China Business Forum

Moderated by Professor Sam PARK, Dean of School of Business, the Forum also featured a thought-provoking Fireside Chat with the participating Deans, to address about the role of business education and finance in an era of rapid technological change and geopolitical realignment. Their discussion produced practical, consensus‑driven insights that will inform institutional strategy and industry collaboration going forward. The discussion started to explore the consequential strategic shifts business schools have made to combat enrolment volatility and heightened scrutiny of “educational ROI.” The Deans reached a consensus that institutional survival now depends on moving beyond traditional degree silos to justify societal relevance through radical innovation. Schools are aggressively restructuring their portfolios to include high-quality non-degree programmes and lifelong learning tracks that cater to immediate industry needs. By emphasising interdisciplinary studies and a “deliberate integration with reality, ” schools are repositioning themselves not just as academic gatekeepers, but as connected hubs that bridge the gap between complex market changes and student employability. Regarding the pervasive rise of AI, the Deans explored how to embed these tools without compromising analytical depth or academic rigor. While many schools are still in an incremental phase, the emerging strategy involves creating dedicated AI centers to develop specialised case studies and reimagining evaluation systems. To prevent the erosion of critical thinking, there is a significant shift toward oral assessments and “interactive defense”of work. The prevailing sentiment is that AI must be treated as a “new reality” that requires a holistic institutional strategy rather than a series of disconnected pilot projects, ensuring that students learn to command AI rather than simply outsource their thinking to it. Finally, the panel identified the unique human competencies that remain superior to AI, which form the bedrock of future leadership education. The Deans emphasised that while AI excels at synthesis, it cannot replicate the “Human Edge”: critical judgment, ethical accountability, and the socio-emotional skills required to manage “agentic organisations. ” The goal of the modern business school is to nurture “hybrid intelligence” by focusing on interactive skills, empathy, and the ability to lead through “organised chaos.” By focusing on these human connections and decision-making powers, schools are preparing students to be the architects of a future where they can effectively “get people out of the way” to let innovation flourish.