Learner Journey – Learner Management
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How to Talk to Grad Students and Postdocs About Career Paths They Cannot Predict
Summary: As labor markets rapidly evolve, graduate students and postdocs must navigate changing professional environments by strategically leveraging their advanced degrees and experiences. Contributors to career advice columns emphasize that early career professionals should avoid an all-or-nothing approach, actively build professional branding on platforms like LinkedIn, and articulate the concrete value of internships and assistantships. By recognizing shifting employer expectations and integrating practical skills early, advanced-degree holders can better position themselves for diverse career paths. Observations: Graduate students and postdocs benefit from viewing their career progression as a flexible journey rather than a rigid, linear path. Practical experiences such as teaching...
Students as Conscientious Objectors to Generative AI
Summary: Some students conscientiously object to using generative AI in their academic work, citing concerns about cognitive dependence, bias, environmental impact, and academic integrity. These students seek assignments that respect their decision to avoid AI, demonstrating strong moral and critical reflections on the technology’s costs and benefits. Graduate business programs should acknowledge that not all students embrace AI and consider accommodating conscientious objectors when feasible, balancing academic freedom with student autonomy. The growing skepticism among younger generations highlights the need to integrate ethical and reflective discussions about AI’s role in education rather than mandating its use universally. Observations: Not all students are willing to use generative...
How AI Is Shaping Higher Ed Communications
Summary: The article argues that AI is changing higher education communications by accelerating content creation and improving efficiency, but it cannot replace the human judgment needed to build trust, shape institutional identity, and communicate authentically. Effective communication strategies should use AI to support routine tasks while keeping people responsible for strategy, relationships, and decision-making. Institutions that combine AI capabilities with clear values, strong storytelling, and human oversight will be better positioned to engage students, alumni, faculty, and other stakeholders. Observations: AI is best used to enhance, not replace, strategic communication. Human judgment remains essential for authentic messaging and institutional trust. Communication teams should...
Why outcomes now dominate the college search
Summary: Students increasingly prioritize outcomes like ROI, affordability, and career readiness over traditional campus amenities when choosing colleges. Economic uncertainty and technology, especially AI, drive demand for transparency in program costs and employment prospects. Institutions must promote AI literacy and ethical use to prepare learners for evolving workplaces. Strategic specialization and program portfolio reviews help schools align offerings with workforce needs and financial realities. This shift towards data-driven decision-making and clear communication of post-graduation success is essential for attracting and retaining today’s outcome-focused learners. Observations: Prospective students emphasize tangible return on investment and workforce outcomes over campus...
Will the College Transparency Act get the green light from lawmakers?
Summary: The College Transparency Act, reintroduced by Senators Cassidy and Warren, aims to enhance federal data collection on student outcomes by lifting a ban on student-level data reporting. Supported by major higher education groups, the act promises more accurate insights into graduation rates and earnings, addressing current gaps that exclude many students, especially those not receiving federal aid or attending community colleges. However, some associations oppose the bill citing privacy and regulatory concerns. As the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee considers the act, its passage remains uncertain amid legislative challenges. Observations: Current federal data on student outcomes is incomplete, missing large student segments. The College Transparency Act...
Workers at leading AI companies call for a slowdown in AI development
Summary: Workers at top AI firms are urging a deliberate slowdown in AI development, citing the technology’s rapid progress outpacing current governance capabilities. Over 1,000 AI staff, including leaders from OpenAI and Meta, signed a public letter emphasizing the need for tighter regulation, enhanced security measures, and time to address emerging risks. This call follows recent incidents highlighting vulnerabilities in AI systems and coincides with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's meetings with government officials. For graduate business programs, this signals a crucial pivot point: AI is profoundly reshaping industries, but ethical, regulatory, and security challenges require thoughtful integration into business education. Observations: AI’s rapid evolution is outpacing available governance...
The Algorithm in the Advising Office
Summary: AI-powered early alert systems are increasingly used in higher education to identify and support at-risk students, improving retention and success rates. Programs like Georgia State University’s model emphasize human oversight, ensuring advisors handle interventions while AI flags potential issues. However, ethical and legal complexities arise, such as questions about mandatory reporting and confidentiality when AI chatbots interact with students. Bias in predictive algorithms also poses risks, potentially misidentifying or overlooking students. Graduate business programs must understand these challenges as they prepare leaders to responsibly integrate AI in student support and institutional planning. Observations: AI alerts in advising help identify at-risk students earlier...
Entrepreneurship Expos Build More Than Businesses
Summary: Entrepreneurship expos offer graduate business students immersive, real-world experiences that extend beyond launching ventures. By engaging diverse stakeholders—entrepreneurs, investors, alumni, and community members—students develop critical skills like adaptability, judgment, communication, and relationship-building. These expos focus on building entrepreneurial capabilities through rapid feedback cycles, reflection, and iterative learning rather than just performance or business outcomes. Case studies from Florida State, Rowan University, and University of Tampa highlight how expos accelerate students’ entrepreneurial growth and confidence, preparing them for varied career paths by fostering transferable, higher-order capabilities essential in today’s dynamic business...
Does AI Grading Make the Grade?
Summary: AI grading is emerging as a controversial yet promising tool in higher education. Early experimentation reveals AI can offer detailed, consistent feedback faster than human graders, potentially enhancing teaching adaptability. However, faculty and students express concerns about transparency, fairness, and the perceived loss of human judgment. Some institutions have rejected AI grading, citing ethical dilemmas and resistance, while others embrace it cautiously with human oversight. The technology’s evolution challenges graduate business programs to balance innovation with maintaining trust, quality, and faculty roles amid rapid AI adoption. Observations: AI grading tools have improved in accuracy and feedback quality, now rivaling or surpassing human grading in consistency....
Building skills isn’t enough for young people: what the future of work is missing
Summary: Developing skills alone is no longer sufficient to ensure young people’s success in the evolving workforce. While training programs and skill-building are foundational, barriers such as lack of startup capital, limited market access, and inadequate mentorship hinder sustainable employment and entrepreneurship. The future of work demands a holistic approach that integrates skills development with financial resources, mentorship, and enabling economic environments. Graduate business programs need to recognize these interconnected pathways, providing students not only with competencies but also with access to networks, funding, and ongoing support to navigate the complex journey from learning to opportunity. Observations: Skills development is necessary but not sufficient for youth...
Why degree apprenticeships are more competitive than Oxford
Summary: Degree apprenticeships have surged in popularity, often outstripping prestigious university offers such as Oxford’s, driven by concerns over university costs and student debt. These programs blend vocational training with academic study, allowing students to earn while they learn and avoid loans. However, high demand has made entry extremely competitive, while the specialized nature of training means apprentices often have limited choice over universities or traditional campus experiences. Additionally, the application process can be complex and less accessible for disadvantaged students, who must manage logistical challenges more independently than their university counterparts. Observations: Degree apprenticeships offer a compelling alternative to traditional university routes...
Is It Time to Change How You Grade?
Summary: The Chronicle’s July 23, 2026, newsletter explores evolving grading practices in higher education, spotlighting alternatives to traditional points-based systems. It highlights a biology professor’s shift to standards-based grading that emphasizes mastery over point accumulation, reducing student anxiety and encouraging deeper learning. This approach reframes grades as clear indicators of competency rather than arbitrary scores, fostering better student motivation and engagement. The piece raises critical questions about grading’s purpose and effectiveness, encouraging educators to reconsider entrenched assessment methods to better align with modern learning challenges, including issues posed by AI and grade inflation. Observations: Traditional points-based grading often...
Universities drop AI detection tools over fears about accuracy
Summary: Universities worldwide are increasingly discontinuing AI detection tools like GPTZero, Copyleaks, and Turnitin due to concerns over accuracy, false positives, and inherent biases. These tools, which analyze text patterns to flag potential AI-generated content, have been criticized for unreliable results and misapplication. As a result, institutions such as Vanderbilt, Yale, and University of Cape Town have restricted or disabled their use. The issue has sparked a broader conversation about the effectiveness and fairness of AI detection, pushing universities to reconsider strategies for maintaining academic integrity while adapting to evolving technology and student needs. Observations: AI detection tools currently suffer from reliability issues, including false positives and...
