As business education faces a rapidly shifting global landscape, it’s time for institutional leaders to move from legacy thinking to future-facing transformation. At this year’s EFMD Global Conference, one theme is resoundingly clear: business schools must evolve — not incrementally, but systemically.
Below are three imperatives shaping this transformation. They are not just ideas — they’re calls to action.
AI is reshaping industries, institutions, and societies. Business schools must ensure that every faculty member and student, regardless of discipline, develops a working understanding of AI, data ethics, and digital innovation. AI should not be treated as a siloed specialisation but as core literacy for all future leaders.
Business schools should act as innovation labs, embracing continuous experimentation with AI and new technologies to drive transformation across the university. The Business Schools that will continue to attract the most dynamic students and produce the leaders of tomorrow are the ones where faculty, students, and administrators are leading the charge in AI adoption.
Success in the AI era demands more than technical skills. Tomorrow’s business and civic leaders must think broadly, combining tech insight with knowledge from the humanities, psychology, history, and ethics. Universities must actively encourage students to read widely, think critically, and connect ideas across fields.
Dr. Henderson, John and Natty McArthur University Professor at Harvard Business School, outlined the necessary pedagogical shift that Business Schools need to undergo to prepare the leaders of tomorrow to be purpose-driven and inspired to build systems that can serve everyone and the planet. She advocated creating space for “sense-making, not just skills-building.” And outlined the power of cross-disciplinary education. Advocating faculty should teach business students:
📚History to understand systems and oppression
👁️Psychology to understand human behaviour and suffering
🌎Ecology to grasp planetary limits
🏛️Politics to understand institutions and power
To stay relevant, institutions must break down silos and embrace continuous experimentation. This means co-designing with industry, embedding learning at the heart of campus life, and shifting from knowledge “ownership” to ecosystem leadership. The goal is to foster adaptive, mission-driven changemakers who are ready to shape the future.
Leaders must embrace adaptive mindsets - transformation is no longer optional. There are no fixed roadmaps. Instead, leaders must become better at asking the right questions, collaborating deeply, and staying open to new models of impact.
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