the most popular means of addressing the risks of declining demand, cited by 72 per cent and 74 per cent of survey respondents respectively. Other measures include expanding to new geographic markets and partnering with other organisations to increase programme visibility, each of which was cited by 40 per cent. Outside these areas, leaders point to initiatives designed to meet shifting expectations and set a business school’s experience apart from its competitors. These include offering greater flexibility through study formats or options, enhancing student support and focusing on industry partnerships and placements. Such outcomes will be determined, in large part, by a school’s ability to prepare students for a changing job market. Curricula priorities identified in AMBA & BGA’s survey demonstrate the current emphasis on addressing technological change, alongside the need to better infuse ethics and responsibility into business practice. “Ethics and responsible business” was the most popular skill area, cited by 77 per cent of respondents, followed by “digital and data literacy”, cited by 75 per cent. These stand ahead of “innovation and entrepreneurial Less commonly cited areas of priority right now, meanwhile, included a “cross-cultural and global mindset” (51 per cent), “emotional intelligence” (49 per cent) and “agility and resilience” (45 per cent). AMBA & BGA’s full report based on the data analysed here is set for release later this year. thinking” and “leadership in a digital age” (71 per cent and 65 per cent respectively).
85 OF SCHOOL LEADERS FEEL THAT WHAT PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS EXPECT TO GAIN FROM THEIR BUSINESS SCHOOL EXPERIENCE HAS CHANGED OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS %
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For IÉSEG dean Caroline Roussel, fine-tuning curricula and accommodating changing needs is a process of continuous adaptation and balance. Here, she tells Tim Banerjee Dhoul about the school’s responsibility towards social mobility and its emphasis on enabling students to explore their full potential Getting the balance right E ach year, IÉSEG dean Caroline Roussel offers her insights and advice to female faculty members who are taking on managerial responsibilities as part of training co-ordinated by a French higher education membership organisation. “We have quite informal discussions about my career
Costs & social inclusion Dean since 2022, Roussel’s purview on inclusion is by no means limited to gender equality alone, as she explains: “When I took the deanship three years ago, my colleagues and I agreed that we should do more around social diversity.” Due to its size and status as a member of the prestigious and selective grandes écoles group of institutions, IÉSEG would appear well placed to exert an important impact in this regard. Established a little over 60 years ago, the school has more than 8,000 students across its campuses in Lille and Paris. “I think that we have the responsibility to welcome students from disadvantaged backgrounds,” Roussel declares. A principal and prohibitive challenge is the cost of business education, as the IÉSEG dean concedes freely before outlining the all-important context. “We should consider why business schools are expensive; it’s because the learning experience has a cost. After all, you want to welcome students with nice premises, offer cutting-edge equipment and technology and provide world-class professors – each of these aspects has an impact.” This is why the school runs several schemes to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds and why, crucially, these begin at secondary school. “We have noticed that many young people do not apply because they feel that business school is expensive, that it’s only for rich people and that, therefore, it will be difficult for them to integrate,” Roussel reveals.
trajectory, but they also have personal questions, such as ‘How do you manage your professional and personal obligations?’ I’m the mother of four children, so we discuss how I have combined this with taking on more responsibilities, alongside plenty of other topics,” Roussel shares. “I’m also quite often asked to participate in company conferences and share my experiences,” she adds, referencing a recent example of appearing at an event for the professional services giant EY and its initiative aimed at supporting female leaders. How does Roussel feel about the current state of gender equality in business education? On the one hand, she says she hasn’t felt any constraints, as a woman, during her own career. On the other hand, she is fully aware that the same is not true for many of her peers and of the work required to level the playing field for female leaders in the industry. “In France, there are 39 grandes écoles business school members of the Conférence des Grandes Écoles and only seven out of these 39 are led by women, so the data speaks for itself,” she remarks succinctly.