The 5-Letter Problem With Grades
Summary: This opinion piece critically examines the traditional use of letter grades in higher education, arguing they often fail to reflect meaningful learning or foster student growth. The author highlights experiments like allowing essay revisions and retaking exams which promote deeper understanding rather than penalizing failure. The piece challenges graduate business program leaders to reconsider grading’s role as a fixed standard and instead explore more flexible, formative assessment methods that align with real-world skills and interdisciplinary learning. This shift can better support diverse learner needs and adapt to evolving educational environments that prioritize mastery and continuous improvement. Observations: Traditional letter grading can limit student motivation and...
Why employers still place a premium on people skills, not AI, when they make hiring decisions
Summary: The article explains that while AI is reshaping work, employers continue to prioritize human skills when making hiring decisions. Research cited in the article shows that communication, teamwork, adaptability, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and ethical judgment remain highly valued because they complement, rather than compete with, AI capabilities. As organizations adopt AI, employees who can collaborate effectively, solve complex problems, and exercise sound judgment become increasingly important. The article concludes that educational institutions should prepare graduates with both AI literacy and strong interpersonal and professional skills. Observations: AI proficiency alone is insufficient to meet employer expectations. Human skills such as communication,...
Reimagining Business Schools for an AI-Native World
Summary: The article argues that business schools must redesign education for an AI-native world rather than simply adding AI tools to existing curricula. AI is changing how knowledge is created, applied, and assessed, requiring schools to emphasize critical thinking, ethical judgment, creativity, collaboration, and lifelong learning. Faculty roles, curriculum design, assessment methods, and institutional strategies should evolve to prepare graduates who can work effectively alongside AI while addressing complex business challenges responsibly. Observations: AI requires fundamental changes to business school strategy, not incremental curriculum updates. Human capabilities such as judgment, ethics, and creativity become more valuable as AI adoption grows. Assessment methods should...
Moving From Skills to Capabilities
Summary: The article argues that business schools should move beyond teaching discrete skills and instead develop enduring capabilities that enable graduates to think critically, exercise judgment, and act effectively in unfamiliar situations. While AI can improve task performance, it can also encourage students to outsource thinking, limiting genuine learning. The author distinguishes skills—specific procedures that can be taught—from capabilities, which are developed through self-regulated learning, reflection, and repeated practice. Business schools should redesign learning experiences and assessments to strengthen students' independent judgment rather than simply improving AI-assisted performance. Observations: Capabilities such as judgment and critical thinking are more durable than...
What employers really want: 5 facts from the Corporate Recruiters Survey
Summary: The 2026 GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey finds that employer confidence in graduate management education remains exceptionally strong despite rapid technological and economic change. Employers increasingly expect graduates to combine AI literacy with communication, professionalism, and the ability to navigate complex global business environments. Acceptance of online degrees continues to grow, U.S. employers are becoming more receptive to micro-credentials, and hiring projections remain positive. At the same time, AI is eliminating some entry-level roles, making human judgment, adaptability, and professional skills increasingly important differentiators for graduate business graduates. Observations: Employers continue to place high value on graduate business education but...
Tell Your Enrollment Story Before Someone Else Does
Summary: As new federal data on college admissions and enrollment (ACTS) is set to be released, institutions face intense public scrutiny. The article urges colleges to proactively communicate their enrollment strategies—grounded in mission and community needs—to prevent misinterpretation. Transparent, coordinated storytelling across departments helps explain complex admission decisions beyond test scores and GPAs. This approach builds trust, informs stakeholders, and shapes the narrative before external parties fill the information void. Graduate business programs can adapt by aligning admissions communication with broader institutional goals, emphasizing their unique contributions to workforce development and equity. Observations: ACTS data release will significantly shape public...
How 4 Programs Instill Learning by Doing
Summary: Experiential learning is increasingly prioritized in higher education as institutions respond to student demand for hands-on, work-integrated experiences critical in a rapidly evolving job market shaped by AI and automation. Four programs illustrate this trend: Santa Clara University’s AI Kitchen fosters collaborative, accessible AI fluency; Stevens Institute’s AI in Biology and Chemistry program connects students with industry leaders; Jacksonville University’s Formula SAE team blends engineering and business skills through motorsports; and University of New Haven’s Connecticut Invents helps K–12 inventors commercialize innovations, linking education to entrepreneurship and real-world impact. Observations: Experiential learning initiatives enhance student engagement by...
What are students really paying attention to?
Summary: Student attention is a finite, fragmented resource challenged by digital distractions and personal pressures, undermining engagement and learning. Traditional educational models assume unlimited attention, resulting in wasted cognitive capacity. To better support students, four strategies are recommended: recognizing attention as a resource, designing circular learning systems with reflective pauses and interaction, applying continuous improvement through student involvement (Kaizen philosophy), and introducing productive friction to foster deep focus and flow states. These approaches help regenerate attention, enhance engagement, and improve learning outcomes by nurturing rather than depleting student cognitive energy. Observations: Student attention is limited and easily...
Closing the AI Gap in Business Education
Summary: Business schools must move beyond isolated AI initiatives and adopt institution-wide strategies that integrate AI into governance, curriculum, faculty development, and partnerships with employers. The article argues that schools should establish AI task forces, define measurable goals, embed ethical AI across teaching and assessment, and invest in continuous faculty training. Rather than pursuing rapid implementation, schools should build sustainable systems that prepare graduates with practical AI skills while ensuring responsible use. Success depends on aligning academic programs with evolving workforce expectations through ongoing collaboration with industry. Observations: AI adoption requires institutional governance, not just faculty experimentation. Ethical AI literacy...
A Legal Road Map for AI Adoption on Campus
Summary: The article argues that colleges and universities should move beyond informal AI experimentation by establishing a legal framework for adoption. It highlights emerging legal responsibilities involving privacy, intellectual property, accessibility, bias, procurement, data governance, and regulatory compliance. Rather than waiting for laws to mature, institutions should develop policies, governance structures, and risk management processes that support responsible AI use across teaching, research, and administration. The author emphasizes that proactive legal planning will better position institutions to adapt as AI regulations continue to evolve. Observations: AI governance should be treated as an institutional legal and strategic priority, not just a technology initiative....
College Students Are Testing at the Level of 10-Year-Olds
Summary: The article highlights findings from the OECD's 2023 Survey of Adult Skills showing that a significant share of college students across OECD countries demonstrate reading and mathematics proficiency comparable to that of a 10-year-old. It attributes these outcomes to multiple factors, including pandemic-related learning loss, declining enrollment that may have lowered admissions standards, and reduced public investment in education. The article also raises concerns about AI and other technologies reducing students' engagement with reading while noting that technology-free classroom practices may help improve literacy and confidence. Observations: Entering graduate students may require stronger assessment of foundational literacy and quantitative skills. AI should supplement, not...
Johns Hopkins Layoffs Reach Carey Business School As Federal Cuts Deepen
Summary: Johns Hopkins University has laid off approximately 110 employees, including staff at the Carey Business School, as federal research funding declines. Carey described the changes as part of a strategic reorganization to respond to shifting student demographics, new educational delivery models, technological change, and evolving global enrollment patterns. The layoffs come despite recent investments, including new degree programs, discounted tuition initiatives, a planned MBA relocation, an Executive MBA launch, and a $50 million philanthropic gift, illustrating the financial pressures facing even well-resourced business schools. Observations: Financial pressure is forcing business schools to reorganize even while expanding academic offerings. Graduate business programs must...
