As technology and globalisation transform business models and employer expectations, business schools are pushing the boundaries of learning approaches. Within this context, SMU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB) hosted a first-of-a-kind Business Education Jam (BEJ) in Singapore on 28 August 2018, with a focus on business education in Southeast Asia. BEJ: Singapore 2018 convened over 50 participants, comprising business leaders from multinationals such as Deloitte, Honeywell, LinkedIn and Standard Chartered Bank, as well as faculty, students and alumni of SMU.

The Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018 is the fourth in a series of regionally focused dialogues. The Business Education Jam’s first roots were laid in 2014, when Boston University launched a global symposium that was free and open to anyone in the world to learn about and discuss the challenges and opportunities facing management education.

Since its inception, the Jam has been recognised as an important contribution to discussions about the future evolution and innovation of management education. The virtual conversation between thousands of people around the world distilled a wealth of ideas that were captured in an initial report, Reimagining Business Education: A World of Ideas. This report helped to inform business schools around the world on how they might advance their innovation efforts. Successive Jams held in Africa and Shanghai, likewise catalysed ideas and insights into the issues transforming traditional business education.

In Singapore, the Jam looked into the different ways in which the traditional model of business school education would and should be disrupted in Asia. Tackling topics from entrepreneurship to lifelong learning, the conversations first started online. They were then taken to the live session at SMU, to further hear from industry practitioners and educators on the issues and ideas thatwould shape the business education landscape.

In his opening address, Howard Thomas, Professor Emeritus of Strategic Management and Management Education, described how “jamming” first originated from Bourbon Street in New Orleans in the 1920s. Musicians would gather to network, experiment and gain updates of the music scene.

The Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018 saw SMU faculty moderating concurrent roundtable discussions:  

• Pascale Crama, Associate Professor of Operations Management facilitated the discussion on “How might Business Schools leverage on the new Digital Mode of Learning?”
• Professor Themin Suwardy, Dean, Postgraduate Professional Progammes facilitated the discussion on “How might Business Schools foster greater Diversity and Inclusion?”
• Associate Professor Reddi Kotha, Academic Director, Master of Science in Innovation and Hau Koh Foo, Director of the SMU Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship facilitated the discussion on “How might Business Schools include Entrepreneurship into the curriculum?”
• Dr. Katharina Lange, SMU Executive Development’s Executive Director facilitated the discussion on “How might Business Schools create Lifelong Learning?”
• Michelle Lee, Associate Professor of Marketing (Education) facilitated the discussion on “How might Business Schools make an Impact on Society?”

Commenting on her takeaway from the insights shared at BEJ: Singapore 2018, Aarthi Sridharan, Senior Manager, LKCSB Postgraduate Operations, said: “The Business Education Jam was a great arena for us to think out of the box on the need for the education industry to disrupt itself. It is important for the traditional behemoth universities to embrace daring new ideas to challenge themselves and take the industry forward. And that needs a whole stack of stakeholders embracing the change from the faculty to the IT & administration teams and more - the new generation students are already there!”

Jon Yeo, Chief Compliance Officer from Maybank Singapore, likewise found the BEJ: Singapore 2018to be a platform offering good food for thought. “It is important to know how the education landscape is evolving. As a parent, and as a professional leading a team, I would like to be kept abreast of how technology and innovation are changing the ways in which people learn. This awareness will enable me to guide my staff as well as my children, to learn effectively, which in turn helps to create a sustainable career journey for each individual.”

The roundtable sessions were followed by a panel discussion moderated by Prof Rick Smith,       SMU LKCSB’s Deputy Dean (Programmes). Panellists included Gerry George, Dean, LKCSB, SMU; Georgina O'Brien, Head of Sales, LinkedIn Learning Asia; Dr Lim Lai Cheng, Executive Director of the SMU Academy; Kris Sasitharan, Global HR Business Partner, Group Finance and Group Treasury, Standard Chartered Bank, who shared their perspectives on 'How business education will be disrupted in Asia.'

“The language of change is always faster than actual behavioural change,” commented Prof George, in relation to how university models might be evolving in tune with forces such as technological innovation and globalisation. According to Prof George, the idea of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCS) replacing universities was mooted 15 years ago, but has yet to become a reality.

“Universities still exist today, because they have been the most adaptive institutions. How we teach our undergraduates today is very different from before – besides classroom learning, our undergraduates take on global experience, internships and community service experiences. It’s important to recognise that the four-year undergraduate experience now integrates industry practice and reflection, which are important elements for graduates stepping into the workforce today,” he said, illustrating how universities remain entities committed to the creation and dissemination of knowledge.

With regards to lifelong learning, Dr Lim shared on how the national rhetoric towards academic qualifications had shifted. “You won’t hear government officials saying that an undergraduate or postgraduate degree is not needed today. But they may say, that you can take your time to complete your education.”

In her role as Executive Director of the SMU Academy, Dr Lim had been witnessing the popular demand among professionals for short courses to acquire skills of demand, such as digital marketing, data analytics, blockchain, to name a few.  Highlighting the fact that as many as 65% of the jobs of the future may not exist right now, Dr Lim emphasised how learning models would be a lot more dynamic, and that it is important to create a growth mindset among adult learners.

On the question of how the current education system and culture in Asia could foster more entrepreneurs and innovators, panellists agreed that it was key to build a culture where it is considered perfectly fine to fail. It was also vital to inculcate entrepreneurial thinking than to try to teach entrepreneurship.

Prof George said, “It’s more about having an entrepreneurial thinking, to have the ability to analyse risk and act on it and to have an opportunity framing mindset. Entrepreneurial thinking is one of the core modules in LKCSB’s curriculum – students develop a product, test it and seek grants. Reebonz and Ninja Van, which are today valued at over a million dollars, received seed funding from SMU. I believe it’s about implementing a seed of entrepreneurial thinking and imprinting it in the minds of students.” 

In his closing remarks, Prof Thomas thanked everyone for their lively contributions to the Jam and encouraged all to add their written comments to the online conversations that would continue. Participants could look forward to upcoming mini jams taking place across different continents, most immediately the Jam taking place in Mexico City this October.

Click here for more information on the upcoming jams.

[Featured photo: (from left) Gerry George, Dean, Lee Kong Chian School of Business, SMU; Rick Smith, Deputy Dean (Programmes), Lee Kong Chian School of Business, SMU; Georgina O'Brien, Head of Sales, LinkedIn Learning Asia; Lim Lai Cheng, Executive Director of the SMU Academy; and Kris Sasitharan, Global HR Business Partner, Group Finance and Group Treasury, Standard Chartered Bank; at the Business Education Jam hosted by SMU in Singapore on 28 August 2018.]