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INTERVIEW WITH THE DEAN
Caroline Roussel is dean and an associate professor in accounting at IÉSEG School of Management. Roussel has been a professor at IÉSEG since 2002 and previously held the positions of academic dean, director of academic development and head of department. Her research interests include open strategy and performance management tools. She holds a PhD in management sciences from University of Lille 1 and an HDR (accreditation to supervise research) from IAE Caen, University of Basse Normandie
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“Approximately 40 per cent of our students are still only 16 or 17 years old when they first join, so we try to give them time not only to decide if they want to specialise in a particular area, but also to discover themselves. The objective is to allow students to explore and express their full potential; we are not just targeting entrepreneurs or athletes, but offering students the chance to flourish in our environment, whatever they want to do,” explains Roussel. The entrepreneur status was devised after the IÉSEG dean encountered a handful of students who felt unable to balance their studies with the development of a start-up. “I had a couple of students who resigned from the programme when
“In our work with secondary schools, we identify students who have the potential to succeed in our institution. We help them prepare for the entrance exam and the admissions interview and let them know that good students with strong intellectual capacity and skills can join us, regardless of their background.” Such students can access finance through the school or the independent IÉSEG Foundation. But efforts don’t end there, as Roussel points out: “These young people also need to feel comfortable at the school. If you cannot afford to integrate into student life, it’s another barrier.” The IÉSEG dean offers the example of paid extracurricular events, such as an upcoming trip to London and describes how the
they were really close to graduation,” Roussel recalls. “I told my head of studies that we had to do something because it’s our responsibility to enable students to combine their entrepreneurial and academic lives.” At IÉSEG, student numbers can comfortably reach 1,200 on the most
“The objective is to give students the chance to flourish in our environment, whatever they want to do”
school seeks to reduce the costs for those who would miss out otherwise. “We also work with them when they
have to find their first job, because perhaps they do not have the professional or familial network that others might have. So, it’s not just a matter of financial support.” Support & space for self-discovery The enthusiasm and detail with which Roussel describes these initiatives is indicative of IÉSEG’s overarching strategy. “One of our key differentiators is the way we support students in everything they do. There are lots of good business schools in France so you must stand out with a clear strategy,” she confides. That support aims to encompass the academic, professional and personal aspects of a student’s life at the school. For example, faculty members act as pedagogical advisors to offer academic support to those identified as struggling with programme requirements, or students who simply want to ask questions or check if they are working in the right way. “Last year, we organised somewhere between 1,200 and 1,400 individual meetings for our younger students at bachelor’s level,” Roussel advises. IÉSEG’s provision of support has also branched out into the creation of special statuses for students registered as entrepreneurs or those recognised as excelling in a particular sport. This has stemmed from a desire to let students develop their passions and ambitions as they progress through their education, without needing to choose between the two.
popular programmes, so they are divided into smaller cohorts of 40. Interest in the entrepreneur scheme has been such that those holding this status occupy their own groups, enabling the school to grant them greater flexibility. There are days off available to attend meetings with banks or potential investors for those at the incipient stages of entrepreneurial life, while those further down the development path can concentrate their course requirements over two days, freeing up time for their start-up. “It’s the same level of academic expectation, the same exam and so on but this flexibility is what they really wanted,” Roussel affirms. “What we see is a strong trend in terms of entrepreneurship and this year, we have 175 students registered in the scheme,” she adds, showcasing the potential merits of moving to accommodate the changing needs of students in this way. The new normal of sustainability Sustainability has been another focus and IÉSEG was named one of five overall school winners in the Financial Times ’ Responsible Business Education Awards 2024 for initiatives that include a mandatory training programme on the subject for all faculty and
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INTERVIEW WITH THE DEAN
development of effective managers and leaders seems to be growing with every passing year. Asked about the challenge this presents for curriculum design, the IÉSEG dean notes, “It’s a question of regular and continuous adaptation. Each time we introduce a new topic, such as sustainability or AI, we try to decrease the teaching hours in another field because we want to preserve the overall volume. Sometimes I tell my programme directors that we have to stabilise because they are introducing too many changes.” However, emerging topics and related faculty expectations are just one part of the picture here, as Roussel highlights. “You have multiple factors to
