SPOTLIGHT ON UDLAP PAPER AT REGIONAL CONFERENCE
SCHOOL Universidad de las Américas Puebla (UDLAP), Mexico
DLAP’s Jorge Luis Alcaraz Vargas has been recognised for research exploring how the presence and
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perception of corruption in different countries impacts Latin American multinationals’ decision-making with regards to regional expansion. Alcaraz, academic director of UDLAP’s Department of International Business Administration, received a Best Paper Award at the recent Academy of International Business Latin America & the Caribbean Conference in Lima, Peru. In the research, Alcaraz found that companies can either view corruption as implying extra investment or as something that can facilitate processes without so much paperwork or capital. The suggestion is that a company’s level of experience often guides whether it believes it can operate in a corrupt environment without much investment, or whether it will eschew a country due to the number of bureaucratic processes involved. The study also demonstrates the significance of political affinity, with good relationships between two countries fostering greater flows of investment and making levels of internal corruption less of a concern. “Companies may interpret the political alignment of countries as providing a sense of stability, even when corruption is high. Conversely, when there is no political alignment, companies will choose to go to countries where the risk and corruption are lower,” commented Alcaraz. CD
AI ASSESSMENT TRAINING INITIATIVE FOR FACULTY RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
and knowledge to promote the responsible and ethical use of AI among their students. The course forms part of a wider NWU initiative to support faculty through technological change and ensure they don’t feel alone in getting to grips with new ways of teaching. Around a third of all staff have already undergone training across resources that include in-person workshops, microcredential badges and “lunch and learn” sessions, in addition to the online course. Reflecting on her work’s recognition by the Digital Education Council, van den Berg said that early results of the initiative indicate a shift towards more meaningful and skills‑based evaluations across university faculties. “Crucially, this work does not frame AI as a threat, but as an opportunity. The focus is on using AI to enhance learning and support thinking, not replace it,” the NWU professor added. EB
SCHOOL North-West University Business School, South Africa
tudent assessment in the age of AI is the subject of an online course recently
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featured in the Digital Education Council Best Practices Collection. Developed for faculty by North- West University (NWU) professor Liandi van den Berg, Winning the Assessment Game is designed to guide academics through the process of redesigning their assessments. It takes a challenge- based learning approach to demonstrate how AI can be used effectively in both preparation and teaching, while offering an AI assessment scale to measure the extent of the technology’s integration. The course also aims to equip faculty with the skills
8 Business Impact • ISSUE 3 • 2026
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