Higher Ed Institutions Ramp Up Defenses Against Deepfakes
Summary: Higher education institutions are strengthening defenses against AI-generated deepfakes as synthetic audio, video, and images become more convincing and accessible. The article explains that institutions are adopting technical safeguards, authentication processes, staff training, and incident response plans to reduce the risk of fraud, identity impersonation, and misinformation. Experts emphasize that cybersecurity alone is insufficient; institutions must establish verification procedures and educate employees to recognize and respond to suspicious communications before trust is exploited. Observations: Deepfakes are becoming a significant cybersecurity and reputational risk for higher education. Human verification processes are as important as technical detection tools. Faculty...
We Have Never Taught Critical Thinking
Summary: The authors argue that higher education has long assumed critical thinking develops naturally through disciplinary instruction, but evidence suggests this approach is insufficient. The widespread use of AI exposes an existing weakness rather than creating a new one. They contend that colleges should explicitly teach critical thinking through structured instruction, deliberate practice, feedback, and metacognitive reflection. Rather than treating critical thinking as a by-product of coursework, institutions should make it a measurable learning outcome embedded across the curriculum to better prepare graduates for an AI-enabled workplace. Observations: AI has revealed longstanding shortcomings in how colleges develop critical thinking rather than creating the problem itself....
When You Suspect AI Misuse: A Decision Framework for Faculty and Administrators
Summary: The article proposes a decision-making framework for faculty who suspect students have misused AI. Rather than relying on AI detectors or making immediate accusations, the framework encourages instructors to gather evidence, evaluate the context of the assignment, consider alternative explanations, and assess whether the concern reflects a learning issue, a policy violation, or a misunderstanding of expectations. The author argues that responses should be proportional and educational, emphasizing fairness, due process, and student learning. The framework aims to help instructors navigate AI-related concerns consistently while preserving trust and avoiding unsupported allegations. Observations: AI detectors alone are insufficient grounds for determining academic misconduct....
Many college students already have well-formed cheating habits – that, not AI, is the real problem
Summary: The article argues that concerns about AI-driven cheating may overlook a more fundamental issue: many students already develop cheating habits before arriving at college. Drawing on research into academic integrity, the author contends that dishonesty often stems from established behaviors, pressures, and attitudes rather than from any specific technology. AI may provide a new tool for misconduct, but it is not the root cause. The article suggests that institutions should focus less on policing technology and more on fostering ethical decision-making, strengthening learning environments, and addressing the underlying conditions that encourage academic dishonesty. Observations: Academic dishonesty often predates students’ use of AI and reflects broader behavioral patterns. AI is...
Teaching Sensitive Geopolitical Topics
Summary: The article examines how business school faculty can effectively teach sensitive geopolitical topics in increasingly polarized and globally interconnected classrooms. It argues that avoiding controversial issues is not a viable option because geopolitical developments directly affect business, markets, supply chains, and organizational decision-making. Instead, educators should create structured environments that encourage respectful dialogue, critical thinking, and evidence-based analysis. The article emphasizes the importance of establishing classroom norms, acknowledging diverse perspectives, focusing on learning objectives, and helping students navigate complex issues without requiring consensus. The goal is to prepare future leaders to engage thoughtfully with geopolitical...
A Practical Framework to Help Students Use AI in Learning
Summary: The article argues that the key challenge with AI in education is not whether students use it, but how they use it. The authors warn that excessive reliance on AI can lead to “cognitive outsourcing,” where students bypass the effort required for deep learning and long-term knowledge retention. To address this, they propose a three-step framework: students should first attempt work independently, critically evaluate and verify AI outputs, and document how AI was used. The goal is to position AI as a learning partner that supports thinking, rather than a substitute for thinking, while preserving intellectual ownership and academic rigor. Observations: AI can improve learning when used as a tutor or coach, but it can undermine learning when it replaces critical thinking. Deep...
Time for Class 2026: The AI Tipping Point: From Monitoring Students to Engaging Them
Summary: The report describes higher education as reaching an AI “tipping point,” with artificial intelligence reshaping teaching, learning, assessment, and institutional operations. AI adoption has increased among administrators, faculty, and students, and many educators report that their roles are changing significantly. Faculty who integrate AI into assessment design report stronger student engagement, while students increasingly use AI to manage academic challenges and develop career-relevant skills. The report argues that institutions must move beyond debating whether to adopt AI and instead focus on how to integrate it effectively to improve learning outcomes and workforce preparation. Observations: AI is moving from experimentation to mainstream adoption across higher education....
The AI-related leadership that’s only five years away
Summary: The article argues that artificial intelligence is contributing to a leadership development challenge among younger workers by automating tasks that have traditionally helped employees build judgment, communication skills, confidence, and decision-making experience. As AI increasingly performs research, analysis, and routine problem-solving, organizations risk creating a generation of professionals with fewer opportunities to develop the foundational capabilities needed for leadership roles. The author contends that employers and educators must intentionally create experiences that cultivate critical thinking, interpersonal skills, accountability, and real-world decision-making to prepare Gen Z for future leadership responsibilities. Observations: AI may reduce opportunities for...
Beyond Red vs. Blue: The Political Typology
Summary: Pew Research Center’s 2026 Political Typology argues that the U.S. political landscape is more complex than a simple Democrat-versus-Republican divide. Based on responses to 30 questions about political and social values, the study identifies nine distinct groups ranging from highly ideological conservatives and liberals to a large middle made up of voters with mixed views. The research highlights how differences in age, race, ethnicity, policy priorities, political engagement, and cultural values create cross-cutting coalitions that do not fit neatly within party labels. The findings underscore the diversity of perspectives that institutions must navigate when engaging broad audiences. Observations: Broad populations cannot be understood through binary categories alone; values...
Why More Workers Are ‘Microshifting’
Summary: A growing number of employees are adopting “microshifting,” a work pattern that breaks the traditional workday into shorter, flexible blocks aligned with personal responsibilities and peak productivity periods. The trend is gaining traction among caregivers and knowledge workers seeking greater control over when and how they work. Some employers are supporting the approach by focusing on outcomes rather than fixed schedules, while AI tools help employees manage workloads and communication. Although microshifting can improve productivity and reduce burnout, it requires clear expectations, self-discipline, and coordination across teams to maintain collaboration and performance. Observations: Workforce expectations continue to shift from time-based work toward results-based...
Being a department head has never been more complex
Summary: The article argues that the role of academic department head [& graduate program leader] has become significantly more complex due to growing administrative demands, financial pressures, regulatory requirements, workforce challenges, and institutional change initiatives. Department heads are increasingly expected to balance strategic leadership, operational management, staff development, student concerns, and institutional priorities while often receiving limited preparation for the role. The author contends that the position has evolved beyond traditional academic leadership and now requires a broader set of management, communication, and change leadership skills. Supporting department heads is therefore critical to institutional effectiveness and organizational resilience....
Students Remain Higher Ed’s Cybersecurity Weak Link
Summary: Higher education institutions face significant cybersecurity risks, with students frequently identified as the primary vulnerability. Recent survey data reveals a critical disparity in institutional preparedness: while the vast majority of faculty and staff receive formal cybersecurity training, only a small fraction of students are similarly equipped. This gap is exacerbated by behaviors such as prioritizing digital convenience over security, the widespread use of unsecured personal devices on campus networks, and a surge in sophisticated, AI-driven phishing campaigns. To mitigate these exposures, institutions must move beyond passive awareness and implement systemic, proactive cybersecurity education for students. Observations: There is a systemic imbalance in cybersecurity...
Turmoil prompts fresh teaching on change management
Summary: Business schools are evolving their approach to teaching change management to address modern, constant disruption. Rather than relying on rigid, linear models, educators are increasingly integrating insights from psychology, neuroscience, and critical thinking. The curriculum now emphasizes creating psychological safety, fostering purpose, and encouraging experimentation to drive employee commitment rather than mere compliance. Experts stress that there is no universal framework for change; instead, leaders must cultivate humility, self-awareness, and the ability to diagnose messy, unpredictable organizational problems. This shift recognizes that human engagement remains the primary driver of successful transformation in an era of rapid AI integration. Observations: Traditional,...