staff. In March, the school embarked on the next step of its Transition 2026 Plan, in which each academic department or service presented its roadmap for sustainability to the school’s management board. Far from this process being a struggle of persuasion and coercion, there is a belief that the onus is no longer on the school to engage faculty and staff on sustainability. “I think it’s quite natural now,” Roussel muses. “It’s just something we have to do and an important aspect of our values. Part of the school’s vision we established together 10 years ago is ‘empowering changemakers for a better society’ and I think that it has really diffused everywhere.” It has been suggested that schools that become known as specialists
integrate. One is the capacity of attention from students, who are less able to focus on one topic than in the past. Then you have company expectations over the types of graduates they would like to hire… it’s really a question of balance.” For the IÉSEG dean, experiential learning
in sustainability might start to experience a form of self‑selection. In essence, its reputation attracts those who
are already interested in the topic but risks deterring those who are less enthusiastic, but who still need to be brought on board to instigate the change needed in the business world. However, Roussel is not unduly concerned. “When we promote the school, we explain our DNA, vision and values, so yes, maybe some students decide not to join because they are not aligned with the values. But at the end of the day, I prefer not to have students who do not fit 100 per cent with our values. “For faculty, it’s clearly part of the selection criteria because we want sustainability to be diffused in every course and programme,” she continues. “So, when we interview a professor in finance or in marketing, we are also looking at whether they have some aspect of sustainability in their research or teaching.” Juggling competing demands Beyond sustainability, IÉSEG has been promoting the value of multidisciplinarity. “We are convinced that the best way to prepare our students to find good jobs at a good salary level is to provide them with a broad perspective,” Roussel says. Whether this is in relation to sustainability, entrepreneurship, technology or another discipline, the number of topics deemed necessary to the
IÉSEG’s recently redeveloped Vauban building in Lille. The school has more than 8,000 students spread across its campuses in Lille and Paris
and group work go a long way towards bridging these multifaceted factors. Concrete projects, developed with industry, compel students to mobilise the knowledge required across different courses and provide valuable insights for companies, NGOs and public organisations. “For example, students have worked with fast fashion company Uniqlo on the recycling of unsold clothes and with a city close to our campus on green initiatives. For us, it’s the best way we have found to integrate everything and to engage students,” Roussel surmises. IÉSEG recently celebrated 10 years of offering specialised master’s and MBA programmes, the launch of which was the result of the school’s desire to grow both its portfolio and its international reputation. It acquired AMBA accreditation in 2016 to complete its triple-crown status. “Before 2010, we were a very small school and when you do not have many students and alumni, you are not so visible among companies and you do not have this virtuous circle,” Roussel reflects. She concedes that IÉSEG was a little late to enter what is a very competitive market, but is pleased with its progress and feels assured that the school stands on an equal footing with the very best in France.
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THE gap Business educators often find it hard to make classroom learning directly relevant to real-world practice. Here, Joe Raelin offers an in-depth guide to the merits of integrating work-based learning into business curricula, outlining its impact on the role of the teacher and the practice of leadership
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PEDAGOGY
F or many educators, the concept of learning is closely associated with traditional classroom education – whether at a university, school or training facility. While classrooms can impart valuable concepts and ideas, they often fail to capture the chaotic and dynamic nature of real-world practice. Theoretical lessons in a passive environment can lack the immediacy and practical application needed to be truly effective in the real world. Consequently, the knowledge and skills acquired often become obsolete by the time one enters the job market, where a typical individual might navigate through six or seven different careers over a lifetime. The rapid evolution of job requirements in the digital era highlights a crucial shift from acquiring specific technical skills to the need to master a more adaptive, deep form of learning. This shift involves the development of what we might call a “meta-competence”, or the ability to continually adapt and both upskill and re-skill as job requirements evolve. Rather than focusing on static, job-specific skills, the emphasis is on the ability to “learn to learn”. This meta-competence enables workers to grasp and apply principles that can be modified to various work situations, thus addressing ongoing variability in job demands. To prepare for this kind of learning, it is essential to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical experience, bridging the gap between classroom lessons and workplace realities. Facilitating work-based learning Traditional classroom settings often struggle to translate theoretical knowledge into practical skills. Lessons learned in such environments can easily become disconnected from the realities of the workplace. Business education simply needs to adjust to a world of dynamic change wherein learning would occur contemporaneously with the demands of the job and the surrounding workplace. We consequently need a work-based learning in which theory can be integrated with practice and in real-time. This approach would ensure that learning is applied in the right dose and in the right time to be helpful in the workplace. By embedding learning within the actual process of work, students can learn to cope more naturally with work challenges,
