EFMD Global officially launches the Centre for Human and Emotional Leadership, established in honour of the visionary management leader Gerard ‘Ray’ van Schaik.

The Centre represents a strategic initiative that brings together complementary projects to strengthen the connection between academic insight, leadership practice, and societal impact across the global management education community.

The Centre for Human and Emotional Leadership is structured around three core components that collectively reflect EFMD’s commitment to quality, relevance, and impact.

The first strand is the Research Impact Series, developed in collaboration with the Financial Times. The series focuses on translating high-quality academic research into accessible, actionable insights for decision-makers and practitioners. Through a dedicated programme of articles and media content hosted on FT.com, the initiative showcases contemporary thinking from business schools and enhances the visibility, relevance, and practical value of academic research within and beyond the EFMD network. The first burst of content will be released in June 2026.

The second pillar is the Global Guide on Management Education. Designed with contributions and insights from business school leaders, the guide offers a country and region-based perspective on management education. It examines environmental, structural, and developmental dimensions of the field, providing a comparative framework that supports informed dialogue and mutual understanding among institutions and stakeholders. The guide will initially cover the areas most represented within the EFMD network, with additional countries added progressively over time.

The third area comprises the China Europe Human Leadership Case Prize and the Diversity, Responsibility and Sustainability Case Prize. These annual awards recognise excellence in case writing that exemplifies human and emotional leadership, cross-cultural understanding, and responsible management practice. Together, they highlight teaching materials that address contemporary leadership challenges and advance management education.

EFMD appreciates the role of China Europe International Business School as the Centre for Human and Emotional Leadership’s main supporter. CEIBS’ early and ongoing engagement has been instrumental in advancing the initiative and reinforcing a shared commitment to human-centred leadership and international cooperation.

EFMD also recognises the valuable contributions of other sponsoring institutions, including Bologna Business School, IE Business School, ESCP Business School, Kozminski University and SKEMA Business School. Their engagement reflects a collective effort to strengthen leadership education that is rigorous, responsible, and responsive to global challenges.

Commenting on the launch, Eric Cornuel, President of EFMD Global, stated:

“Through the Centre for Human and Emotional Leadership, EFMD is building a platform for collaboration across regions and institutions, promoting research with societal relevance, and contributing to the ongoing evolution of management education. In doing so, we honour the legacy of Gerard ‘Ray’ van Schaik, a deeply respected leader whose work was grounded in integrity, international dialogue, and a belief in the human dimension of management. We invite our members and partners to engage with these initiatives and to contribute to a shared vision of leadership rooted in human values and professional excellence.”

If you would like to learn more about the project and how to get involved, please visit our website.