Driving Progress Together: Insights From 2024 Americas Regional Deans Discussions
Briefing
- AACSB conducted a listening tour of deans meetings throughout different regions of the Americas.
- Some suggestions from participants included streamlining accreditation, bolstering the perception of business schools, and offering more toolkits and resources.
- The feedback from deans resulted in several key recommendations for AACSB to consider as the organization works to enhance member value.
Business schools are at the forefront of navigating a rapidly evolving world, where shifting workforce demands, the pace of technological change, and calls for accountability are transforming the education environment.
At the same time, public skepticism about the value of higher education and heightened political polarization around sensitive issues are adding new layers of complexity. Amid these challenges, one question stands out: How can business schools adapt, lead, and thrive in this dynamic environment?
Each fall, AACSB connects with deans across the Americas—spanning Canada, the United States, and Latin America—to hear directly from the leaders shaping the future of business education. These gatherings cast light on the priorities and concerns of over 500 deans who are maneuvering this landscape. Their insights reveal not only the hurdles business schools face but also the opportunities to drive innovation and impact.
From calls for streamlined accreditation processes and advocacy for the value of business education to integrating AI and addressing diversity challenges, this briefing explores the recurring themes influencing the industry and outlines how AACSB can empower its members to rise to these challenges and lead with purpose.
AACSB’s Objectives at Americas Regional Deans Meetings
AACSB engaged in a listening tour at deans meetings throughout the Americas to achieve three objectives:
- Refine and improve AACSB’s core services, including accreditation and learning and development opportunities.
- Identify innovative resources to address emerging challenges, such as AI integration and faculty recruitment.
- Strengthen AACSB’s advocacy efforts to enhance the reputation and perceived value of business education globally.
What We Heard From Deans |
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Several overarching themes emerged that highlight common challenges among member institutions as well as opportunities for AACSB to provide additional value: |
| Accreditation and Member Support |
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Accreditation remains a cornerstone of AACSB’s offerings, but members expressed concerns about its complexity and administrative burden. They emphasized the need for peer review teams to apply standards more consistently across teams and suggested that AACSB integrate continuous improvement review findings into its annual data collections to streamline processes. Deans also requested enhanced online resources for accreditation, such as templates and case studies. |
| Value of Business Education and ROI |
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Members highlighted the declining public perception of higher education and its potential ripple effects on the perceived value of business degrees. They stressed the importance of having data-driven campaigns to demonstrate the ROI of business education, including metrics like lifetime earnings and societal contributions. Deans also wanted to see AACSB lead outreach efforts to high school students and counselors, engaging prospective students earlier in their decision-making process. |
| Technological Integration and AI |
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Artificial intelligence was frequently discussed as both a challenge and an opportunity. Members called for centralized resources, such as an AI use case hub and ethical guidelines, to help schools integrate AI effectively into teaching and operations. They also advocated for faculty training on the potential applications of AI. |
| Conference Accessibility and Regionalization |
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Rising costs were cited as a barrier to conference participation, particularly for smaller schools. Deans recommended that AACB offer conferences with lower costs and more experiential, hands-on sessions to enhance engagement and learning. |
| Political and Fundraising Challenges |
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Navigating political sensitivities and building donor relationships emerged as recurring issues. Members requested toolkits to address these challenges, including strategies for stakeholder engagement and case studies on successful fundraising campaigns. |
| Talent Development and Faculty Retention |
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Recruiting and retaining diverse, qualified faculty remains a critical concern. Members proposed that AACSB expand mentorship programs for associate deans to build leadership pipelines and provide workshops on recruiting and retaining non-traditional and diverse faculty. |
| Collective Resources and Purchasing Power |
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Deans suggested that AACSB leverage its network to negotiate bulk purchasing agreements for essential software and tools to reduce costs for member schools. |
Actionable Recommendations for AACSB
Based on the feedback from our listening tour, we’ve put together the following actionable recommendations:
Enhance Core Services |
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AACSB should simplify accreditation processes by integrating school data prepared for peer reviews into AACSB’s annual surveys and providing clear, accessible resources like templates and toolkits. Training for peer review teams can be enhanced to ensure that they all have the same understanding of how to apply standards in their reviews. Learning and development opportunities should include tailored conference tracks for teaching- or research-focused institutions as well as mentorship programs for new and associate deans. |
Create Additional Value |
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To help schools address challenges in polarized environments, AACSB should develop toolkits and advice on navigating political issues. The association should also create a centralized AI resource hub with practical use cases and ethical guidelines, alongside customizable training modules. Platforms that enable collaboration and resource sharing between member schools would further enhance value. |
Expand Advocacy Efforts |
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AACSB should continue campaigns, like Let’s Lead Boldly, that emphasize the societal and economic value of business education, leveraging alumni success stories, innovation examples, and data-driven insights. Strengthening partnerships with organizations like the American Council on Education and engaging in policy advocacy for public funding, streamlined visa processes, and STEM designations for business programs are critical to elevating AACSB’s influence and assisting member schools. |
Exploring Strategic Avenues
The listening tour underscored the importance of addressing member concerns about accreditation complexity, public skepticism, technological adaptation, and political issues. It also highlighted the need for AACSB to lead in advocacy and provide targeted resources to support member schools.
To address these priorities, AACSB will explore the following strategies and initiatives:
- Develop further toolkits that provide talking points to aid in key messaging for various constituencies. Potential topics include the value of a business degree, the value of accreditation, diversity and inclusion, and fundraising.
- Consider conference pricing strategies that increase accessibility to more members as well as offerings with experiential formats that enhance engagement.
- Explore collective purchasing agreements for essential tools and software to lower costs for members.
- Share a follow-up report to track progress and outline future initiatives.
By implementing these steps, AACSB seeks not only to strengthen its support for member institutions but also to position business schools as pivotal leaders in addressing global challenges, driving economic growth, and fostering innovation.
Through collective action and a steadfast commitment to quality, relevance, and impact, AACSB and its members can redefine the value of business education, ensuring its role as a cornerstone of progress in an ever-changing world.
We look forward to next year's regional deans meetings to gain further insights and see how schools are progressing in addressing these challenges and seizing new opportunities for growth and transformation.
In the meantime, make sure to join us at AACSB’s February Deans Conference to learn more about the experiences faced by deans worldwide and gain new ideas for moving business education forward.
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