Microcredentials Give Grads Edge in Tough Job Market
Summary: A survey highlighted in Inside Higher Ed found that microcredentials are providing graduates with a competitive advantage in a difficult job market. Employers increasingly view microcredentials as evidence of job-ready skills and are willing to offer higher starting salaries to candidates who hold them. The report also found strong employment outcomes for graduates with microcredentials and growing demand for credentials in areas such as generative AI. However, the value of microcredentials varies, with employers placing greater importance on credentials that are industry-aligned, credit-bearing, and focused on applied skills. Observations: Employers are placing greater value on verified, skills-based credentials alongside traditional degrees. Generative AI credentials are...
How Business Schools & Industry Can Collaborate To Support Societal Impact Leadership
Summary: The article argues that business schools and industry must work more closely together to develop leaders capable of addressing complex societal challenges. The authors contend that societal impact leadership cannot be taught effectively through classroom instruction alone and requires partnerships that provide students with real-world exposure to sustainability, social responsibility, and stakeholder-focused decision-making. The piece highlights collaboration between businesses and business schools as a means of connecting academic learning with practical experience, helping future leaders understand how organizations can balance financial performance with broader societal outcomes. Observations: Societal impact leadership requires experiential learning in addition to...
I (Mostly) Quit the LMS
Summary: The article reflects on one professor’s decision to reduce reliance on the Canvas learning management system after concluding that convenience sometimes came at the expense of student engagement, responsibility, and learning. The author argues that digital tools can unintentionally encourage passivity by removing productive forms of effort, planning, and interaction. By restoring selected points of friction—such as distributing assignments in person and requiring more direct communication—the author observed greater student accountability and engagement. The article advocates for intentional use of educational technology, encouraging institutions and instructors to evaluate whether technology serves learning objectives rather than simply improving efficiency. Observations:...
EDUCAUSE Horizon Report Finds AI Reshaping Trust, Future of Learning
Summary: The 2026 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report identifies AI as a driving force reshaping teaching and learning, particularly by challenging trust and credibility between students and faculty. As students increasingly rely on AI for tutoring and academic support, institutions are rethinking assessment, academic integrity, and the role of human relationships in education. The report urges colleges to establish clear norms for ethical AI use while strengthening mentoring, judgment, and student engagement. It also highlights emerging developments such as AI-generated learning materials, AI governance systems, and highly automated workplaces, encouraging institutions to prepare for rapid and uncertain change. Observations: AI is changing student-faculty relationships by shifting how students seek...
My Students Can’t Read
Summary: The author argues that many college students struggle with sustained reading, comprehension, and engagement with complex texts. Faculty increasingly report that students have difficulty completing assigned readings, interpreting arguments, and navigating longer works. The article suggests that these challenges are not simply a matter of motivation but reflect broader shifts in reading habits, digital media consumption, and educational preparation. The author contends that colleges must recognize reading as a skill that requires active development and support rather than assuming students arrive prepared to engage with demanding academic materials. Observations: Reading comprehension and sustained attention are emerging challenges for many college students. Faculty cannot assume...
The 5 faces of human readiness for AI adoption – and how to work with them
Summary: The article argues that the success of AI adoption depends less on technology and more on workforce readiness. Drawing on research into employee attitudes, the authors identify five AI-readiness profiles—enthusiasts, curious users, cautious users, skeptics, and those opposed to AI. They contend that organizations often fail because leaders focus on technical implementation while overlooking employee concerns about job security, trust, ethics, and changing work roles. The article recommends prioritizing cultural change, human-AI collaboration, and transparent communication to build trust and encourage meaningful adoption rather than superficial compliance. Observations: Human behavior and organizational culture are stronger determinants of AI adoption than technical capability...
The Microcredential Maze: Why The U.S. Is Falling Behind
Summary: The article argues that microcredentials are growing rapidly worldwide, offering flexible, skills-focused alternatives and complements to traditional degrees. However, the United States lacks a coherent national framework for defining, validating, transferring, and sharing these credentials, creating confusion for learners and employers. While universities, technology companies, and credential platforms have developed innovative approaches, the result is a fragmented system with inconsistent terminology, standards, and portability. In contrast, many OECD countries have established national or regional microcredential frameworks. The author contends that the U.S. risks falling behind unless it creates more coordinated systems that connect microcredentials, academic credit, and...
The Adult Learner Is the New Majority. Higher Education Hasn’t Fully Caught Up
Summary: The article argues that adult learners now represent the majority of higher education students, yet many institutions still operate around traditional models designed for younger, full-time learners. Adult students often balance work, family, and financial pressures while seeking flexible, career-focused education. The piece highlights gaps in scheduling, student services, credit recognition, and institutional culture that limit adult learner success. It calls on colleges and universities to redesign programs, support systems, and administrative processes to better meet the needs of working professionals and lifelong learners who increasingly drive enrollment growth. Observations: Adult learners are becoming the dominant demographic in higher education enrollment. Traditional...
From Funnel To Forever: Why Business Schools Must Stop Managing Pipelines & Start Building Communities
Summary: Business schools are shifting from fragmented, siloed operations toward integrated "community ecosystems".Traditionally, schools managed transactional pipelines—admissions, enrollment, and placement—but stakeholders now demand continuous, lifelong engagement. Static databases and disconnected departments hinder schools from tracking evolving professional trajectories, leading to a "living database problem". To remain competitive, institutions must transition from managing distinct stages of a student’s career to functioning as platform builders that connect alumni, employers, and students into a single, dynamic network capable of facilitating ongoing mentorship, reskilling, and strategic industry collaboration. Observations: The traditional "funnel" model, where interactions are...
St. John’s College Is Weird. Maybe Yours Should Be More Like It.
Summary: The article argues that higher education institutions can learn from the unconventional model of St. John’s College, which emphasizes discussion-based learning, intellectual curiosity, and a tightly focused curriculum rather than career specialization or market-driven expansion. The piece suggests that the college’s distinct identity and commitment to its educational philosophy have helped it remain relevant despite enrollment pressures affecting higher education broadly. It challenges colleges and universities to differentiate themselves more clearly, prioritize meaningful learning experiences, and resist becoming overly standardized in response to market competition. Observations: Strong institutional identity can help colleges stand out in a crowded higher education market....
MBAs Turn to Startups, Non-Profits, and Consulting as Traditional Internships Shrink
Summary: As traditional MBA internships decline, students are increasingly pursuing opportunities with startups, nonprofits, and consulting projects to gain practical experience. Economic uncertainty and reduced hiring by large corporations have pushed MBA candidates to seek alternative pathways that provide flexibility, hands-on work, and broader responsibilities. Business schools are adapting by supporting experiential learning models and expanding employer networks beyond traditional recruiters. The shift reflects changing career interests among students and evolving employer demand for adaptable, entrepreneurial talent. Observations: Traditional corporate internship pipelines are becoming less reliable for MBA students. Students are expanding career exploration into startups,...
Rethinking The MBA: From One-Time Credential To Lifelong Capability
Summary: The article argues that the MBA should evolve from a one-time credential into a lifelong capability model that supports continuous learning and career adaptation. Rapid technological, economic, and workplace changes are making static degrees less sufficient over time. Business schools are being encouraged to build ongoing relationships with alumni through modular learning, reskilling opportunities, and career-long educational support. The piece emphasizes that future MBA value will depend on continuous relevance, adaptability, and the ability to help graduates navigate repeated professional transitions. Observations: The traditional “one-and-done” MBA model is becoming less sustainable. Lifelong learning is emerging as a core expectation in graduate business education. Alumni...