allowing them to understand and use otherwise esoteric concepts practically that might in other circumstances remain merely theoretical. Work-based learning can be described via several key characteristics: • Learning in action: knowledge is acquired in the midst of practice and dedicated to the task at hand • C ollective knowledge creation: learning is viewed as a collective activity involving all members connected to the job; thus knowledge is created through collaborative efforts, making learning a shared responsibility • Learning-to-learn aptitude: this frees learners to question the underlying assumptions of practice, promoting a mindset of adaptation and growth In a work-based learning environment, the role of the teacher undergoes significant transformation. Instead of merely providing knowledge, teachers become facilitators, mentors and designers of learning experiences. They guide participants through real‑world challenges, helping them make sense of and reflect on their experiences while applying theories that work. This shift emphasises active engagement in learning for all participants, where expertise is developed through practice and collaboration rather than through passive receipt of information. In their well-known treatise, The Social Life of Information , John Seely Brown and Paul Duguid highlight this perspective by noting that true expertise is not gained by learning formulas, but by engaging in the implicit practices in the field. For instance, becoming a chemist or a football player involves internalising the idiosyncrasies and culture of the practice, not merely learning appropriate concepts. The emergence of action learning A notable variant of work-based learning is “action learning”, an application originally developed in the UK and now used worldwide. Action learning focuses on solving real-world problems through active engagement and reflection. Participants work on actual projects within their organisations or placements, guided by facilitators or tutors, who help them, often in learning teams, to reflect on their experiences and apply theoretical propositions along with local knowledge. In action learning, then, the emphasis is on learning through problem-solving. In working through their projects, participants gain insights from their experiences and the feedback received.
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Business Impact • ISSUE 3 • 2025
As is suggested through their work-in-action projects, work-based learning can benefit a company in the form of organisational learning. Thus, organisations providing placements to students become effectively a second client to the school. Learning extends to the organisation by equipping their workers and managers with skills to cultivate a community focused on inquiry. This results from participants in work-based learning programmes regularly reflecting on their practices, which builds their confidence to question their own and others’ actions. Furthermore, this kind of reflective way of learning enhances teamwork, promoting not just work collaboration but also a deeper sensitivity towards and support of one’s colleagues. As team members benefit from this support, they are more likely to extend the learning culture throughout the organisation. Once a critical mass of individuals engages in work-based learning, the organisation can often develop a collective commitment to continuous learning. Potential barriers to success It goes without saying that any time there is an intervention recommended in an organisation from parties outside the direct managerial line of authority, there is likely to be resistance. As projects are undertaken, there is always a chance that changes could ensue that might have political and social implications. One rule of thumb for programme managers at the site would be to manage projects in a way that challenges but also leverages whatever the prevailing culture allows. Another barrier to success would be questions about funding the endeavour, in particular paying staff at both school and site for administering the programme, as well as handling logistics such as transportation, meals and other elements. In a general sense, the constraints outlined here can be discounted when working with a placement culture that endorses experimentation, trust, risk-taking and an interest in meaningful change from the status quo. In addition, it’s important to note that knowledge transfer does not occur naturally in traditional classroom or training settings and that learning tends to be passive and individualised, unless instructors facilitate peer interactions. Arie de Geus, renowned former corporate planning director at Royal Dutch Shell and a co-originator of many of
“Work-based learning fosters an environment where knowledge is freely exchanged”
the principles and practices underlying the concept of the Learning Organisation, once remarked that participants in management development programmes tend to find informal conversations during breaks more valuable than formal sessions. Work-based learning seeks to integrate these informal exchanges into the learning experience. Conventional classroom training often separates formal and informal learning, frequently overlooking the latter’s significance. In contrast, work-based learning places informal interactions – occurring in learning teams, developmental relationships or unexpected project crises – at the forefront. Formal learning is designed to support inquiry-driven problem-solving rather than existing solely for its own sake. To thrive in today’s workforce, especially in the digital age, graduates will also need to navigate networks that are co-ordinated through information systems and technology. With the advent of peer-to- peer technology, artificial intelligence and robotics, operations are becoming more decentralised, allowing for the automation of many repetitive tasks. This shift encourages more creative work by facilitating social learning, whereby workers collaborate with colleagues to devise innovative solutions to emerging challenges.
