For International Women’s Day 2025, we asked senior women in business education what their advice would be for others looking to succeed in their careers. 

From finding work that you love to being kind to others, there are messages that everyone should take to heart. Getting a lot of advice and being open to what you hear is exactly what ESSEC Business School’s Associate Dean of Research, Ha Hoang, suggests, so here are some valuable insights from women in leadership roles in business education today…

“Follow what you love, what makes you vibrate, what gives you energy,” says Vanessa Balouzet, Chief Growth Officer at EHL Hospitality Business School.

Seeing passion and adaptability displayed by students and researchers personally motivated Nikita Chiu, who is not only an Associate Professor in Space Innovation and Technology Governance but is also the Founder and Director of CN2I (Collaborative Network for Inclusive Innovation for Critical Operations) at Durham University Business School. It gave her drive to further her work on inclusive innovation. 

After all, life is more than a career states Professor Désirée van Gorp from Nyenrode Business University. “Be on a continuous learning curve,” she says.

“The key to a successful career is not just focusing on short-term benefits but being open to opportunities and taking on new tasks, even voluntarily. Engaging in projects where we collaborate with different people and fields allows us to gain new knowledge and meet many people, which can be crucial for future career opportunities. Commitment, collaboration, and continuous learning always pay off in the long run,” shares Dr Katalin Ásványi, Dean for Sustainability, Associate Professor and Head of the Sustainability Management and Environmental Economics Department at Corvinus University of Budapest. 

We’re reminded about the long-term impact we can have by Sam Giove, Director of Sheffield Business School at Sheffield Hallam University. “Don’t underestimate the power you have in your hands to impact the advancement of others: students, businesses and society,” she says. “You’ll need to demonstrate this impact to progress.”

Stay curious is a brilliant piece of advice from Kathy Harvey, Associate Dean of Global Networks and Innovation at Saïd Business School, Oxford University. 

Antonella Moretto, the Associate Dean for Open Programmes and an Associate Professor at the POLIMI Graduate School of Management, speaks about the importance of dedication and determination. It’s a sentiment shared by Katty Hsu, Co-founder & Managing Director of the SHELEADS+ Global Foundation at Erasmus University Rotterdam, she says: “Work hard but know your boundaries. Success doesn’t come from luck. Privilege definitely helps people go further with less, but ultimately it’s up to discipline and showing up for yourself every day.”

“Take on new challenges even if you feel only 51% ready,” agrees Katell Le Goulven, Executive Director of the Hoffmann Institute at INSEAD. 

Anastasia Kynighou is an Associate Professor in Human Resource Management at Manchester Metropolitan University Business School where she is also currently the MBA director and the Academic Coordinator for the Global Online Programmes. She says: “if sometimes you are dealt with a bad hand of cards, just seize the opportunity and make the best of it. You never know what doors it will open.”

“Build your resilience,” is precisely what Heather Mack, Imperial College Business School’s Director of Strategy and Operations for the Innovation, Digital Education and Analytics (IDEA) Lab, advises too.

In fact, “resilience and adaptability matter just as much as skills and expertise,” says Federica Pazzaglia, Professor of Management, Associate Dean of UCD College of Business and Director of UCD Michael Smurfit School Graduate Business School. “Every career will have setbacks, unexpected turns, and moments of doubt. These are learning experiences, not roadblocks. The ability to navigate uncertainty with confidence and curiosity will not only help you succeed but will also make the journey more fulfilling.”

And we’ll end with a piece of advice from Nalisha Patel, Regional Director, Americas and Europe, at GMAC, which really resonated with me; “Success is personal, but for me, it has come from building meaningful connections rather than transactional relationships. People respond to authenticity—so be yourself, engage genuinely, and remember that everyone, no matter their title, is human.”

For additional insights, announcements and perspectives on Business School Leadership, visit the conversation here.