Howard Thomas, Professor Emeritus of Strategic Management and Management Education at SMU

The origins of the Business Education Jam

“A free-flowing convergence of ideas”. “A dialogue on business education”. “Not your typical conference”. The upcoming Business Education Jam (BEJ) format may have inspired plenty of taglines, and, indeed, the first Southeast Asia jam held at the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB) on 28 August promises to be a dynamic, collaborative event to share, learn and envision the future of business education in Southeast Asia.

However, for those used to sitting back and listening to a line-up of speakers at a conference, a no-holds-barred “jam” might sound a tad intimidating. Who better, then, than Professor Howard Thomas, currently the Ahmass Fakahany Distinguished Visiting Professor of Global Leadership at Questrom and Professor Emeritus of Strategic Management and Management Education at SMU, to provide an insider look at the BEJ? After all, the former dean of LKCSB was part of the very first BEJ held at the Executive Leadership Center of Boston University’s Questrom School of Business in 2014, and led the Business Education Jam: Africa earlier this year.

 

“The word ‘jam’ comes from New Orleans and jazz, and the concept of jamming is going to a jazz bar on Bourbon Street, where musicians will bring their own instruments and have an impromptu recital,” explains Professor Thomas.

“At the original BEJ at Boston University, we engaged in a 60-hour continuous conversation with participants from around the world to talk about where business schools were going. But that revolved mainly around more traditional western business schools. We had a few respondents from Africa, Latin America and Asia then so we decided after the first jam to do a series of events, like this one in Singapore.”

From the effects of Trump America on the business landscape, to the need to evolve business education in an age of digitalisation, we chat more with the BEJ veteran and “serial dean” on what to expect from the Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018 at SMU:

The Southeast Asian conversation

To date, the Business Education Jam has been conducted in the US, China and Africa. But with Southeast Asia emerging as a global growth leader, and business education providing the foundation for navigating an increasingly complex business environment, this upcoming jam comes at a timely juncture.

“What we are trying to do is give a voice to an Asian business school community. Asian business schools need to address the Asian differences, and the ‘three Cs’ of ‘country’, ‘culture’ and ‘context’,” says Professor Thomas, who will be conducting the opening and closing addresses at BEJ: Singapore 2018.

“People talk about Africa like it is one country, when in fact it is a continent of 54 countries with different tribes and cultures. Similarly, Asia is not just one place, but many countries and regions with vastly different cultures, levels of economic growth and poverty levels.”

Traditionally, the structure and curricular of business schools around the world have been influenced by traditional North American models. However, this one-size-fits-all model needs to be disrupted with the rise of new global superpowers and hotspots of influence. The Southeast Asian iteration of this symposium aims to have the academic community and industry players in Southeast Asia come together to discuss their perception of business education, And raise the question of how business education can be customised and transformed for an Asian context.

“To make business schools relevant, we need to understand each country and its cultural norms,” adds Professor Thomas. “The best schools should couple the best in America, Africa and other parts of the world with an understanding of and pride for Asian culture and heritage.”

An ever-transforming landscape

The business environment has changed dramatically in the last decade since the global financial crisis, and business schools need to respond to the shifts in power, politics and technology, says Professor Thomas.

“First, the widening gap between the wealthy and the poor has led to the rise of nationalism and populism, with the Trump and Brexit environments in the West,” says Professor Thomas.

“This can never work, we will never get anywhere without global integration. We need to answer the needs of others in the world. In this climate, we need to look at how capitalism works and be more inclusive, while examining the role of businesses to work in partnership with governments to address these tensions.”

There also has been a rapid growth in extreme monopolistic power brought about by the digital economy. Companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook and Apple have become large monopolies that have crowded out the competition.

“The way we teach monopoly power in business school is when any company has over 25 per cent of market share,” adds Professor Thomas.

“But I can guarantee you that the market shares of these companies are far in excess of that percentage. What Amazon has done is change the entire retail landscape such that department stores or malls are struggling for survival.”

In a digital world

 Digitalisation has had far-reaching effects on almost all industries, including the business of education. Specifically, technology has also been shaping business schools, and will have an even greater impact on education in the near future by shaking up the role of the educator, and transforming approaches to teaching.

