16. Inside India’s Business Education Evolution

From India’s growing ambitions to the changing role of business schools, explore how management education can innovate while staying true to its purpose. In this episode, host Eileen McAuliffe, AACSB’s executive vice president of EMEA and chief thought leadership officer, talks to Varun Nagaraj, dean at the S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, about India’s distinctive business education landscape. They discuss the factors changing business education priorities both nationally and globally, and how business school leaders can respond:   What makes the Indian business school landscape different from what we see in other major markets?  What have you learned about how organizations can innovate in ways that create not only business value but positive outcomes for society?  From your perspective as both a dean and an AACSB board member, where does business education most need to innovate to remain relevant and impactful? 

How is AI changing what it means for young people to learn? Explore the implications for critical thinking, student engagement, and educational access. Host Eileen McAuliffe, AACSB’s executive vice president of EMEA and chief thought leadership officer, speaks with Rebecca Winthrop, senior fellow and director of the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution. They examine the ways AI is shaping how young people learn and what those changes could mean for higher education and the workforce. Their conversation explores three big questions: How is AI changing how and what students need to learn? As the world of work continues to change, how should higher education rethink the way it engages and prepares students for what comes next? As AI reshapes education, could it expand access and opportunity—or create new gaps in who benefits? To view a full transcript of the episode, visit https://www.aacsb.edu/insights/podcasts/2026/aacsb-pulse-engaged-learning-in-the-age-of-ai. 

Business and society face mounting global challenges. Hear how responsible management education can prepare leaders—and business schools—to respond. Host Eileen McAuliffe, AACSB’s executive vice president of EMEA and chief thought leadership officer, talks with David Steingard, head of Principles for Responsible Management Education and former business ethics professor. They discuss the heightened need for responsible leadership today and how business schools can meaningfully contribute to the many challenges facing the world. They center their conversation on three big questions: Why do you think responsible business education has become more important in today’s environment?  How should business schools think differently about preparing responsible leaders?  Many of today’s biggest challenges—from climate change to AI governance—depend on thoughtful public policy. What responsibility do business schools have to contribute research that informs those conversations? To view a full transcript of the episode, visit https://www.aacsb.edu/insights/podcasts/2026/aacsb-pulse-rising-to-the-challenge-of-a-polycrisis-world. 

The medical field has long integrated research, education, and practice. How might business schools strengthen those connections? Host Eileen McAuliffe, AACSB’s executive vice president of EMEA and chief thought leadership officer, has a conversation with David Henshall, director of FutureNeuro at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, about the systems and culture that enable the medical field to translate knowledge into meaningful societal impact—and what business schools can take from that experience. They explore three big questions: Can you tell us about FutureNeuro—how it operates within RCSI, the kinds of initiatives it leads, and how it has shaped your understanding of research impact?  What can business schools learn from the way medicine develops practitioners—not just experts?  What lessons does your field offer for bringing different disciplines together to solve complex problems? To view a full transcript of the episode, visit https://www.aacsb.edu/insights/podcasts/2026/aacsb-pulse-what-business-schools-can-learn-from-medicine. 

Andrew Jack of the Financial Times on rankings, research impact, and measuring what matters. AACSB’s executive vice president of EMEA and chief thought leadership officer, Eileen McAuliffe, talks with Financial Times editor Andrew Jack about the role—and responsibility—of the media in business education. With the AACSB Research Impact Conference as a backdrop, they discuss whether rankings measure what really matters and how to reach a broader set of institutions when assessing impact. They explore three big questions:  Media organizations have enormous influence over how business schools define success. What responsibility do you think they have in shaping the future priorities of business education?    The recent changes to the FT50 journal list sparked debate across business schools. Can you share what updates were made and the reasons for the updates?   What should meaningful impact look like in business schools today? To view a full transcript of the episode, visit https://www.aacsb.edu/insights/podcasts/2026/aacsb-pulse-should-media-shape-the-business-school-agenda. 

