AMBA & BGA Asia Pacific
Deans and Directors Conference 2023

15-17 November 2023

The AMBA & BGA Asia Pacific Conference for Deans and Directors will take place in Bangkok, Thailand from Wednesday 15 to Friday 17 November 2023.

Join us for this three day conference which will include world-class thought leadership and two spectacular dinners, in some of the most iconic venues Bangkok has to offer.

Conference themes and programme

The conference will present, discuss and debate key issues that will impact business schools in the Asia Pacific area over the next five years and beyond. During the course of the conference the following themes will be explored:

  • Best practices in business school innovation: digitalization and AI development
  • Life-long learning programme development and alumni career growth
  • Sustainable entrepreneurship and  leadership development – the Silk Road network
  • Capacity-building for industrial partnerships and eco-systems for business schools
  • Approaches to “golden courses” in terms of theoretical principles and practical skills
  • Responsible management and sustainability in business curriculum development

This year’s programme is now available and includes session information, timings and an outline of the overall structure of the conference.

Please note that the contents of the programme are subject to change before the event begins on November 15.

14.00 – 14.30
(30 mins)

Registration and networking

14.30 – 15.00
(30 mins)

Conference overview and welcome

Andrew Main Wilson, CEO, AMBA & BGA

15.00 – 15.35
(35 mins)

Session 1: Life-long learning programme development and alumni career growth

15.35 – 16.05
(30 mins)

Networking and refreshment break

16.05 – 16.40
(35 mins)

Session 2: Sponsored session

16.40 – 17.15
(35 mins)

Session 3: ChatGPT, now what? Opportunities and pitfalls

Generative AI, such as ChatGPT, can disrupt many industries, including education, and increasingly permeates MBA programmes, promising enhanced learning and administrative efficiency. These systems offer unprecedented opportunities for administrators, educators, and students. Relying excessively on AI might dilute critical thinking or overshadow human-centric educational experiences.

Striking a balance is crucial, and implementers must discern where AI augments, versus where it detracts. Additionally, institutions must navigate potential ethical and privacy risks. This talk will be an active engagement on the opportunities and potential pitfalls of integrating Generative AI in MBA education.

Speaker

Elsamari Botha, MBA Director, University of Canterbury 

18.30 – 22.30
(including travel time)

Networking dinner

09.30 – 10.00
(30 mins)

Session 4: AMBA & BGA activity update and strategy presentation

Speaker

Andrew Main Wilson, CEO, AMBA & BGA

10.00 – 10.45
(45 mins)

Session 5: Sustainable entrepreneurship and leadership development – the Silk Road network

10.45 – 11.15
(30 mins)

Networking and refreshment break

11.15 – 11.50
(35 mins)

Session 6: Leadership in a Global Perspective – The Shared Cultural Dimensions

Bakar and Connaughton (2020) have identified four shared cultural dimensions consisting of community embeddedness, focus on respect, conformity and future orientation across global workplace. The findings indicate that the community embeddedness culture, focus on respect culture, conformity culture and future orientation culture may inspire employees’ for affective commitment. When leaders in an organization embraces the mentioned dimensions, they may succeed in nurturing and developing their followers’ affective commitment.

In the business school context, to nurture a positive attitude among leader(s), the school training and development programme should not only focus on leaders’ communication skills, but also the ability for the leader to focus on understanding the community embeddedness, focus on respect, conformity and future orientation culture. Doing so involves conscious effort in getting to understand the workplace context and social values.

Speaker

Professor Dr. Hassan Abu Bakar, Professor Dean, Othman Yeop Abdullah Graduate School of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia 

11.50 – 12.25
(35 mins)

Session 7: Sponsored session

12.25 – 13.45
(80 mins)

Networking lunch

13.45 – 14.15
(30 mins)

Session 8: Capacity building learning sessions

1: Industrial partnerships

14.15 – 14.45
(30 mins)

Session 9: Capacity building learning sessions

2: Approaches to Course Development in terms of theoretical principles, practical skills and employability

14.45 – 15.15
(30 mins)

Networking and refreshment break

15.15 – 15.45 
(30 mins)

Session 10: Capacity building learning sessions

3: Business school leadership: Responsible leadership development

15.45 – 16.15
(30 mins)

Session 11: Capacity building interactive discussion

18.30 – 22.30
(including travel time)

Networking gala dinner

9.30 – 10.30
(60 mins)

Session 12: Sponsored Session

10.30 – 11.05
(35 mins)

Session 13: The key issues facing business schools over the next 3 years

Speaker

Andrew Main Wilson, CEO, AMBA & BGA

11.05 – 11.40
(35 mins)

Session 14: TBC

11.40 – 12.10
(30 mins)

Networking and refreshment break 

12.10 – 12.45
(35 mins)

Session 15: Responsible management and sustainability in business curriculum development

12.45 – 13.20
(35 mins)

10 Year Accreditation Ceremony

13.20 – 14.45
(90 mins) 

Networking lunch

14.45 – 18.30 

(including travel time)

Networking city tour

 

Conference speakers

Our speakers include some of the world’s leading deans and CEOs who will present on the issues most prevalent to business school strategy. Below you can learn more about our Asia Pacific Conference speakers ahead of the event in November.

Conference venue: Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers

Ideally situated on the Chao Phraya River, our five-star conference venue offers our delegates unobstructed river views of Bangkok as well as access to the Si Phraya ferry dock and is only a short distance from the Wat Phra Kaew temple and the Grand Palace.

Delegates of our Asia Pacific Conference will be entitled to a preferential room rate at the Royal Orchid, for the duration of the event. For more information about this rate and to book your stay, please contact our booking agent Anita Galea.

Networking tour: Friday 17 November 2023

As a part of your event experience, you will be invited to join our post-conference networking tour. This experience will not only give you the opportunity to see more of our amazing host city, but it will allow you to continue to discuss the key themes and topics from the conference.

The tour will commence from 14.45 and will end at approximately 18.30. More information about the tour will be shared here shortly and please note that the timings are subject to change. 

Our host schools

Conference sponsors

Want to get in contact?

If you have any questions about this conference or any of our other events, then please contact our AMBA & BGA events team.

Register your place(s) here

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