Prof. Metka Tekavčič, former Dean of the School of Economics and Business at the University of Ljubljana is a distinguished academic leader with extensive expertise in cost and performance management, sustainability, and forensic accounting.

As a passionate advocate for collaboration and knowledge exchange, she continues to shape business education across the CEE region through her teaching, research, and leadership roles in prominent international academic bodies. We recently spoke with her about business education, the concept of impact, and the role of BSIS in driving meaningful change.

Can you please introduce yourself and share your background in the realm of business education?

My entire career has been devoted to higher education, particularly its role in and impact on society. I studied during the socialist era, when there were no true business schools in the former Yugoslavia. Fortunately, the landscape was changing by the time I graduated, and I began my career at the University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business (UL SEB).

During my studies abroad, my perspective on education and business broadened significantly, shaping my dedication to higher education. As Vice-Dean and later Dean, I focused on improving education quality and extending the school’s impact across the CEE region.

I would like to highlight several moments in my career that have been particularly significant to me. During my tenure as Vice-Dean, I had the privilege of meeting Margaret Linehan from the Cork Institute of Technology. Her book, Senior Female International Managers: Why So Few? was a profound source of inspiration. At UL SEB, we decided to translate the book into Slovenian, and around the same time, we established a women’s session within the Slovenian Management Organization, which was a notable achievement during that period.

I am especially proud to have received the Artemida Award for Women’s Excellence in Management in 2014. Furthermore, I take great pride in the success of several of my PhD graduates, who have excelled not only in Slovenia but also on a global scale. Among them, Andreja Kodrin completed her thesis under the co-mentorship of Professor Kaplan from Harvard, marking a significant breakthrough in our research endeavours.

My experiences in advisory roles and politics further shaped my career, emphasising the importance of collaboration. As a school, we are represented by our people and are responsible for our institution and its reputation.

Could you tell us about your school’s decision to undertake the BSIS assessment?

Initially, we had little understanding of accreditations and their importance. Learning about a Polish school that achieved triple accreditation introduced us to AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA, BSIS and other such accreditations and certificates of excellence which inspired us to aim for similar excellence.

Our first attempt at EQUIS accreditation was unsuccessful due to limited English courses, but we persevered. Today, we are a triple-accredited institution and were the first in the South Eastern Europe region to achieve this in 2016. We continue to strive for leadership in the region.

After I became Dean, we began exploring the BSIS label. Initially, it did not seem essential for the school, but after careful consideration, we decided to pursue it. In 2018, we simultaneously undertook two significant processes with EFMD Global the EQUIS re-accreditation and the BSIS assessment.

As a pilot project, this was both a bold and challenging step forward in our accreditation journey. I can confidently say that BSIS broadened our horizons, particularly regarding the positive impact and influence the school has on society, not only in Slovenia but globally as well.

How has your school benefited from engaging with the BSIS framework and assessment?

The BSIS framework significantly expanded our perspectives, especially regarding the importance of relationships with all stakeholders in our ecosystem and their impact on society.

Following this realisation, we began strengthening our relationships with other schools in the region, further enhancing international cooperation and increasing the exchange of knowledge between universities and businesses. With this in mind, I encourage every school to adopt the BSIS framework—not everyone can do everything, but each of us can contribute something. Together, we can form a very strong community of business schools.

A crucial part of the BSIS process was the expert visit, during which key stakeholders joined discussions to identify the school’s societal impact. Although the impact was evident, we initially struggled to articulate it effectively—we needed to find the right language to describe it. BSIS played a vital role in helping us achieve this.

Our influential Centre of Business Excellence (CBE) also benefited, as we reviewed key dimensions of BSIS during the preparation for the visit. The CBE provides us with valuable insights on our client’s needs and helps us understand our broader impact.

Can you tell us about a collaboration or partnership that has been particularly successful in advancing your goals of societal development?

I believe in sharing knowledge, attentively listening to the needs of businesses, and
co-developing sustainable models. Concepts such as ethics, integrity, and sustainability should not be mere buzzwords to be used for high citation indexes; but they are principles we should embody.

Reflecting on my earlier comments, this is why re-humanisation is so important—it will fundamentally transform the way we transfer knowledge. In the past, a professor’s role involved preparing engaging slides, presentations, and videos.