One free MBA elective every year, for life
Summary: Bayes Business School is offering MBA graduates one free elective course every year for life, reflecting a shift toward continuous learning and long-term alumni engagement. The initiative recognizes that careers, technologies, and leadership demands evolve rapidly, requiring ongoing skill development beyond graduation. By extending learning access indefinitely, the school aims to strengthen alumni relationships while supporting lifelong professional growth and adaptability in a changing business environment. Observations: Business schools are expanding beyond transactional degree models toward lifelong learning relationships. Alumni increasingly expect ongoing access to education and professional development. Continuous reskilling is becoming central to MBA program value...
What Financial Survival in Higher Ed Looks Like
Summary: The article examines how financial survival in higher education increasingly requires difficult institutional choices rather than temporary fixes. Colleges facing enrollment declines, rising costs, and demographic pressures are being forced to rethink operations, academic offerings, staffing, and long-term strategy. Leaders must balance mission with financial sustainability while confronting resistance to change. The piece argues that survival depends on realistic planning, transparency, prioritization, and willingness to adapt institutional structures before financial pressures become unmanageable. Observations: Financial pressures are pushing institutions from incremental adjustments to structural change. Enrollment and demographic shifts are intensifying sustainability...
Pre-MBA Programs Move from Optional Refreshers to Core Training
Summary: Pre-MBA programs are evolving from optional preparatory courses into core components of MBA readiness and student success strategies. Business schools are increasingly using these programs to strengthen quantitative, analytical, communication, and professional skills before classes begin. The shift reflects growing diversity in student backgrounds and heightened academic expectations. Schools also see pre-MBA training as a way to improve confidence, classroom participation, retention, and career readiness while helping students transition more smoothly into rigorous graduate business programs. Observations: Pre-MBA programs are becoming strategic tools for student success and retention. Diverse student backgrounds are increasing demand for foundational skill-building. Schools...
Hackers steal students’ data during breach at education tech giant Instructure
Summary: Hackers breached education technology company Instructure and stole student data, raising concerns about cybersecurity vulnerabilities across higher education technology systems. The breach exposed sensitive information connected to educational platforms widely used by institutions. The incident highlights the growing risks tied to expanding digital ecosystems and reliance on third-party vendors. It also underscores the need for stronger data protection, vendor oversight, and institutional preparedness as colleges increasingly depend on cloud-based educational technologies. Observations: Cybersecurity threats to higher education technology platforms are increasing in scale and impact. Third-party vendors create significant institutional risk exposure. Student data protection is...
Internships Are More Crucial Than Ever—and Even Harder to Find
Summary: Internships have become more critical for securing full-time employment, yet they are increasingly difficult to obtain. Employers are using internships as extended screening tools, often prioritizing candidates with prior experience, creating a cycle that disadvantages newcomers. Competition has intensified as more students recognize internships as essential, while companies reduce or tightly control available roles. As a result, students face greater pressure to secure early, relevant experience to remain competitive in the job market. Observations: Internships are now a primary pathway to full-time hiring rather than a supplementary experience. Access to internships is tightening, increasing competition among students. Employers are raising expectations, often requiring prior...
UNH Launches First DNP/MBA Program in the Northeast
Summary: The University of New Hampshire has launched the first dual Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and MBA program in the Northeast, designed to prepare healthcare leaders with both clinical expertise and business acumen. The program integrates leadership, finance, and healthcare systems management with advanced nursing practice. It targets working professionals and emphasizes flexible delivery and interdisciplinary learning. The initiative reflects growing demand for hybrid skill sets in healthcare leadership and signals how institutions are combining degrees to meet evolving workforce needs. Observations: Demand is rising for interdisciplinary programs that combine clinical and business expertise. Dual-degree offerings are expanding to address leadership gaps in specialized sectors...
NEOMA Business School signs partnership with McGill University, strengthening its presence in Canada
Summary: NEOMA Business School has partnered with McGill University to expand international collaboration in business education. The agreement focuses on student exchanges, joint academic initiatives, and research collaboration, strengthening global exposure and cross-institutional learning opportunities. The partnership reflects a broader strategy to enhance internationalization, diversify learning experiences, and build global networks. By aligning with a leading university, NEOMA aims to increase its global visibility and provide students with access to new markets, perspectives, and academic resources. Observations: Strategic partnerships remain a key lever for advancing internationalization in business education. Joint programs and exchanges enhance student exposure to diverse...
Is Schoolwork Optional Now?
Summary: AI tools like agentic bots are transforming education by automating tasks from homework to exams, challenging traditional learning models. Students increasingly use AI to complete assignments, while educators employ AI to streamline grading and course management. This integration raises concerns about academic integrity and the potential erosion of critical thinking and student-teacher relationships. At the same time, AI provides personalized learning support, highlighting both opportunities and risks. Graduate business programs must prepare to navigate this evolving landscape by balancing AI’s educational benefits with maintaining rigorous, ethical academic standards. Observations: AI-powered agents can automate nearly all student assignments, including exams and participation....
Claude Mythos Is Everyone’s Problem
Summary: Anthropic’s newly revealed AI, Claude Mythos Preview, represents a breakthrough in cybersecurity by autonomously identifying thousands of previously undetected vulnerabilities in major software systems. While its power could revolutionize defense by enabling rapid security fixes, it also poses significant risks, as such AI tools could be exploited for large-scale cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. Anthropic is limiting access to a select consortium, highlighting ethical concerns within AI development. This development signals a new era where AI’s dual-use potential challenges global security, demanding that organizations—including graduate business programs—understand AI’s profound influence on technology, ethics, and governance. Observations: AI is rapidly evolving beyond...
Gen Z Increasingly Skeptical of — And Angry About — Artificial Intelligence
Summary: A 2026 Gallup survey shows Gen Z is increasingly skeptical and even angry about artificial intelligence, despite continued use. Compared to 2025, excitement and optimism have dropped sharply, while anger and anxiety have risen. Many believe AI harms learning, weakens critical thinking, and threatens job prospects. Nearly half see workplace risks outweighing benefits, and fewer trust AI for accurate information or creativity. Still, most accept AI as unavoidable and expect to use it in education and careers, creating a tension between reliance and distrust. Observations: Student sentiment toward AI is deteriorating even as usage remains steady. Learners increasingly associate AI with reduced cognitive development and weaker learning outcomes. Career anxiety is a major driver of...
The Business School-to-Career Disconnect
Summary: There is a significant gap between graduate business students’ career intentions—such as entrepreneurship and social impact—and their actual employment outcomes, primarily due to market realities, financial needs, and limited job opportunities in those fields. Traditional sectors like consulting, finance, and technology continue to dominate MBA employment. Schools are adapting by encouraging flexible, non-linear career paths, promoting networking, and emphasizing skill-building over specific job placements. This shift reflects a changing recruitment landscape, moving away from concentrated hiring toward diverse, smaller-scale employers, requiring students to proactively seek opportunities beyond traditional pipelines. Observations: Many students’ career goals in impact and...
Which Jobs Are Most at Risk in the Age of AI?
Summary: The article examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping the labor market by placing certain jobs—especially those involving routine, predictable tasks—at higher risk of automation. Roles in fields such as administrative support, customer service, and basic analysis are particularly vulnerable, while jobs requiring complex judgment, creativity, and human interaction remain more resilient. The impact varies by skill level and occupation, with even some high-skilled roles exposed to AI disruption. The piece underscores the need for workers and educators to adapt by emphasizing durable skills that complement AI rather than compete with it. Observations: Routine and task-based roles are most susceptible to AI-driven displacement. AI is affecting both low- and high-skilled jobs,...
Converting Experience Into Real-World Impact
Summary: AACSB’s article highlights a shift in business education from knowledge delivery to measurable societal impact. Schools are aligning teaching, research, and engagement with real-world challenges across people, economy, and environment domains. More than 1,000 institutions report nearly 12,000 initiatives, increasingly integrated into strategy, curriculum, and partnerships. The focus is moving from activity tracking to outcomes and accountability, with growing use of KPIs and frameworks like Theory of Change. New 2026 standards emphasize strategic alignment, evidence of impact, and continuous improvement, positioning business schools as active contributors to societal progress rather than passive knowledge providers. (AACSB) Observations: Societal impact is becoming a core...
