I n a world packed with billions of people with different – and conflicting – needs, technology has been a driving force in allowing us to feel ‘individual’. Our lives are tailored, curated and personalised for us. This is evident from the personalised information we receive from search engines, as well as our reading recommendations. Even our television sets know what we want to watch and when. Those handy little suggestions have become commonplace. STRATEGY
80% of these business school leaders believe that their schools are under pressure to change their value proposition and business model. This suggests that the sector may see further changes in the short term as business school models shift to enhance the personalisation of learning offered. To gain insightful quantitative findings, in June this year AMBA & BGA and Salesforce.org brought together a group of decision-makers from schools across Europe to delve deeper into topics highlighted in the report: the purpose of the business school; user experience of business schools; personalisation; online and hybrid learning; microcredentials; and professional lifelong learning. Here are some highlights of this fascinating conversation, which discussed these opportunities and challenges.
Part One: Who is the main customer of a business school?
Jacqueline Bagnall , MBA Programme Director, University of Exeter Business School “There is a tension between the term ‘customer’ and ‘student’ . As a customer, someone may expect more passive engagement with the education that they receive, expecting simply to receive the goods or services that have been purchased. But as a “student”, there is an expectation that the learning comes from active effort and engagement with what is taught. We liken education to a gym membership; you get from it what you are prepared to put in. Learning requires some sweat.” Dan Pearson , Director of Academic Services, Warwick Business School “I think that ‘customer’ and ‘consumer’ represent a bit of a false narrative. In my institution, we see it much more as a partnership. Students are there to progress their own learning and development, but there’s also a process of collaboration; they are also contributing towards the development of their programme and their community.
But arguably, business education is playing catch- up in this hyper-personalised arena. The topics our students learn about, and how they learn about them, are beginning to become more tailored to individual needs and preferences. Regular readers of Ambition will have seen the results of the AMBA & BGA research into transformation and the emerging business model shift in business education, in association with Salesforce.org, which was published in last month’s edition. This report, based on a survey of 144 business school decision-makers, found that 72% of business school leaders believe their institution provides a personalised experience for their students. This trend is only set to advance, with 88% agreeing that personalising the learning experience of their students is something that will grow in importance over the next five years. A staggering
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