Today, technology has simplified these tasks, but what is truly needed now is to involve our students in the thinking process. I often raise these topics during seminars and am inspired by the stories people share, which I pass on to my students. This knowledge exchange prepares them to be responsible citizens. effective workers, and good managers.

We debated whether to compare ourselves to institutions like Harvard and other leading global schools but concluded that our primary responsibility is to our region. Therefore, we focused on strengthening relationships within Central and Eastern Europe and helping other schools in the region to improve their quality.

As an expert in business education, what do you believe are the most pressing issues facing society today, and how are you addressing them through your work?

We are living in an era of digitalisation and rapid change. Reflecting on the 2022 steering committee for the preparation of the 2023 EFMD Deans Conference, I recall that although we discussed various topics, Artificial Intelligence was not among them. However, by the time of the conference, ChatGPT had emerged as a prominent topic that could not be overlooked.

I was quite surprised to learn that some institutions were considering banning the use of ChatGPT. In contrast, I firmly believe that, much like the early days of the Internet, we should focus on learning to use such technologies correctly and harnessing the benefits they offer.

One aspect, however, concerns me: the symbiosis between digitalisation and the human mind. As beings with feelings and emotions, we still require interpersonal communication. Engaging in discussions and challenging our intellects are essential. Occasionally, I hear debates about whether we need de-digitalisation. I don’t believe this is the answer. Instead, what we truly need is what I call “re-humanisation”—to enhance human interactions and rekindle our connections with one another.

Finally, how do you envision the future of societal development and the role professionals can play in shaping it, in line with BSIS values?

I support BSIS because it has expanded our horizons and increased our awareness of how to make positive impact not only on our immediate community, state, and region but, in some cases, even on a global scale. This includes areas like sports, where we proudly support athletes through specialised programmes like our master’s in Sports Management and virtual classes for athletes.

In fact, UL SEB was among the first higher education institutions in Slovenia to receive the “Athlete Friendly Education” certificate from the Olympic Committee of Slovenia in 2019, recognising our commitment to promoting dual careers for athletes. On that note, the first gold medal won by Slovenia at this year’s Olympic Games was secured by one of our alumni, and we are proud to have many more outstanding athletes representing us.

Regarding our school’s impact, we believe it can be significantly enhanced through interdisciplinarity. As part of the University of Ljubljana, comprising 23 faculties, three arts academies, and three associated members, we promote arts and culture integration. For instance, a decade ago, we launched our first summer school in Management in Culture, and during various celebrations at the school, we consistently invite students from our art academies to participate.

I would also like to highlight the specific role our school plays in the preservation of the Slovenian language. We often face criticism for teaching in English, given that Slovenia is a small country with a population of just two million. While we take great pride in our heritage and culture, we recognise that it is unrealistic to expect international students to come here and learn Slovenian, which is a beautiful but complex language.

Therefore, we have always maintained that to merit teaching in English, we must also excel in Slovenian. We are committed to supporting the Slovenian language and culture. I firmly believe that by attracting international students who study in English but engage closely with our heritage, culture, and customs, we can foster strong connections. These students are likely to return, potentially forming the basis for future business relationships. This, in turn, could boost our GDP and create more opportunities for investment in culture and the arts.

About BSIS

The Business School Impact System (BSIS) is the first comprehensive impact assessment tool for business schools, covering more than 130 indicators across seven dimensions of impact. It provides a tailor-made data collection system for monitoring, assessing, and developing the impact of business schools.

The BSIS process involves the definition of the impact zone and institutional scope, data collection, impact assessment, and the report with recommendations for future development. Demonstrating the school’s impact on internal and external stakeholders, the system serves as a communication and negotiation tool externally and fosters an impact culture within the school. Schools that undergo BSIS are awarded the BSIS label for a three-year period.

• There are currently more than 90 schools across 25 countries that have received the BSIS label.
• To learn more about the impact assessment system, please visit the BSIS website or contact Julie Comte.

What is it like for schools to undergo the BSIS process? Discover the compelling journey of Blanka Cimcioch, International Accreditations Coordinator at Poznań University of Economics and Business, as she shares her insights on navigating the BSIS process, highlighting the challenges, seizing the opportunities, and reaping the rewarding results it has yielded. Read more.

For additional insights, announcements and perspectives about BSIS in Business Education, visit the conversation here.

For additional insights, announcements and perspectives about other aspects of Business Education, visit the conversation here.