As AACSB marks 110 years, its leaders reflect on a decade of transformation, examine current relevance, and predict what’s ahead for the industry. Host Eileen McAuliffe, AACSB’s executive vice president of EMEA and chief thought leadership officer, talks with current AACSB board leaders Joyce Strawser and Ian Williamson about the recent evolution of business education. They explore the forces of the past 10 years that have shaped the industry and look ahead to its future possibilities, focusing on three big questions: What are some of the key ways that business education has evolved in the past decade?  There’s increasing scrutiny around the value and impact of business education. From your vantage points, do you think business schools are keeping pace with what today’s learners and organizations need? Where are business schools meeting the moment, and where might there still be gaps? When you imagine business education 10 years from now, what excites you most? And what changes do you think will be necessary for business schools to truly thrive in that future landscape? To view a full transcript of the episode, visit https://www.aacsb.edu/insights/podcasts/2026/aacsb-pulse-business-educations-era-of-rapid-change.

From naive realism to receptiveness: How to disagree more constructively when everyone thinks they’re right. Host Eileen McAuliffe, AACSB's executive vice president of EMEA and chief thought leadership officer, talks with Harvard expert on disagreement, Julia Minson. They explore the root cause of disagreement and the surprising benefits of opening ourselves to opposing views. Their conversation is shaped by three big questions: Throughout your book, you talk about naïve realism—our deeply held belief that we are fundamentally right—as a common obstacle to more productive conversations. Can you discuss this phenomenon and explain its role in disagreement?  You argue that the solution to these entrenched beliefs is to develop receptiveness—to open ourselves to other views, especially ones that oppose our own. What are some strategies for developing receptiveness in ourselves and in preparing future leaders? Can you explain the HEAR framework and how it signals to others that you are genuinely listening? To view a full transcript of the episode, visit https://www.aacsb.edu/insights/podcasts/2026/aacsb-pulse-why-were-bad-at-disagreement-and-how-to-do-it-better. 

From strategic vision to community input to broader impact: shaping AACSB’s Global Standards for quality business education everywhere. Join host Eileen McAuliffe, AACSB’s executive vice president, chief thought leadership officer, and managing director of EMEA, in a discussion with two of the people behind the work to shape AACSB’s Global Standards for Business Education™: chief accreditation officer Stephanie Bryant and task force member Frank Buckless. They explore three big questions: What was the broader vision behind developing these standards, particularly in terms of how AACSB sees its role in shaping business education worldwide? How did you ensure you received broad feedback, and how did the task force structure its discussions around the large volume of input? Looking ahead, how do you see these new standards influencing how business schools operate, innovate, and demonstrate impact in their communities? To view a full transcript of the episode, visit https://www.aacsb.edu/insights/podcasts/2026/aacsb-pulse-beyond-accreditation-creating-the-global-standards. 

Inside AI’s impact on finance and accounting: Meta’s Jason Pikoos discusses shifting roles, smarter strategy, and new expectations for graduates. Host Eileen McAuliffe, AACSB's executive vice president, chief thought leadership officer, and managing director of EMEA, has a conversation with Meta’s director of modern finance, Jason Pikoos, on how AI is reshaping the finance industry—and what that means for how business schools need to prepare future finance leaders. She delves into three big questions: You’re working at the forefront of technological innovation at Meta, and you’re in a finance role that’s especially ripe for AI-driven transformation. Given that vantage point, what does the future of finance look like? How is AI changing the way companies structure themselves and develop their people? Thinking about the next generation of finance leaders, what skills and competencies will matter most—and how should business schools evolve to prepare them? To view a full transcript of the episode, visit https://www.aacsb.edu/insights/podcasts/2026/aacsb-pulse-why-finance-leaders-must-lean-into-ai. 

AACSB president and CEO, Lily Bi, guest-hosts this episode of AACSB Pulse, featuring Xiongwen Lu, dean of the Fudan University School of Management and an AACSB board member. From the Elevate: Asia Pacific Conference in Hong Kong, Lily and Xiongwen discuss the evolution of business education in China and how Fudan's School of Management built its programs, reputation, and industry connections over 40 years. They center their conversation on three big questions: Fudan’s School of Management recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. What do you think has driven that success, and how do you sustain momentum as the school matures? Fudan University sits at an intersection of Eastern and Western approaches to business education. What are the biggest differences and similarities between how business schools in China and the West prepare future leaders for a global economy? Fudan University has a deep tradition in the humanities and arts, while the School of Management is also investing in areas like AI, data science, and other technologies. How can these diverse disciplines work together with core business disciplines to meet the evolving needs of students, employers, and society? To view a full transcript of the episode, visit https://www.aacsb.edu/insights/podcasts/2026/aacsb-pulse-building-business-education-in-china.