Bringing Stopped-Out Students Back to College
Summary: Michigan’s statewide initiative to re-enroll adults who stopped out of college highlights the critical role of combining personalized coaching with technology to reconnect learners and increase degree completion. Partnering with ReUp Education, 18 public institutions have centralized outreach efforts, resulting in nearly 14,000 re-enrollments and over 1,700 graduates. Addressing financial barriers and fostering ongoing support are key to sustaining momentum. This approach not only tackles enrollment declines amid shrinking high school graduate populations but also enhances workforce readiness and institutional revenue, offering a scalable model for similar efforts nationwide. Observations: Stopped-out students represent a significant opportunity to boost adult credential...
How Experiential Learning Signals Career Readiness
Summary: Experiential learning signals graduates’ career readiness by demonstrating their ability to manage ambiguity, accountability, and real-world challenges. The strongest signals come from activities involving direct execution for external stakeholders with measurable outcomes, while weaker signals arise from hypothetical or internally focused assignments. AI tools can enhance experiential learning but require faculty oversight to ensure true skill assessment. Business programs should differentiate experiential learning by signal strength, which depends on authenticity, feedback, iteration, and accountability. Recognizing these nuances helps align curriculum design with employer expectations in a changing educational and technological landscape. Observations: Employers prioritize...
AI’s Effect on Grading, Assessment, and Course Evaluation
Summary: AI’s growing role in higher education is reshaping grading, assessment, and course design. While AI tools can streamline faculty workloads, their use raises concerns about pedagogical integrity and job security amid financial challenges in academe. Institutions are grappling with balancing AI adoption and preserving human interaction, striving to guide responsible faculty use. This evolving landscape demands thoughtful integration strategies to maintain educational quality and adapt to AI’s influence on traditionally human-centered academic tasks. Observations: AI tools are increasingly used in grading and course design despite concerns. Faculty feel tension between AI benefits and threats to pedagogical roles. Institutions often lack clear policies guiding AI’s academic use. AI...
AI Is Routine for College Students, Despite Campus Limits
Summary: A recent study reveals that 57% of U.S. college students use AI in coursework weekly, despite many institutions discouraging or prohibiting its use. Business, technology, and engineering majors report the highest usage. Students primarily use AI to understand complex material, save time, and improve grades. Notably, there is a disconnect between frequent student AI use and institutional policies. Graduate business programs must recognize AI’s integral role in learning and prepare students with clear guidelines and practical applications to align academic practices with workforce expectations. Observations: Over half of students use AI regularly, even with institutional restrictions. Business and technology students are the most frequent AI users. AI is valued mainly for...
Can’t Quit the Lecture? Try Quasi-Active Learning
Summary: Quasi-active learning blends traditional lecturing with structured student engagement by preparing students before class, using lecture as a launchpad for interactive activities, and ending with reflection. This approach offers a practical middle ground, enhancing learning without overhauling teaching styles. By integrating pre-class materials, brief active pauses, and reflective assessments, educators foster deeper understanding, accommodate diverse learning styles, and build classroom community. This method supports sustainable pedagogical improvement, making lecture-based courses more effective and inclusive across disciplines, including graduate business education. Observations: Lecture remains dominant due to efficiency and familiarity despite active learning benefits....
Online MBAs and EMBAs triumph with more experienced students
Summary: Online and executive MBA programs are increasingly attracting more experienced professionals who prioritize maintaining their careers while studying. Flexibility to study evenings and weekends allows students to balance work, family, and education without sacrificing income. Business schools are tailoring offerings to distinct student groups: career advancers often choose online or EMBA formats to remain employed, while career switchers lean toward full-time programs for a clean break and internship opportunities. This diversification expands access and addresses varied career goals, reflecting a strategic adaptation in graduate business education to evolving student needs and life circumstances. Observations: Experienced professionals favor online and executive MBAs that allow...
Rising AI Adoption Spurs Workforce Changes
Summary: AI adoption is accelerating across workplaces, driving significant shifts in how work is performed and managed. Gallup finds more employees are using AI tools regularly, leading to increased efficiency but also concerns about job displacement and changing skill requirements. While some workers report productivity gains, many feel unprepared for AI integration and lack clear organizational guidance. Leaders are beginning to adapt by redefining roles, emphasizing upskilling, and integrating AI into workflows, but gaps remain in training and communication. Observations: AI use is expanding rapidly, reshaping daily work and job expectations. Employees are adopting AI faster than organizations are providing guidance. Skill gaps are widening, particularly in AI literacy and...
Measuring Cognitive Resilience in the AI Age
Summary: The article argues that cognitive resilience—the ability to adapt thinking, manage complexity, and persist through uncertainty—is becoming a critical skill in the AI age. As AI tools handle routine cognitive tasks, human value shifts toward judgment, creativity, and adaptability. Business schools must move beyond traditional knowledge transfer to intentionally develop these higher-order capabilities. This requires new approaches to assessment, curriculum design, and learning experiences that challenge students to think critically, navigate ambiguity, and continuously learn, ensuring graduates remain effective in rapidly evolving, AI-enabled workplaces. Observations: AI is shifting the value of human skills from knowledge recall to adaptive thinking. Cognitive resilience is a...
A Holistic Reimagining of the Student Journey
Summary: This piece highlights a transformative approach to graduate business education, emphasizing a holistic, flexible, and meaningful student journey. Integrating real-world projects, industry collaborations, and global perspectives, the program nurtures critical reasoning, digital fluency, and a sense of purpose aligned with evolving career landscapes. By connecting classroom learning with practical experience, it prepares students not just to graduate, but to thrive and innovate in a digitally connected, sustainable world. Observations: Coherent and personalized learning journeys increase student engagement and success. Embedding global issues like sustainability enriches curriculum relevance. Industry partnerships in capstone projects enhance career readiness and networking....
Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School to Host 2026 SEC MBA Case Competition
Extracted Content: Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School will host the 2026 Southeastern Conference (SEC) MBA Case Competition, welcoming teams of MBA students from across the SEC to College Station. Dell will serve as the client sponsor, presenting the business case. In its 13th year, the annual SEC MBA Case Competition is a premier event established to showcase the skills and strategic thinking of MBA students and to give participants the opportunity to tackle real-world business challenges. Citation: Mays Business School. “Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School to Host 2026 SEC MBA Case Competition.” Mays Business School News, January 26, 2026....
The AI Challenge
Summary: The rapid integration of generative AI tools in higher education presents both opportunities and challenges for learning and scholarship. Faculty largely see AI’s role as a legitimate aid when used ethically—such as drafting syllabi or enhancing student work—though concerns about misuse persist. Institutions are responding by developing frameworks that emphasize core educational values while fostering digital literacy and critical thinking. This balanced approach helps prepare learners to navigate AI responsibly, ensuring their academic integrity and adaptability in a transforming landscape. How might your program adapt to support both innovation and ethical use of AI in learning? Observations: Faculty differentiate between ethical AI use and cheating, but uncertainty about...
There’s an intensifying kind of threat to academic freedom – watchful students serving as informants
Summary: The article discusses an increasing threat to academic freedom in U.S. higher education institutions—students serving as informants on professors for perceived ideological infractions. This phenomenon is highlighted by incidents at Texas A&M University, where faculty faced repercussions for their teaching content deemed non-compliant with prevailing political directives, such as an executive order from President Trump defining gender identity biologically. A study cited within the article reveals that a significant number of college students feel entitled to report their professors for objectionable content, contributing to a culture of self-censorship among faculty members concerned about the repercussions of being recorded without consent. Observations: There's an emerging...