“Our students are more literate than the people teaching in the classroom,” admits Professor Thomas.

“We need to make our teaching more relevant first by applying the immediacy of technology.”

For example, case studies are an integral part of business school education to spur debate among students about real life business scenarios. Such studies are written by the faculty of SMU or other schools, and they generally catalogue events that have occurred in the past. However, students can now go online and learn about the actions and decisions that a company had just made yesterday, instead of reading historical cases that are in all likelihood irrelevant today. Furthermore, with modern employees enjoying more flexibility in structuring how, when and where they work, there is a strong demand for flexible learning arrangements. Thanks to advancements in technology, today’s student should be empowered with the ability to customise their own pace, place and mode of learning.

Hence, there is a need to achieve that kind of immediacy and technological relevance in the way business education is conducted, such as streaming in a live conversation with a CEO via video in a classroom. Because students today are likely to be more tech-literate than educators, there is an opportunity to take the SMU participative learning experience to the next level: Educators may view millennials as collaborators in the development of learning materials and experiences.

A greater purpose

Above all, the nature and purpose of the business school, its value to society, and its corporate value, has to be examined for it to remain relevant. The SMU-X initiative has been engaging the students in project based learning, moulding them to be responsible to not just the corporate world but also civil society and the government. The purpose of management is not just to pay lip service to CSR (corporate social responsibility), but be active and equal partners with society and the government.

“Some of our own people have been such advocates of capitalism and maximising shareholders’ value for a long time,” says Professor Thomas.

“But looking back at the global financial crisis, we were enabling shylocks to extract value from a capitalist system with great ethical lapses. As educators, we need to question how the concept of maximising shareholder value and capitalism can be inclusive for everybody in value chain? How we can build a market economy that works for everyone?”

How will the traditional model of business education be disrupted in Asia? Hear from our panel comprising of Gerry George – Dean of the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Georgina O’Brien – Head of LinkedIn Learning Asia, Kris Sasitharan – Global HR Business Partner, Standard Chartered Bank and Jason Lawrence – Director of Market Development in North Asia from GMAC in the Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018.

 Join us on Facebook Live this 28 August 2018, 4pm SGT.

Rick Smith, Professor, Deputy Dean, Programmes, SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB)

Recipe for Innovation

We are all part of a fast-paced society wherein moving forward is a daily fixation, and self-reflection a luxury we would rather avoid. Why take time to reflect when there is so much pressure to be outwardly productive and ever busy? Why delve within when we can get lost in the grind of keeping ahead of the competition?

However, Professor Rick Smith, Deputy Dean, Programmes, of the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB), has made it his business to reflect upon the future of business education. Having recently launched his book, Rethinking the Business Model Business of Business Schools, Prof Smith is intrigued with how business education needs to innovate to remain relevant. Come 28 August 2018, he will be spearheading a global dialogue on advancing business education at the Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018, hosted by LKCSB.

“The concept of ‘jamming’ comes from jazz musicians who get together, improvise and explore different tunes,” says Prof Smith. This is a very different process than an orchestra performing a refined piece of classical music.

“The idea of the Business Education Jam is similar to the jazz musician intent: to bring together those with vested interests in a forum for us to share ideas and concepts and challenge one another so that we are more thoughtful about what we’re doing not only in LKCSB, but for business education in general around the world.”

Many argue that with changes in technology, globalisation, and employer expectations, the traditional model of business school education is primed to be disrupted. Just as the current landscape of business and higher education is fast evolving and unpredictable, the jam is also formatted to be open-ended and engaging to address the transformative changes that will affect business schools.

“The Jam event is more exploratory in nature which perhaps makes our conference organisers more nervous,” laughs Prof Smith.

“At a traditional conference, organising speakers come up with specific messages that are going to delivered. But with the concept of the jam, we throw things out, we innovate, and see what happens. Rather than a clear recipe, we have ingredients we put in and see what we get out of it.”

