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Deans Conference

Join us in Orlando!
19​ – 21​ October
Orlando, Florida, United States
Conference
Deans Conference
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Leading Across Boundaries

Leading a business school today means managing constant transformation while balancing institutional strategy, faculty culture, financial sustainability, innovation, stakeholder expectations, and long-term relevance in a rapidly changing global environment. Yet few spaces exist where business school deans can speak candidly with peers who truly understand the realities of the role.

The AACSB Deans Conference 2026 is intentionally designed to feel less like a traditional conference and more like a trusted global leadership retreat for business school deans; an opportunity to step away from daily pressures, connect candidly with peers, think differently, and lead across boundaries together. 

This year’s theme, Leading Across Boundaries, reflects the evolving nature of the dean’s role itself, requiring deans to work across disciplines, sectors, stakeholder groups, cultures, technologies, and institutional silos while building more connected, innovative, resilient, and future-focused business schools. 

Deans Conference Orlando 2026 logo

Bringing together nearly 700 leaders from more than 60 countries, the conference creates a trusted environment for open dialogue, meaningful peer exchange, collaborative problem-solving, and strategic reflection. It is a space where deans can move beyond surface-level conversations and engage directly with fellow leaders navigating many of the same opportunities, pressures, and leadership challenges.

Who Should Attend?

This event is exclusively for deans and heads of higher education business units (the highest academic authority or official of the business unit), and AACSB business members in leadership roles. Registration substitutions replacing one individual with another individual for the same event will not be granted for this event.

Connect With Us

For more information, please contact [email protected].

Guest Receptions Package

Bring a guest to the Deans Conference receptions. The price of 75 USD per reception includes either the Welcome Reception on 19 October, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. or the Networking Reception on 20 October, 5:00-6:00 p.m. The price for both receptions will be 150 USD. The price does not include admission to any other Deans Conference sessions. Please note that the receptions are included in the registration fee for regular conference attendees. Do not register yourself if you are already registered for the Deans Conference.

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Sal Khan
Sal Khan
Keynote Speaker
Sal Khan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Khan Academy 

Sal Khan is the founder and chief executive officer of Khan Academy and Vision Steward and board member of TED, two global nonprofits that provide free education to more than 200 million people worldwide. 

What began as tutoring his cousins online has grown into a learning platform serving people in more than 190 countries and 50+ languages. In addition to Khan Academy, Sal founded Schoolhouse.world, Khan Lab School, and Khan World School, advancing innovative approaches to teaching, learning, and peer-to-peer education. 

Sal is the author of The One World Schoolhouse and Brave New Words, co-author of Teaching Students to Use AI Ethically & Responsibly, and author of the forthcoming Job Shock (2027), which examines how AI will transform the future of work, and how societies can build learning systems that help people adapt, learn new skills, and thrive. He has been recognized as one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People and holds three degrees from MIT in math, electrical engineering, computer science, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Event Bundles

Packages of this event and others are available for a discounted price per attendee.

Bundles
2,440 USD/attendee
Save 200 USD
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Strategic Planning Seminar (Orlando)
17​ – 18​ October 2026
2,790 USD/attendee
Save 200 USD
Register
2,440 USD/attendee
Save 200 USD
Register
Pricing (USD)
Business Member Pricing
By 20 September
1,995 USD
On or after 21 September
2,145 USD
Educational Member Pricing
By 20 September
1,695 USD
On or after 21 September
1,845 USD
Educational Non-Member Pricing
By 20 September
1,995 USD
On or after 21 September
2,145 USD

The Deans Conference has added value to both my leadership and my school. We are all having to deal with leadership management and understanding how to really help people innovate and change. Being able to talk to other Deans really enables us to have strategies and approaches that are going to be effective and drive positive differences for our faculty, our staff, and our students.

Frank Buckless, Stephen P. Zelnak Jr. Dean, Poole College of Management, North Carolina State University

The Deans Conference, through all the years I have been a dean, now for almost 12 years, has really been the highlight of the year—meeting all the colleagues, hearing what is happening around the world to get new ideas and to connect.

Hanna-Leena Pesonen, Vice-President, EASAC (European Academies Science Advisory Council); Professor, Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics

One of the ways the Deans Conference helps me as a professional and my leadership to my school is giving me a good context for what is going on, not just locally in my region, but globally: How is business education evolving and what do we need to be doing in our school to make sure we are positioned appropriately.

Ian O. Williamson, Dean, Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine

Attending the AACSB Deans Conference is really important, because that is where you really get to meet strategic decision makers. These are the people who are influencing their institutions’ futures.

Joanne Powell, Head of Advisory Services, QED: The Accreditation Experts