Professor Alison Sheridan attended the 2017 EFMD Conference for Deans and Directors General, Leading in a World of Uncertainty, hosted by the University of Ljubjlana.  EFMD’s commitment to internationalisation of business school curriculum and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals were key themes for the conference, with all the presentations inflected by the recent changes we have seen internationally as a result of Brexit and the election of Donald Trump – particularly the recent Executive Order on Immigration and Travel by the new President suspending entry into the United States of citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.  There is no doubt these events have fundamentally disrupted the discourse of globalisation.

Violeta Bulc, the EU Commissioner for Transport, presents at the 2017 EFMD Conference

The plenary by Professor Guy Standing (Professor of Development Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London) on the rise of the precariat, and what this means for business and education was a particularly timely critique of the business models that have given rise to the growing uncertainty facing those now entering the workforce, and the growing inequality we are seeing in some western countries.  His thought provoking reflections on the issues facing policy makers to ameliorate the insecurities and structured inequalities that are threatening the sustainability of the global economy  had the audience of 360 plus Business Deans transfixed, prompting lively discussions about the implications between sessions for the rest of the conference.  The challenge for business educators is how our programs can  prepare graduates able to foster sustainable development in this changing environment.   Certainly, Violeta Bulc, currently the EU Commissioner for Transport (and previously Deputy Prime Minister of Slovenia) made her message clear that it was incumbent on business schools to prepare graduates to lead the transition from the old models to dynamic, participatory ecosystems enabling collaboration, co-creation and co-existence of all nations, economies and beings.  It was heartening to engage with such ambitions.