AACSB Highlights 24 Business Schools Creating Positive Societal Impact

      Innovations That Inspire Initiative Demonstrates How Business Schools Are a Force for Good in Society

Today, AACSB International (AACSB)—the world's largest business education network—announces 24 featured business schools as part of its Innovations That Inspire member recognition initiative. This annual program recognizes institutions from around the world that serve as champions of change in the business education landscape.

In concert with its Connected for Better campaign, emphasizing business education's positive contributions to society, AACSB's 2021 Innovations That Inspire initiative showcases business schools creating positive impact through one of the following ways:  

- Cultivating a position at the intersection of academia and practice
- Connecting with other disciplines
- Driving innovation in higher education

The featured innovations address wide-ranging societal challenges including food insecurity, pandemic leadership, climate change, and gender equity. Examples include:

- The University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management's COVID-19 Tracking Project, which uses hospitalization data from all 50 U.S. states to help quantify the impact of COVID-19 on local hospital systems, forecast future needs, and track changes in disease severity.
- IMD's Aquatis Innovation Challenge, which paired MBA students with Europe's largest freshwater aquarium to increase post-pandemic visitor engagement.
- The American University of Beirut Suliman S. Olayan School of Business' Khaddit Beirut, a unique national initiative aimed at developing a community-led and locally driven roadmap to recovery following the Beirut explosion on August 4, 2020.

"Business schools everywhere are defining impact objectives and strategies that align with the communities they serve, and the examples featured in AACSB's Innovations That Inspire initiative perfectly demonstrate business education as a force for good," said Caryn L. Beck-Dudley, AACSB president and CEO. "We are excited to honor these 24 business schools for their innovative approaches to society's challenges."

Now in its sixth year, the Innovations That Inspire initiative has highlighted more than 160 business school efforts that exemplify forward-looking approaches to education, research, community engagement or outreach, entrepreneurship, and leadership. To date, members of AACSB's Business Education Alliance have shared more than 1,000 innovations, creating a robust repository in AACSB's DataDirect portal to inform and inspire fellow members and the industry. Support for the 2021 Innovations That Inspire initiative is provided by Barco.

For an overview of all featured innovations, visit aacsb.edu/innovations-that-inspire.

About AACSB International

Established in 1916, AACSB International (AACSB) is the world's largest business education alliance, connecting educators, learners, and business to create the next generation of great leaders. With a presence in more than 100 countries and territories, AACSB fosters engagement, accelerates innovation, and amplifies impact in business education. Learn how AACSB is transforming business education for a better society at aacsb.edu.

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