Why the real revolution isn’t AI — it’s meaning
Summary: The article emphasizes that the true revolution in business is not artificial intelligence itself but the search for meaning in a technologically advanced world. AI is a tool, but its impact depends on how people interpret and apply it to create purpose and value. Graduate business programs should focus on cultivating critical thinking, ethical judgment, and meaning-making rather than solely technical AI skills. This approach helps students navigate complex, uncertain environments and lead organizations with a human-centered, purpose-driven mindset. Observations: AI’s significance lies in how humans assign meaning to its use. Graduates benefit from education that balances technology with ethics and critical thinking. Meaning-making skills are essential for leadership in a...
Data Shows AI ‘Disconnect’ in Higher Ed Workforce
Summary: Recent data reveals that while a high percentage (94%) of higher education employees use AI tools, only just over half (54%) are cognizant of their institution's AI use policies. The Educause report shows a noticeable 'disconnect' with potential implications for data governance, even when policies are in place. Moreover, a survey highlighted that a majority of higher ed workers (86%) are open to AI tool usage despite not being mandated, and many are using external AI tools (56%) unbeknownst to their institutions, indicating varying levels of engagement and awareness regarding AI's role in their work environment. Observations: There is a significant gap between the usage of AI tools and awareness of institutional AI policies among higher education workers. Higher education staff...
Why Cyberattacks in Higher Ed Keep Proliferating
Summary: Colleges are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks, a situation underscored by recent security breaches affecting institutions like the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, and Princeton University. These incidents highlight a critical reality in higher education: a single human error or system flaw can expose thousands of individuals' personal data to serious risk. Observations: Prestigious universities are not immune to cybersecurity threats, indicating widespread vulnerability across the educational sector. Human error remains a significant factor in the susceptibility of institutions to cyberattacks. The impact of these breaches extends to vast numbers of individuals, compromising personal data on a large scale. The recurrence of such incidents suggests a need...
Three Reasons We Can’t Get Enough of LinkedIn
Summary: LinkedIn has surged to 1.3 billion members and 17 billion USD in revenue by prioritizing professional trust over toxic engagement. Its foundational real-name requirement fosters civility and encourages higher-level discourse centered on business fundamentals rather than rumors. By utilizing an algorithm that promotes "economic opportunity" and constructive content, the platform has evolved from a job-search tool into a daily hub for insightful professional writing. Professionals are increasingly migrating there to escape the controversy and declining moderation prevalent on other social media platforms. Observations: Real-identity verification acts as a powerful deterrent against toxicity, as users are less likely to post content that might alienate potential recruiters or...
Oracle Hack Impacts 3.5M Associated With University of Phoenix
Summary: The University of Phoenix experienced a significant breach due to an Oracle E-Business Suite vulnerability, affecting 3.5 million individuals including students, alumni, faculty, and staff. The breach, detected on November 21, 2025, involved unauthorized access and data exfiltration, exposing sensitive information such as names, Social Security numbers, and banking details. Despite this, the University, after deploying a patch issued by Oracle, anticipates no material adverse impact on its operations or programming. Observations: Vulnerabilities in widely used enterprise resource planning tools can expose vast amounts of sensitive data. Threat actors can exploit zero-day vulnerabilities with minimal network footprint, complicating detection. Timely patch deployment is critical...
Your Key Survival Skill for 2026: Critical Ignoring
Summary: In the evolving landscape of global business education, "Your Key Survival Skill for 2026: Critical Ignoring" proposes a strategic approach. It emphasizes the importance of discerning what information, trends, and tasks to prioritize amidst an overflow of data. By focusing on relevant changes and dismissing distractions, program leaders can better adapt to current educational demands and prepare for future challenges, thereby ensuring that their programs remain pertinent and forward-thinking. Observations: Information overload is a pressing challenge; recognizing what to ignore is as crucial as knowing what to focus on. The ability to filter relevant versus non-essential information could determine the agility and resilience of a program. Adaptation strategies centered around...
AI prompt engineering is a critical new skillset
Summary: AI prompt engineering is emerging as an essential skill in education, transforming teaching and learning by enabling precise, thoughtful AI inputs for effective outputs. It supports instruction enhancement, reduces teacher workload through automation of routine tasks, and became a critical competency to teach students for developing metacognition, digital literacy, and ethical AI use. Integrating prompt engineering advances adaptive, student-centered education, streamlines administrative duties, and fosters future-ready skills, aligning with pedagogical shifts, equity goals, and workforce demands in graduate business education. Observations: Prompt engineering boosts instructional quality by enabling customized, standards-aligned AI-generated content. AI can reduce teacher...
From Service to Success: How Institutions Can Transform Veteran Learning Journeys
Summary: Institutions of higher education are uniquely positioned to empower military-affiliated students, including veterans and their families, by creating clear, flexible, career-aligned pathways that honor their service and accelerate their success. Key strategies include awarding credit for military training, building culturally responsive campuses, strengthening workforce pipelines through partnerships, and fostering engagement models tailored to their complex lives. By aligning curricula to their advanced skills and broadening transition support, colleges can shorten time to degree completion, reduce financial stress, and integrate veterans into civilian careers. Such initiatives not only transform student lives but also improve institutional enrollment, career outcomes, and...
Advice | Colleges Must Help Professors Reimagine Assessment. Here’s How.
Summary: In today’s evolving educational landscape, colleges must support professors in reimagining assessment strategies to align with new challenges like AI integration. This involves framing conversations around discipline-specific needs to keep discussions focused and productive. Encouraging faculty to explore innovative assessment techniques within their fields fosters engagement and uncovers valuable insights. Leadership plays a critical role by balancing open dialogue with protecting innovative voices, thus promoting experimentation without fear. By elevating existing faculty efforts and providing structured support, institutions can reshape assessments to enhance learning outcomes while addressing concerns around technology and academic integrity. Observations: Focused,...
B-Schools Need A Structural Reset: Why Career Services Should Sit Above Academic Programs
Summary: The article argues for a fundamental restructuring of business schools by proposing that career services should lead academic program development, reversing the traditional hierarchy. This shift is driven by the growing discrepancy between academic content and the competencies employers seek, such as digital fluency, cross-functional adaptability, and leadership. It suggests that real-time labor market demands, rather than academic tradition, should inform curriculum design, making business education more agile, responsive, and aligned with current job market needs. Observations: The traditional hierarchy within business schools, where academic programs lead and career services follow, is becoming obsolete. There is a significant gap between the skills taught in business schools...
5 essential dimensions of AI literacy
Summary: AI literacy is swiftly transitioning from an optional skill to a critical requirement in the workforce. The Digital Education Council has presented a framework which integrates human-focused abilities, such as critical thinking and emotional intelligence, into AI literacy for higher education. This framework includes five dimensions, each comprising three competency levels, to create a structured approach for understanding and ethically employing AI in professional settings. Observations: AI literacy is increasingly recognized as a fundamental skill for future professionals. The Digital Education Council's framework emphasizes human-centered skills alongside technical AI competencies. The multi-dimensional AI literacy framework introduces a progression through competency levels...
Two Dimensions of MBA Performance, Aptitudes, and Interests
Extracted Content: Abstract - Research on MBA student performance traditionally relies on GPA as the indicator of success. However, business schools aim to develop future leaders for diverse career paths and, as such, value different forms of performance. Admissions decisions are made with the hope that students will excel not only in the classroom, but also through leadership roles and extracurricular engagement. In this research, we challenge the unidimensional conception of MBA success. Across two large-N studies using archival and survey data from an elite U.S. business school, we demonstrate that MBA academic performance falls along two distinct dimensions: systematizing (quantitative, analytical success) and social (verbal, interpersonal success). These dimensions align with the...
5 Reasons Faculty Should Collect Class Data
Summary: The article from Inside Higher Education emphasizes the importance of faculty collecting class data, detailing five key reasons supporting this practice. Class data collection helps enhance teaching methods by providing feedback on what strategies are most effective. It also aids in personalizing student learning experiences, tracking progress, and fostering a proactive teaching environment where faculty can anticipate student needs and adjust accordingly. Importally, it supports accreditation and funding requests by supplying tangible evidence of successful teaching outcomes and areas needing improvement. Observations: Data-driven decision-making is becoming essential in education to tailor and improve teaching strategies. Continuous collection and analysis of classroom data...