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PEDAGOGY
collaborative learning. When it comes to leadership, it imbues participants with habits and attitudes that extend well beyond the characterisation of leadership as residing in one individual. It develops in participants a peripheral awareness of one another, as they become comfortable relying on their peers for coaching and support and see value in sharing leadership. In both the project and learning team features of action learning, for example, team members begin to make use of the team’s resources and recognise the strengths (and shortcomings) of their teammates, such as who provides support to those in need, who fosters team spirit, who knows where to find answers to the most intractable of problems and who explores and reports on opportunities outside the team. All these issues are learning issues. Work-based learning does not insist that they be lodged within any one person; rather, they become the knowledge responsibilities of the entire team. Over time, these practices may come to influence the surrounding organisational culture as new cohorts and sponsors disseminate their collective insights, challenge existing mindsets and produce more co-operative collaboration between universities and industry. In summary, the integration of work-based and action learning into business education can add a significant experiential dimension to classroom- based instruction. By emphasising collective and spontaneous learning as a process in service of effective practice, work-based learning can make a considerable contribution to the business school curriculum. In particular, it equips learners with a higher degree of valid social knowledge and the means for more effective social action. Joe Raelin is an internationally recognised scholar in the fields of collective learning, leadership and practice. He is a visiting professor of social sciences at the Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT) in Finland and holds the Asa S Knowles Chair Emeritus at the D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University in the US. Raelin is also a former visiting scholar of professional and executive management learning (PEML) at Lancaster University Management School in the UK
It becomes essential, therefore, to cultivate collaborative work cultures that allow individuals to thrive in partnership with like-minded peers. The skills needed in this context are often non-routine and must be developed quickly to address unforeseen challenges, utilising available resources. Accordingly, these skills will emerge from hands-on experience, requiring that students learn to improvise in real- time through adaptive learning within the work itself. Experiential learning & leadership In US higher education, work-based learning is often referred to as “experiential education”, but the complement of work is usually introduced through simulations, exercises or case studies. Those schools that deploy work-based learning rely on programmes such as co-operative education, internships, service learning and the like, or apply action learning to part‑time or continuing education courses. Each of these approaches has its administrative distinctions, but what is common is that the parties mutually plan for successful experiences through placements that seek to maximise learning. In addition, collective reflection on the students’ experience is intended to expand and even create knowledge, while at the same time serving to improve the practice. The students’ participation is actively monitored and assessed both by the school authorities and through supervision within the worksite. Each format has its own focus and quality standards, such as ensuring safety and compliance with labour laws, as well as opportunities for reflection. It should be noted, however, that simply placing students in the workplace is not sufficient to bring about work-based learning. There needs to be dedicated attention to students’ reflection on their work activities as close as possible to the activities undertaken. It is unfortunately often too late to begin the process of reflection after the experience is over. Any learning cannot otherwise be tested against real-world practice. The reflection also needs to be collective as well as concurrent. Participants can learn as much from sharing their incidents and stories with their peers as from their own introspection. To this end, work-based learning fosters an environment where knowledge is freely exchanged and everyone contributes to its creation and expansion. In such a setting, there is less reliance on individual expertise and more emphasis on
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Qatar University College of Business and Economics dean Rana Sobh tells Tim Banerjee Dhoul about Qatar’s progress on gender equality, her passion for pursuing meaningful change and how her school is circumnavigating both language and access barriers to drive economic innovation progress FOR Pushing
20 Business Impact • ISSUE 3 • 2025
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