Deans Conference

Join us for a session designed specifically for new deans and first-time conference attendees. This welcome session provides an excellent opportunity to network with peers, meet AACSB leadership, and connect with fellow attendees. Gain valuable insights on how to navigate the conference, maximize your experience, and build meaningful relationships that will support your professional journey. Don't miss this chance to start your conference with a strong foundation and a network of supportive colleagues.

More details coming soon.

More details coming soon.

This session will be designed for those planning for a Continuous Improvement Review visit. Experienced Peer Review Team members will discuss visit preparation and planning, visit execution, and what to do when the unexpected happens.

If you have an upcoming Initial Accreditation visit or are considering accreditation, this session is for you! We invite you to bring questions related to the initial accreditation process as we discuss what is expected and how to thoroughly prepare.

Across the globe, universities are under mounting pressure. In an era of political division, funding volatility, and growing ideological scrutiny, their role is being questioned like never before. Yet even amid these challenges, universities remain vital engines of innovation, democratic resilience, economic opportunity, and societal cohesion. This session brings together voices from business and government to explore how universities are adapting, and why their role matters more than ever. How do different models of higher contribute uniquely to their societies? Why is defending diverse thought and free inquiry more urgent than ever? And where do business schools fit in this broader ecosystem, as they prepare leaders to navigate technological, geopolitical, and ethical complexity? Join a discussion that challenges us to rethink how universities, and business schools in particular, can remain resilient, relevant, and trusted in a fractured world.

Relax and enjoy the company of your colleagues. This reception is the perfect opportunity to unwind and continue the day’s discussions in a more informal setting.

Start the day by reconnecting with your peers over breakfast.

Join conversations based on your geographic area or connect with colleagues from institutions similar to yours — large or small, public or private, research-intensive or teaching-focused, urban or rural. Exchange best practices, explore common challenges, and build valuable connections in an informal setting.

SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor addresses the shifts transforming the world of work: AI-driven job displacement, urgent reskilling demands, changing workforce demographics, and growing incivility in professional spaces. Taylor calls for a bold shift in mindset: to move beyond reactive approaches and embrace their role as architects of a more inclusive, resilient, and future-ready workforce. He challenges educators to harness the full potential of both human and technological intelligence, empower talent across generations, and foster cultures grounded in empathy, adaptability, and mutual respect.

AACSB’s Board of Directors has recommended changes in its governance to ensure its structure remains responsive, aligned with the needs of its global membership, and future-focused.  As a result of the comprehensive governance review project, the membership will be asked to vote on proposed revisions to the AACSB Bylaws. Your vote will be instrumental as we shape the future governance and strategic direction of AACSB.

As AACSB prepares for the 2026 refresh of its business and accounting accreditation standards, it has launched a global listening tour to gather members’ feedback and understand current priorities. This interactive panel features key leaders from the Standards Task Force and policy committees who will share emerging themes and stakeholder insights from around the world. The conversation will explore evolving expectations around rigor, relevance, innovation, and societal impact. Attendees will gain early visibility into potential refinements and have a chance to engage directly in shaping the next phase of AACSB’s accreditation standards.

Drawing from the first-ever National Business School Indigenous Engagement Survey in Canada, this session will spotlight innovative practices from across the country. Each speaker will deliver a mini TED Talk–style presentation highlighting examples of curriculum design, research initiatives, community partnerships, student and faculty support, and reconciliation strategies. Walk away with actionable insights, models, and tools to integrate Indigenous knowledge into your school’s mission and contribute to inclusive, future-focused innovation.

Global mobility is being reshaped by geopolitical shifts, economic pressures, and evolving learner expectations - yet it remains central to the identity and impact of business schools. In this session, deans will explore fresh empirical data on student and faculty mobility across key regions. We’ll examine how institutions are navigating disrupted pathways, and what these shifts mean for recruitment, retention, and long-term planning. The discussion will also highlight faculty hiring trends and mobility patterns, offering practical insights into how schools can lead through uncertainty, cross borders, physically and digitally, and design globally connected futures.

Many business school leaders agree: the MBA, once the crown jewel of graduate business education, is increasingly misaligned with market demands, learner preferences, and institutional priorities. And yet, despite its declining appeal, schools hesitate to eliminate or radically transform their MBA programs, fearing that doing so could undermine their legitimacy as a business school. This session tackles that core tension head-on. Hear from deans who have chosen different paths: some have retired the MBA, others have reimagined it, and many are exploring bold new models. Speakers will explore what defines credibility in business education and whether the MBA should remain central to the school’s identity.

As reliance on tuition becomes increasingly unsustainable, business schools must urgently explore new sources of revenue. This session offers a data-informed look at emerging revenue models that are delivering strong returns across the industry. Participants will gain insights into the urgency of diversification, learn which strategies are proving most effective, and explore frameworks for quickly launching initiatives with minimal risk. The conversation features deans from California-based institutions - leaders navigating one of the most challenging financial and regulatory environments in the U.S. - who will share how they’ve built resilient, non-tuition revenue streams to secure their schools’ long-term sustainability.

