as a critical reflection on the pro-social mindset needed to develop healthy and safe communities, environments and economies in the category of values thinking. The key competencies are then further divided into 34 subject-level areas. Each of these has learning objectives that are defined at four levels of engagement: namely, fundamental, analytical, strategic and innovative, using the curriculum development model known as Bloom’s Taxonomy. Faculty members use the levels as a guide to ensure there is a sufficient degree of alignment between the content and the level of student learning required by the programme. The 17 SDGs are made visible to students through the content and assessment tools used in each course. For example, leadership courses often incorporate content about gender equality (SDG 5), product design courses may consider the principles of circularity (SDG 12) and courses on human resource development might explore elements that make up decent working conditions (SDG 8). “The SDG Inside initiative has been developed for teaching faculty, by teaching faculty”, noted Baldy, “it therefore follows a bottom-up design approach, inviting colleagues to become critically aware of the values embedded in the courses they teach and to support and challenge each other to do better.” Deconstructing the leaders of tomorrow Peter Konhäusner, professor of digital entrepreneurship at Gisma University of Applied Sciences, pointed out that tomorrow’s managers are today’s students. They, therefore, need the right skills and mindset to make use of the tremendous variety of options in the world of the future by learning how to navigate the current digital divide. “What do the leaders of tomorrow expect?” asked Konhäusner, going on to answer his own question by suggesting that some of the main elements are a good work/life balance; international and diverse possibilities; a multi-perspective approach; entertainment and easy access when it comes to education; flexible timing; and future-proof skills. Next up, the Gisma professor asked what we should expect of our future leaders; some of those qualities may include problem-solving skills and empathy; ‘know‑how’ instead of ‘know-what’; a strategic point of view; commitment and engagement; resilience; thinking outside of the box; and the ability to ask the right questions. The speaker then looked at the latest tech in the classroom, referencing the concept of the ‘biztech university’ and touching on the use of sensors, drones, robots and AI. In this new era schools need to implement out-of-the-box thinking when it comes to assessing
Christine Baldy Ngayo from Emlyon Business School explored how to integrate SDGs into executive education
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Lightcast Elena Magrini, head of global research at Lightcast, explained that the company’s insights are based on official statistics, enhanced by big data from online job postings and workers’ profiles. According to Magrini, analysing the job postings enables the company to draw up actionable insights into real world demand for skills directly from employers. The practical applications of this for business school programme management involve answering questions such as which courses to invest in; how to align provision to business needs; how market trends such as AI are going to change the skill requirements of different occupations; and how to show the impact of a specific institution, as well as how to attract more students. The Lightcast executive noted that businesses are facing significant talent challenges, but they tend to articulate them in terms of skills rather than qualifications, so the company is looking at a way to bridge
this gap. This opens the way to skills-based education, something that helps providers become far more agile and responsive, incorporating in-demand skills into their portfolio planning and course design. Magrini then referred to the DACH Skills Transformation Index, an overview of in-demand skills that identifies which higher education courses are most affected by changes in the labour market, as well as informing curriculum development by understanding current skills requirements. AI is the most sought after, with job titles including engineers, architects and scientists, as well as a notable growth in positions such as content and curriculum writers. “In summary,” said Magrini, “career areas can be defined in terms of skills, as can courses; alignment can be measured, tracked and reviewed, plus transferable skills can be evidenced and prioritised and skill combinations can aid innovation in curriculum development.”
Elena Magrini explained how Lightcast can help schools adapt their curricula to meet evolving business requirements
future leaders; as well as papers and written exams, they should consider the use of posters, podcasts, games, generative AI texts and images, as well as presentations. Konhäusner then pondered the question of how to unleash the entrepreneur of tomorrow, suggesting that this might be done via case studies, transfer visits, study exchanges and internships, a ‘learning-by-doing’ approach, career labs, a ‘skills sprint’ week and spin‑off development. Schools need to change their mindset, he noted, and be prepared to take more risks. One of the key takeaways of the presentation
revolved around the need for universities to become impact hubs and how trends
Peter Konhäusner from Gisma University of Applied Sciences pondered how to unleash the entrepreneur of tomorrow
24 | Ambition | SEPTEMBER 2024
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