AACSB’s Deans Conference: Wittenborg Gains Valuable Insights into the Industry

20.03.2024

Institution Represented in Barcelona by Head of School of Business Rauf Abdul

To foster meaningful connections, forge new partnerships and keep abreast of the latest industry trends, Wittenborg Head of the School of Business Rauf Abdul attended AACSB’s Deans Conference from 20 to 22 February.

Held at the Centre Convencions Internacional Barcelona (CCIB) in Barcelona, Spain, the event featured various networking sessions, open discussions, keynote speeches and workshops, among other activities. The themes addressed included the challenges faced by deans, entrepreneurship and innovation, how to build a college brand, digital transformation and the impact of AI on education. The conference was also attended by AACSB's vice president for Europe, Middle East and Africa Ron Tuninga, who was formerly Wittenborg's vice president of Academic Affairs.

Abdul highlighted that the events were fruitful and inspiring, having centred on topics that are up to date and relevant to the industry. “The second keynote on ‘Leading a Business School in the Era of AI’ sparked a thought-provoking discussion. Participants reflected on the importance of embracing AI with a people-centric vision. One of the key challenges discussed was how higher education institutions and businesses can create value through generative AI technologies while being mindful of the ethical implications, particularly potential biases in data or algorithms.”

The Head of the School of Business commented that he actively participated in the discussions held during the events, including the debate conducted during the session ‘The Inclusive Business School’. This activity focused on how schools are overcoming challenges related to inclusion and access.

“Wittenborg is a great example of inclusivity in line with our three key values as well as our mission and vision. It was good to share how we built this at our school and how we are shaping the way for delivering top-quality higher education in a truly international environment.”

Additionally, Abdul points out that the Q&A session for institutions that are going through the AACSB accreditation process was really insightful. “This was a valuable session to learn and reflect on how we at Wittenborg are progressing on our journey for AACSB accreditation. It reassured us that we are on the right track and doing well to fulfil all requirements.”

According to him, the overall event was highly beneficial and valuable for Wittenborg, providing opportunities for networking with other academic institutions, sharing best practices and learning about the latest developments in the field of business education. “We have gained valuable insights into the AACSB accreditation process and the expectations of the accreditation committee. This knowledge will be invaluable as we continue to work towards achieving AACSB accreditation for Wittenborg,” he concluded.