AI Is Teaching the Next Generation of M.B.A.s the Classic Case Study
Summary: Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management is reimagining the traditional MBA case study by integrating AI-driven simulations. Rather than passively consuming information, students actively engage AI-powered, personality-driven chatbots representing different stakeholders to uncover data through dynamic conversations. This approach mirrors real-world business challenges, encouraging critical thinking and deeper analysis while preventing easy shortcuts that generative AI might enable. The novel method fosters over 50 conversational exchanges per character, replicating consultant-client interactions and preparing students for strategic problem-solving in complex environments. Observations: AI can transform passive case reading into interactive, investigative learning...
Ask Your Students Why They Use AI
Summary: An article on Inside Higher Ed explores the motivations behind students' use of AI to complete assignments, particularly in the context of community colleges. Even though the context is not graduate programs, there is applicability. It highlights cases where students employed AI due to feelings of inadequacy and past educational failures. The author notes these cases are significant among marginalized and first-generation students, suggesting a deeper issue with self-esteem and educational experiences. This points to the broader implications of educational equity and the correct implementation of AI as an ethical, supportive tool in education. Observations: Students often turn to AI out of a perceived lack of writing skill, driven by negative educational experiences and...
The lecturers learning to spot AI misconduct
Summary: De Montfort University (DMU) is confronting the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in education by balancing the promotion of ethical AI use among students against the prevention of its misuse for academic advantage. Faculty are being trained to identify signs of wrongful AI application, amidst challenges posed by the technology's evolving sophistication. The initiative underscores the importance of critical thinking about AI, with misconduct defined as submitting AI-generated content without proper attribution. This response to AI reflects a broader academic acknowledgment of its necessity and the complexities it introduces into traditional educational frameworks. Observations: Academic institutions are actively adapting to the integration of AI in education by implementing...
‘This Is a Whole New Territory:’ Neg Reg Committee Makes Progress on Definition of Professional Student
Summary: The Department of Education’s RISE committee is making progress in defining “professional student” amid concerns about student loan limits. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), new caps affect graduate and professional students differently, sparking debates over how programs are classified. The committee proposed an interim definition, allowing institutions greater flexibility in designating programs as professional using consumer disclosures or IPEDS reporting. Concerns were raised about potential misuse of program marketing and evidence challenges in identifying professional degrees. Pulse checks on less controversial provisions, such as loan forgiveness, showed tentative agreement, signaling progress despite challenges in rulemaking. Observations: Graduate and...
What our body’s response reveals about AI in the classroom
Summary: The article explores the impact of Generative AI (GenAI) tools, like chatbots, on students' learning experiences in university settings, particularly focusing on emotional and physiological responses compared to interactions with human teachers. While GenAI aids in the educational process, fostering motivation and broadening perspectives, human interaction remains irreplaceable due to its ability to evoke stronger positive emotions and ensure deeper recall from students. The study suggests a blended model that combines the emotional intelligence of teachers with the cognitive stimulation of chatbots could enhance student learning. Observations: Students engaging with human teachers exhibit stronger positive emotions than those interacting with GenAI chatbots. There's a wide...
Ensuring That AI Tools Support Student Learning
Summary: As artificial intelligence (AI) use grows in education, business schools are addressing challenges such as detection, inequitable access, and its potential interference with learning. Faculty are encouraged to integrate AI positively into coursework, emphasizing ethical use and critical thinking skills. Institutions must understand why students use AI—whether for time-saving or skill development—and design structured policies and resources that empower them. By enhancing AI literacy through training and adopting transparent AI approaches, educators can help future business leaders ethically co-evolve with these technologies, balancing innovation with personal and professional development. Observations: AI use by students is often undetectable, presenting challenges for...
Women’s MBA Peers Affect Their Course Choices, Career Paths, and the Gender Pay Gap
Summary: Research shows that female MBA students’ peer groups significantly influence their academic and career decisions, ultimately affecting the gender wage gap. Women assigned to peer groups with more women are more likely to choose quantitative and finance courses, pursue higher-paying careers, and experience reduced wage disparities post-MBA. This suggests that peer dynamics play a critical role in shaping long-term outcomes and that increasing the proportion of women in MBA cohorts can help close gender gaps in both education and earnings. Observations: Peer group composition impacts course selection and career choices. Female-majority peer groups encourage women to enter higher-paying fields. Gender balance in MBA cohorts has measurable effects on wage outcomes. Social influences...
10 Ways AI Is Ruining Your Students’ Writing
Summary: AI tools like ChatGPT are producing student papers with ten predictable flaws, undermining the quality of writing—and thus, critical thinking. These flaws include generating banal arguments, bloated yet empty sentences, fragmented unity due to excessive variation, and misstating causation. Furthermore, AI-generated work often displays a concerning racism problem (e.g., blaming victims), plagiarizes arguments, and contains factual errors about core subjects. The core issue is that AI predicts the next most likely, or obvious, word rather than engaging in the non-obvious analysis required for quality academic writing. Observations: AI Corrupts Core Business Communication Skills: AI writing is fundamentally flawed, yielding banal, disconnected, and factually incorrect prose, which...
Decline in reading is inhibiting learning, academics warn
Summary: Educators warn that students increasingly struggle with deep reading—opting instead for quick, surface-level consumption driven by smartphones, AI, and social media. Business faculty report that many students lack factual grounding or context, undermining critical thinking. To address this, some courses now require students to consume and discuss quality journalism, integrate current business news into curricula, and use tools like AverPoint to gamify media literacy. These efforts aim to rebuild reading habits and analytical skills essential for tomorrow’s leaders. Observations: Attention and context gaps: Students often possess fragmented facts without understanding their sources or relevance. Digital distractions hinder reading: Smartphones, social media, and AI are eroding...
This professor decided to teach his college students Fact-Checking 101 — here’s what happened
Summary: A professor at Georgia State University, responding to the surge of misinformation among students influenced by social media, integrated a Civic Online Reasoning curriculum into an American Government course. The program, which focused on teaching fact-checking skills like lateral reading and evaluating credibility, was delivered through short, asynchronous modules tied to course content. Over two semesters, 3,488 students showed an 18% improvement in identifying unreliable sources and reported increased confidence in evaluating information. This low-effort curriculum adaptation highlights how small, scalable interventions can enhance critical thinking and digital literacy, addressing a growing gap in students' ability to navigate unverified online content. Observations:...
Use of generative AI tools to support learning (University of Oxford Guidance)
Summary: Oxford’s guidance frames generative AI tools (like ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini) as learning-supports—not replacements for critical thinking, strong evidence-based argument, or subject knowledge. Students are urged to use AI tools ethically, with clear attribution, departmental approval, and critical review of outputs. The guidance offers practical advice: checking accuracy, choosing prompts carefully, understanding tool limitations, using AI to support reading, writing, note organization, and study planning—but always alongside active personal effort and discipline-specific standards. Observations: Ethical integrity and academic honesty are central: misuse of AI can count as plagiarism. Oxford expects faculty and departments to set specific rules for AI use per course or...
Who Wants a Business Master’s Degree (Abstract)
Extracted Content: The landscape of GME is significantly impacted by the rising supply of—and candidate interest in—non-MBA business master’s degrees. This research brief offers insights into who prefers business master’s degrees, what they want to study, and how they navigate the decision to invest in higher education. Citation: Graduate Management Admission Council. “Who Wants a Business Master’s Degree.” Accessed September 8, 2025. http://www.gmac.com/market-intelligence-and-research/research-library/admissions-and-application-trends/2025-who-wants-a-business-masters-degree. How about adding a comment below letting me and other readers know your thoughts regarding this content.