INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE T rue impact is not the product of a single moment, but rather an active commitment to consistent change for the better. For universities and business schools, this commitment to impact often comes in the form of incremental changes that take place over several years and that bring an institution’s whole community together, from deans and professors to students and alumni. the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at a time that was to challenge the resilience and adaptability of institutions worldwide. The forum underlined that survival during trying times is a shared responsibility between business schools and enterprises and the result of successfully bridging academic knowledge and practice. For schools, this reinforces the importance of investing in industry engagement and learning about the specific needs of different sectors. One roundtable held at the forum, for example, discussed the need to adapt curricula to meet developments in technology, particularly those with regards to digitisation and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). Moreover, the panel identified that while keeping up with technological development is essential, ensuring that this process is distributed fairly and ethically engaged is equally important.
However, for the Onsi Sawiris School of Business at the American University in Cairo (AUC), maximising impact also means bringing in external partners, encompassing fellow business schools, corporations and institutions that believe in leaving a lasting mark on business management education and beyond. In 2020, the school introduced the AUC Business Forum as a platform for connecting scholars, researchers and practitioners from various industries and institutions. Since then, the forum has been a leading convener of changemakers in the business landscape, within the regional bounds of the school and beyond. It has also focused on more than 30 critical topics and brought perspectives from more than 300 international and local guest speakers. Navigating change Against the backdrop of Covid-19’s imminent arrival, the forum’s first edition focused on disruption, identifying the challenges and opportunities facing
This ties in with current research taking place at Onsi Sawiris School of Business’s Access to Knowledge for Development Centre (A2K4D), where changes in the MENA region are analysed through a developmental, inclusive and ethical lens. In collaboration with international and local partners, A2K4D established the MENA Observatory on Responsible AI, an initiative that champions the responsible use of the technology to foster the achievement of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (UN SDGs). Launched in 2023, the observatory has played a vital part in connecting academic, governance and entrepreneurial communities, amplifying regional voices and informing global perspectives with local insights. Last year, the observatory was also recognised among 50 international projects out of a total of 770 submissions from 111 countries at the Paris Peace Forum’s AI Action Summit, demonstrating both the impact of the centre’s work and the school’s commitment to a clear vision. Innovation in experiential learning In 2021 and at the height of the problems associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, Onsi Sawiris School of Business continued its efforts to enact change through dialogue by convening the second edition of its forum virtually. Again, the focus was on disruption, only this time student perspectives from the eye of the storm were encompassed, with AUC students joining those from other local and international universities to discuss business education’s future in one roundtable. Participants shared insights into navigating their
Business Impact • ISSUE 2 • 2026
25
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online