VIEW FROM THE TOP
A WEALTH OF OPPORTUNITIES
AMBA & BGA CEO Andrew Main Wilson outlines the exciting possibilities presented by personalised and lifelong learning, as he reflects on the insights he has acquired from recent visits to business schools based in different countries around the world
T wo recurring issues have consistently arisen in my meetings with deans and directors around the world over the past six months. The first is ageing demographics in the JUICE economies of Japan, the US, India, China and the EU. This is already having – or certainly soon will have – a significant impact on the number of potential business school students. Around 33 per cent of the population of Japan is now aged 65 or older. In the US, the equivalent figure is set to grow from 18 to 23 per cent by 2050 and in the EU, it will increase from 20 to 31 per cent during the same timeframe. In India, there will be 200 million more people aged 60 or older by 2050 than there are today, a staggering increase. This highlights the importance of one of BGA’s core values – lifelong learning. There is a huge opportunity for business schools to capitalise on the provision of modules and stackable certificates for alumni aged between 30 and 60. It’s also a chance to generate positive impact, in helping offset the potential societal problems of these significant reductions in student‑age populations. The second issue relates to the concept of personalised learning.
particular. In India, we were able to visit a large number of business schools after hosting a series of capacity-building workshops in the South Asian nation for the second consecutive year. During this time, I found that Indian
AI and big data are now enabling tailor‑made career development, where each student can express their personal goals. Business schools can, therefore, customise learning to fill the skills and knowledge gaps necessary for ambitious managers to climb higher up the career ladder. Here, the opportunity for schools lies in being able to build on the strong and trusted relationships developed with students over the course of a multi-year degree programme. Taking the time to visit business schools on their campuses and meet senior faculty and management is something that is extremely important to AMBA & BGA. I’d like to highlight my observations from two recent trips in “AI and big data are enabling tailor-made career development, where each student can express their personal goals”
business schools are becoming increasingly curious about how international accreditations can
help them be more globally aware. Combining the best of local market perspectives with the highest global learning standards and innovations is an approach now taken by many; it also helps explain why BGA is growing as fast in India as anywhere else in the world. Similarly, meetings with several high-potential BGA schools in Poland, alongside visits to AMBA-accredited schools in Poznan, Torun, Gdansk and Warsaw, highlighted the desire for increased internationalisation at a time of significant competition. This is alongside the challenge of lobbying government to introduce formal quality standards in Poland to which business schools must in future adhere. The insights acquired during these visits further our understanding of local markets and help us advise on a school’s distinct set of challenges and ambitions. They also provide a strong indication of where the principal opportunities ahead lie.
42 Business Impact • ISSUE 2 • 2024
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