Invited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA), SEM Vice Dean Wang Delu and Dean's Assistant Wang Bangjun, attended the 2024 AMBA & BGA Latin American Conference held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from September 25 to September 30, 2024.
The conference consisted of 12 sub-forums and hosted notable guests such as Andrew Main Wilson, CEO of AMBA & BGA, and George Iliev, AMBA & BGA Director of Strategic Projects and Innovation, and Certification Director. Attendees included deans, vice deans, and scholars from prestigious universities and business schools worldwide, including Jilin University, Suzhou University, Central University of Finance and Economics, and South China Normal University from China, as well as institutions from Brazil, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, the United States, the UK, Australia, and more.
The 3-day conference discussed key topics related to MBA education, including the latest changes in MBA programs, digital transformation in business education driven by AI, responsible management education, sustainable development, and BGA’s exploration of unique values in business schools. Specific focus was also placed on China-Latin America cooperation and AMBA & BGA certification updates. Discussions explored critical issues affecting the future of business schools, including sustainability, climate change, and best practices for embedding a school’s mission and strategic values into societal impacts.
Through participation in this conference, we gained insights into advanced concepts and accreditation standards used in Latin American business schools, which will greatly contribute to the international certification and exchange efforts underway at SEM.
Main Outcomes of the Visit
1. Networking with Latin American Business Schools:
Engaged in discussions with deans, vice deans, directors of international affairs, and heads of MBA centers from Latin American institutions. We explored how business schools can adapt to challenges, including those brought by technological changes, in a rapidly evolving educational landscape.
2. Mission and Strategic Integration:
Learned how business schools in Latin America incorporate their mission and strategy to increase their societal impact and contribution through concrete practices.
3. Roundtable Discussions:
Engaged in roundtable exchanges with deans from Brazilian public management schools, FIA Business School, and São Paulo School of Business Administration. We established initial contacts for potential collaboration on faculty and student exchanges, joint research projects, and other international cooperation opportunities.
4. Seeking International Development Opportunities:
Explored how to leverage platforms like Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to foster academic exchanges and promote international development.
Key Takeaways and Insights
Over the course of the three-day event, we learned from global case studies and discussions on the growing competitive landscape in business education. Notable insights included:
The rapid rise of online courses by top international schools, which intensifies global competition in education.
How business schools can adapt to the evolving educational environment, particularly by introducing sustainable development practices such as green, low-carbon initiatives, and designing curriculum modules around these values to create an inclusive and effective learning environment.
The importance of aligning MBA programs with student needs to attract high-quality applicants.
Through attending this event, we recognized that international accreditation is an ongoing process that needs to stay up-to-date. We must continue engaging with experts, deans, and business schools worldwide to explore collaboration opportunities, promote the completion of the School's international accreditation, enhance faculty research capabilities, improve curriculum design, and increase the internationalization of the School’s offerings. Ultimately, we aim to fulfill our vision of becoming a national top-notch and globally renowned school of economics and management.
Written by: Cao Jing
Photography by: Wang Bangjun
Reviewed by: Wang Bangjun
