Transforming Business Education & Pedagogy

Business education and its modes of delivery, methodology, and expectations is experiencing transformational changes in recent years. The issue has been compounded by the emergence of two phenomena. First, digital transformation and the proliferation of technological platforms has democratized education making a plethora of online courses available that can be accessed and afforded by the masses (MOOCs). Second, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly disrupted the education sector overall and has mandated the shift to and utilization of online teaching platforms worldwide.

The effects and outcomes of these changes have been significant on:

• both learning and teaching methods;
• on student experience, engagement, and retention;
• curriculum development and ensuring quality;
• the value proposition of existing models of business education;
• courses and programs that are practical and “hands-on”;
• building collegiality and community amongst stakeholders;
• cross cultural exchange; ensuring inclusivity and diversity.

As we emerge from this pandemic, many of the disruptions and practices implemented to adapt to the changing realities will become mainstream. However, most online courses face shortcomings as they adhere to recreate the traditional classroom dynamics or a face-to-face approach, where the student is the mere recipient of knowledge and information. For online business education to be truly innovative and transformational, an evolutionary approach to online teaching and learning is required, and not the mere adaptation and recreation of existing models to new realities.

The enquiry into the future of teaching and pedagogy in higher education has witnessed a renewal in current times. Now more than ever, there is a greater need to assess and revisit how teaching in higher education and particularly, business education, will evolve in this current context. The objectives of this research lab will be to study and to create a platform for engagement amongst scholars, researchers and stakeholders in business education to bring focus to the shifting dynamics in how business education programs are envisioned and taught.

The outcomes of this research lab, through its various projects, will seek to not only demonstrate a pragmatic evolution and paradigm shift from the current modus operandi, but will also delve deep into how to leverage digitalization to create a transformational approach in business education.