After nearly 1.5 years of facing unprecedented challenges, the EFMD network has gotten used to doing things differently. The pandemic has accelerated digitalisation and obliged business schools and companies to embrace new ways of learning, teaching and working.

Born out of necessity, some of these innovations have changed our lives for the better and are here to stay. Yet, some of our students, faculty and staff might not be happy if these changes continue permanently. How can we address their needs and get them on board to make sure we are headed in the same direction? One thing is sure, it cannot be “business as usual”.

The EFMD Annual Conference, organised as an online event from 18 to 20 October 2021, will provide a forum to exchange best practices, address current challenges and give us the opportunity to reflect on the opportunities, needs, and challenges that await us in the coming months and years. The programme has been built around three thematic pillars:

Looking ahead and preparing for the new normal

Renowned industry experts like Jacqueline Brassey, Director of Learning & Client Advisor at McKinsey & Company, will share their insights. Dave Snowden, Chief Scientific Officer, Cognitive Edge, will address the topic of the new human skills needed for navigating the new economy.

Competitive landscape

New providers are shaking up the education market and providing bite-sized, on-demand modules that cater to an audience to which traditional programmes might not appeal. Nicola Kleyn, our Conference Chair and Dean of Executive Education at the Rotterdam School of Management, will join forces with Johan Roos, Chief Academic Officer at Hult International Business School to examine the competitive landscape and see what traditional institutions can learn from new, often more agile providers.

Beyond business: skills & mindset

Some of the most pressing issues we need to tackle in this period of change are not linked to business and finance but to our needs as human beings and society. How can we face the increasing demand for mental health support? What can we do to fight discrimination and create a truly diverse learning environment? What is the role of business schools in the fight for social justice, and how can we help shape a better society?

For more information regarding the 2021 EFMD Annual Conference, please check our website. We hope that you will join us in October!