Raising questions

The goal of the upcoming Jam is to spark a conversation among students, both current students or prospective ones, alumni, faculty from business schools in the region, and employers about the current state of business education — and changes that need to take place amid an increasingly digitalised and globalised world.

“The university concept goes back hundreds of years and we have kept the tradition alive in societies around the world for many good reasons. For business schools, we are a part of the academic tradition, yet also serve a changing and dynamic business world today.” explains Prof Smith.

“And so, it is an interesting inflexion point in time as a society and as academics. When might we ask the tough questions and say – wait a minute, even though this has been going on for many of years, should we do things differently now? It’ s a little unsettling and yet very exciting.”

For starters, schools used to serve local communities. But now, there are universities situated around the world. Globalisation has led to the rise of alliances which have seen schools working together. The many of top ranked programmes, for example, are global university alliances, allowing students to interact with world-class professors and thinkers for a truly globalised education.

Furthermore, technology has provided an increasingly broad range of online learning options, and with bandwidths being accessible to students in many countries, educational institutions may need to evolve their means of delivering information to a wider audience. But with the rise of connectivity comes the question concerning the willingness of students (or parents) to pay for education. If students are inclined to pick up information through sources like video-sharing website YouTube, what would make them want to pay the tuition fees for a university education?

“Business schools need to think about their fundamental value proposition,” says Prof Smith.

“There is a pressure on the current assumption that students graduate from schools ready to take on anything that comes their way in the workforce, and perhaps come back for an MBA after a few years. In reality, education is lifelong as we need to equip ourselves with continuous learning. At our Jam, we will raise these questions and see what needs to be addressed and innovated.”

Need for change

For schools to remain relevant, Prof Smith believes that the business model of business education needs to be reconsidered. While top schools like the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business pride themselves on research, he emphasizes that we need to work harder to make sure that business research has relevance to make an impact in the corporate sector. After all, the professor has spent most of his working life in the corporate world, most recently as managing director of management consulting at Accenture, before joining SMU in 2012.

Prof Smith also brings up the importance of producing grads with the right skills to meet the needs of dynamic, digitally-driven businesses. While schools in the past did not have the impetus to change the way they conducted their programmes, students today also have more options for higher education from around the world. Hence, business schools need to think about their competitive differentiation and how they are unique compared to educational institutions. This is important for both students as well as employers.

With many questions facing the future of business schools in the near future, Prof Smith expects the Jam to be a lively discussion that will ignite questions about business education.

“I am really hoping to get some active debate, maybe nothing too violent, but some active disagreements around concepts and ideas which we need more of to be honest,” says Prof Smith.

“I am not suggesting we will come up with a list of new answers, but we hope to bring together different stakeholders, put aside the formalities of who’s a student, who’s an alumnus, who’s a faculty, that and join together in one conversation… and ask the right questions.”

How will the traditional model of business education be disrupted in Asia? Hear from our panel comprising of Gerry George – Dean of the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Georgina O’Brien – Head of LinkedIn Learning Asia, Kris Sasitharan – Global HR Business Partner, Standard Chartered Bank and Jason Lawrence – Director of Market Development in North Asia from GMAC in the Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018.

 Join us on Facebook Live this 28 August 2018, 4pm SGT.

Kris Sasitharan, Executive MBA Student at SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business

Making over the Executive MBA

A veteran recruiter and citizen of the world—having worked and studied in the US, UK, Russia, Hong Kong and now, Singapore—Kris Sasitharan is the archetypal student for SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business’ Executive MBA programme. Tailored for senior leaders from across Asia, the Middle East and Europe, the rigorous EMBA aims to prepare future leaders for the challenges of leading organisations in regional markets.

Kris, currently Global HR Business Partner, Group Finance and Group Treasury at Standard Chartered Bank, recently graduated Summa cum Laude from the programme. The experienced senior executive recruiter gives us a sneak preview of his own business school story, leading up to the much-anticipated Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018 happening on 28 August 2018.

Transforming the way we are taught

The way information is consumed has been disrupted in recent years with the rise of online resources. More than ever before, media literacy and the ability to discern quality content from fake news is vital.

“Twenty years ago, we had to buy and read physical books and now, most of the content is being uploaded on the Internet,” says Kris.