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) transforms how we generate knowledge and take action, it holds immense potential for advancing circular economy and sustainability goals. This session explores how business schools can build credible impact cases, especially in the context of (re)accreditation, by applying AI to challenges like climate change, net zero, and carbon neutrality. The session invites attendees to co-create innovative approaches that integrate AI into teaching, research, and institutional strategy. Join us to explore how AI can become a catalyst for scalable, measurable impact in sustainability initiatives.

As global markets shift, business schools must prepare for a future where relevance depends on engaging with rising economies beyond traditional powerhouses. By 2030, countries like Nigeria, Brazil, the UAE, and Kenya are poised to play a central role in reshaping global commerce, supply chains, and innovation. This session explores how business schools can adapt - rethinking curriculum, faculty recruitment, student experiences, and international partnerships to align with tomorrow’s high-growth markets. Join us to examine how to equip graduates for success in emerging economies and ensure your institution remains competitive in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

What do businesses really need from today’s graduates, and are business schools delivering? This dynamic panel brings together business leaders to share their perspectives on how well business schools are preparing students for the realities of today’s and tomorrow’s workforce. Panelists will debate key gaps, evolving skill demands, and the role of deans in aligning education with workforce needs. This session invites deans to rethink assumptions and engage directly with the expectations of the employers their graduates will serve.

As AI transforms the global economy and education, business schools face urgent pressure to adapt. This panel of deans shares practical insights into integrating AI across research, teaching, operations, and strategy. They’ll discuss successes, setbacks, and the evolving role of business schools in preparing AI-literate leaders. Topics include faculty development, ethical responsibilities, innovation partnerships, and institutional change. Join this candid conversation to explore how schools are moving from hype to real-world action, and what it means for the future of business education.

Cap off the day with a relaxed networking reception. Continue your conversations in a casual environment, solidifying connections made during the day.

Begin the final day with networking over breakfast. Reflect on the insights gained and prepare for the final sessions.

Business schools are overdue for reinvention. Drawing on his latest book, Business School and the Noble Purpose of the Market, Professor Andrew Hoffman offers a constructive critique of business schools today, and offers actionable strategies for amending curriculum and pedagogy, changing student and faculty rewards, and bringing a new spirit and sensibility to the business school. This session will equip deans with tools to lead the shift. Following his presentation, Professor Hoffman will engage in a conversation with AACSB’s Chief Thought Leadership Officer, Eileen McAuliffe, to further explore these ideas and discuss their practical implications for business schools.

Fundraising has become a core expectation for business school deans, yet many step into the role with little formal preparation for this high-stakes responsibility. This interactive session equips deans with practical tools to build effective development partnerships. Participants will explore data-driven strategies for donor engagement, gain insights into prospect cultivation and moves management, and practice real-world scenarios to build confidence and fluency in advancement conversations. Whether you're new to fundraising or looking to strengthen existing efforts, this session offers a strategic framework to help deans lead with clarity, credibility, and impact in today’s giving landscape.

As higher education faces increased scrutiny, business schools are highlighting the transformative social and economic impact they generate. AACSB’s "three-legged stool" model encourages schools to capture impact through curriculum, scholarship, and engagement. Yet, many schools are also achieving remarkable results through academic units and centers of excellence - powerful engines of community transformation. This session presents a complementary framework to help surface and communicate the full breadth of these contributions. Hear from three academic leaders who are driving innovative initiatives that promote social mobility, strengthen communities, and advance the value of business education.

As global tensions rise and political dynamics shift, international partnerships in higher education face new complexities. This session explores what business school deans must consider when evaluating or pursuing cross-border collaborations in today’s geopolitical climate. Through real-world examples of partnerships, panelists will highlight emerging risks, due diligence strategies, and ways to align global engagement with institutional mission and values. Participants will gain insights into navigating regulatory uncertainty, safeguarding academic integrity, and fostering resilient alliances that support long-term impact, even amid global disruption.

In an age defined by digital disruption and relentless change, how can schools remain not just relevant, but resurgent? Join Julian Birkinshaw, Dean of Ivey Business School, and author of Resurgent: How Established Companies Can Fight Back and Thrive in an Age of Digital Transformation (July 2025), for a conversation on the strategic shifts required to unlock innovation within established organizations. Drawing on real-world examples from his new book and his own experience as a business school Dean, Birkinshaw will explore why inertia and rigidity persist, and how leaders can foster a culture of experimentation and resilience. This session will connect directly to the work of deans leading through legacy challenges, providing both insight and inspiration for driving innovation in business education. Birkinshaw will examine lessons from resurgent companies that adapted and thrived, while drawing clear parallels between leading a business and leading a business school in a digital-first world.

The conference Chair will wrap up the event by reflecting on the key themes and takeaways.