‘The diversity in our campus creates a vibrant atmosphere, and another differentiating factor is the fact that a third of our cohorts come from first- generation college-going families. This makes us proud of the difference we’re making to these students and their families. Alumni truly believe the School has made an impact in their lives. ‘Business Schools have always been focused on careers, so the idea is to build a network that goes from the classroom to the boardroom.’ Cintra explained how Business Schools were becoming more like ‘hubs’ as opposed to institutions. ‘This means we have to rethink our programmes, the way we deliver, and the reason why we deliver them,’ he said. ‘It’s not comfortable to go that way. Usually, we think about how we can do things better, but not “why”. ‘It’s a process, which isn’t easy. But we are repositioning ourselves as a hub, connecting people with companies, with each other. Companies are learning how to teach, and [Schools] are learning how to operate in their sectors.’ Strategy, implementation, and reflection – are the MBA programmes we are designing staying ahead in the business world and tailored to our student’s needs? An MBA has long been considered an internationally recognised passport to a successful management career. Designed to broaden horizons and build on strengths, the MBA considers all the major aspects of business. But, in a world that is constantly disrupted by a barrage of external digital, geopolitical and environment forces – coupled with a complex recruitment market – the MBA is under intense pressure to maintain its position as the world-leading business qualification. This panel, chaired by Wendy Loretto, Professor of Organisational Behaviour, and Dean at the University of Edinburgh Business School, and featuring Maria Jose Amich, Executive Director of the Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova; Céline Davesne, Associate Dean for Programmes and International Affairs at NEOMA Business School; and Paolo Taticchi, Deputy Director of the MBA and Global Engagement, and a Professor of Strategy and Sustainability at UCL School of Management, discussed this perspective on the basis of current evidence, and addressed the role of MBA programmes and Business Schools in meeting the challenges of the future. The session pulled together reflections from the conference, and Loretto started by asking how the MBA had evolved over the past five years. Taticchi explained: ‘We have seen sustainability, analytics, and technology taking prominence in MBA programmes. At times, we’re not fast enough, and I wonder when we will be teaching the metaverse in MBA curricula. We need to teach sustainable marketing, sustainable supply chain, and sustainable finance. We need to do more.’ Responding to Loretto’s question about the learnings taking place in Business Schools, Amich added: ‘It’s a cliché to say that the pandemic accelerated digital disruption – but it’s accurate. A positive was that we learned to collaborate to move forward. The role of Schools in society is also important, and we must continue to integrate [with all our communities].’ ‘We have to be the pioneers not the followers – and to be ahead of the game, we have to review curricula every six months.’ Davesne concluded: ‘As business leaders, we need to help our students, alumni, and communities to shift in terms of innovation, putting them on uncertain ground. It’s interesting to have them start from scratch on emerging challenges. Challenges are a positive because they help us gain resilience, and bounce off them. ‘ Our students need to be provided with the tools and energy to innovate in our period of “shift”.’
NILS STIEGLITZ President and MD, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management
NADINE TOURNOIS Dean, IAE Nice Graduate School of Management
NILANJAN SEN Dean, School of Business, University at Albany
RODRIGO CINTRA Chief International Officer, ESPM
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