DEANS & DIRECTORS CONFERENCE
want”. Students are not driving content, but “format and modality”, she shared. For instance, how they are learning, ie online, virtual or hybrid. The online MBA is a popular choice: “Students still come to campus to use the library on the weekend, but don’t want to battle the horrendous Miami traffic”. Conversely, Arredondo noted that Egade is not focused on the hybrid experience – “the outcomes were not as good as expected, so we are investing in the right places to teach remotely”. The Mexican institution is trying to work more closely with the engineering school at the Tecnológico de Monterrey to bring technology into the classroom and merge it with business. Lasio then asked how schools in the region can best implement change. Andonova said that Universidad de Los Andes communicates with faculty in an “open, honest, data- driven manner, so implementation of change is not a challenge”. The school has a set of simple rules that include humility,
innovation and a dynamic approach; they also engage staff with a vision of their own prosperity as individuals. Olazábal commented on the need for individual faculty members “to bear the responsibility of responding in a student- centric way to things happening in the global environment”. As well as technological skills, there is a greater focus on emotional intelligence in leadership and transparency too, with more open conversations the order of the day, she concluded. Arredondo touched on the need to rebuild after Covid, saying that business schools “must move faster than previously”, while Andonova agreed that “agility, intellectual curiosity and personal development” are the skills most sought after by today’s employers. Taking a diverse approach Unity in diversity – championing inclusion and celebrating differences was the panel debate chaired by Steef van de Velde, professor of operations management
and technology at the Rotterdam School of Management. Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) has become integral to every facet of business education, so the panel delved into the best practices that schools can adopt to foster inclusive cultures and embrace diversity in all forms. Van de Velde kicked off the session by asking if the panel believed that women are adequately represented on boards in Latin America and how networks can be created to promote this further. Sylvia Meljem, head of accounting at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), noted that she collaborates on occasion in this regard
Delegates enjoyed an enthralling range of themes at the conference
with fellow panel member Yvette Mucharraz, director of the Women in Senior Management Research Centre (CIMAD) at the country’s Ipade Business School. The figure for female representation on company boards in European countries such as France and Norway is around 43 per cent, whereas Meljem pointed out that in Latin America it is much lower, at about just 10 per cent. “We publish info on public institutions,” remarked Mucharraz. “About 11 per cent of representatives on public boards are women and we have found a connection between the diversity of the board and the outcome [ie the success of the organisation].” Mucharraz went on to say that she was proud to be partnering with a group of public and private universities on this topic and that it has evolved into a full-scale initiative, with a book to be published by the end of this year. In monthly sessions, the group analyses available data in an attempt to identify what women require in order to be ready to participate at senior managerial level. Working in silos is “no good” according to the CIMAD director; “we must work together in order to change for the better”. Are business schools doing enough to truly achieve diversity, posited van de Velde? William Sacio, MBA director at University
Ambition | DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024 | 25
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online