“With the availability of information on the Net, we also need to start to be more cautious of what’s true and what’s not. All that also has to translate into the concept of education and how education is delivered.”

Business education also needs to keep up with how things are taught, adds Kris. Staying relevant and practical in the real world is just as important now as learning theories and concepts, especially with the constant advances in technology and the way people are doing business. Traditional models of business education need to catch on to the application of these concepts and teach students how they can adapt.

“Historically people studied for 21-24 years of their lives (i.e. until graduation) and stuck with one employer for the next 40 or so years,” adds Kris.

“With increased life expectancy the above “model” is being challenged., One is required to constantly push and re-educate oneself to stay relevant.”

From a business education perspective, how can institutions be more agile and current in helping students stay relevant, even after graduation? The content covered needs to be reviewed and refreshed regularly so students always get the most current information.

“Institutions also need to think carefully about how education is being delivered,” observes Kris.

“For example, in our EMBA class, the spread was around 30 years between students – we had baby boomers, Gens X and Y as well as millennials, all in one classroom.  As life expectancy increases, we’ll start having wider age ranges in classrooms and education professionals need to think about how information can be delivered effectively to each person.”

Lastly, schools should also constantly reevaluate the way students are assessed. One needs to remember that the learning aspect is more important than grading someone based on their ability to achieve the highest score or regurgitate the most information in an exam. The real ROI here is how education has enabled individuals to excel and create an impact in the real world.

Still to come

For alumni like Kris, being part of the Business Education Jam is an opportunity to start a conversation with students, graduates, educators and industry players on the future of business education.

“With all the changes in the business environment and unpredictability that’s arisen because of advancements in technology, companies are constantly finding new ways to manage, to cultivate best practices and measure performance. There is no set standard in the business world or formula for others to follow, so it’s always exciting to hear, share and learn from different perspectives.”

How will the traditional model of business education be disrupted in Asia? Hear from our panel comprising of Gerry George – Dean of the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Georgina O’Brien – Head of LinkedIn Learning Asia, Kris Sasitharan – Global HR Business Partner, Standard Chartered Bank and Jason Lawrence – Director of Market Development in North Asia from GMAC in the Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018.

 Join us on Facebook Live this 28 August 2018, 4pm SGT.

Jason Lawrence, Director, Market Development of East Asia, Graduate Management Admission Council

It seems like everyone is content to have matriculated from the University of Google these days. With the advent of the Internet and the habit of turning to the search engine giant for instant answers—from the best spot for roti prata to a crash course on mining cryptocurrency, students tend to rely heavily on the immediacy of online information gathering. This worrying trend is set to threaten the current model of business education, says Jason Lawrence, director, market development – East Asia at the Graduate Management Admission Council.

“Technology poses the biggest threat,” says Jason, who will be a panelist at the upcoming Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018 held at SMU.

“It is great that we have instant access to information, but the question is whether that information translates into actual learning and understanding.”

The Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018, which will take place on 28 August 2018, is a global dialogue on advancing business education.

Jason, who has extensive Asian experience in graduate management education and professional education and training, explains that such a diet of instantaneous, unverified information may come at the expense of analytical thought and rigorous research that is synonymous with the higher education experience.

“You can ‘Google’ a question and get myriad answers, but the issue of how accurate the information is arises because almost everyone has access to the Internet and is allowed to post answers and opinions,” says Jason, who works at GMAC, a global association of graduate business schools.

“This hence lies in opposition to traditional business school education because it makes use of case studies and explores the development of practical competencies such as presentation skills to educate students and equip students with the essential tools to excel in the business world.”

With advancement in technology, the way people consume information changes and this might be detrimental to the traditional model of business school education, he adds.

An ongoing pursuit of knowledge

The business world and, consequently, business education, is in constant flux with lightning speed changes in technology and world affairs. While traditional education was rooted in long established models and curricular, teaching methodology and ideology are also up for a transformation to reflect the realm beyond academia.

“On top of schools needing to stay relevant, the speed at which they change and evolve is also important as business trends are going through constant fluctuations,” adds Jason, who is based in Hong Kong.

“The Singapore government is the first in the world to address the issue of life-long learning and because of the different ways people are taking in information, schools need to take into account how fast they can keep up and ensure that both their practical lectures and lessons and also virtual classrooms keeps up with the changes.”

Rather than stick doggedly to two- or three-year programmes, business schools may need to consider how they can remain a part of a graduate’s quest for updated information long after their programme has reached its completion—because today’s student is one for life, not just for a couple of courses or semesters.

Retaining relevance

 In order to remain connected with and make an impact on the world beyond the cloistered confines of a campus, academics will have to be immersed in industry, governmental and political developments in the region and beyond. This will allow educators to always be on the pulse on the latest innovations and instill in students a love for lifelong learning.

“Most schools have an idea or are tracking what’s going on in the real world,” says Jason.

“They will need to enable students to walk out with a certain mindset to analyse things from a different perspective. A lot of the things a student learns might not be relevant on a daily basis, but the analytical skills you get will still be relevant. So take those analytical and critical skills and make sure to keep reading, keep yourself updated.”

And it is for this very reason that Jason is looking forward to the Business Education Jam: Being able to learn first-hand the issues and challenges that industry players are facing so he can better encourage students to pursue a business education.

“I’m definitely looking forward to more sharing of ideas and hearing insights from other participants and panelists such as Gerard George, Dean of LKCSB,” says Jason.

“I’m also looking forward to hearing some questions candidates might have in terms of modern day business school education and also hoping to litigate some of their concerns.”

 How will the traditional model of business education be disrupted in Asia? Hear from our panel comprising of Gerry George – Dean of the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Georgina O’Brien – Head of LinkedIn Learning Asia, Kris Sasitharan – Global HR Business Partner, Standard Chartered Bank and Jason Lawrence – Director of Market Development in North Asia from GMAC in the Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018.

Join us on Facebook Live this 28 August 2018, 4pm SGT.

Gerry George, Dean of Lee Kong Chian School of Business

 

The Next Frontier of Learning

Technological innovation and globalisation has resulted in a business landscape that is shifting almost by the minute. Microlearning, according to Professor George, is a way for students to focus on very specific skills to equip them with the tools to stand out in an ever-changing business environment. With AI, machine learning and blockchain technology poised to change the way we do business, education today goes beyond content covered in a classroom. Professor Gerard George, Dean of Lee Kong Chian School of Business, is excited to share ideas on how business education will be disrupted not just in the next five years, but right here and now, at the upcoming Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018.

Technological innovation and globalisation has resulted in a business landscape that is shifting almost by the minute. Microlearning, according to Professor George, is a way for students to focus on very specific skills to equip them with the tools to stand out in an ever-changing business environment. The term refers to a way of teaching that delivers content in concentrated bursts.

“For example, our finance courses all cover a bit on modelling techniques, but they do not certify that you’ve learnt particular modelling skills,” says Professor George.

“Now if I want to be a data analyst, my employer might want to see some form of certification. Is there a way of incorporating a platform whereby students can learn in their own time such specific skills and be certified during the course of their programme?”

The Business Education Jam a congregation of educators, industry players, students and alumni with the shared objective of pushing the envelope on business education.

Educational institutions have already taken steps to embrace the use of technology, but Professor George believes that schools are just on the cusp of maximising the potential of digital tools to deliver the best possible learning experience.

“A trend we will be seeing more of is that of providing a blended education, enabled by technology,” says Professor George.

“Technology has vastly improved with distance learning programmes using videos and other platforms. But what is happening is that big, branded universities will educate using technology, and people will focus on just those big brand names instead of the quality of education.

Not all schools will succeed, especially smaller, niche schools, even if they all employ some element of technology.”

Professor George advocates a blended education programme that combines campus learning with technology-enhanced education. SMU, for example, provides a holistic learning experience that involves physical interactions with corporate partners that cannot be replicated by online videos and presentations. The key is finding the right blend of classroom learning and work experience, together with the flexibility of, say, online instruction that could take place at the convenience of the student.

Global vs local

With globalisation comes the need for contemporary workers to have the right skills to excel in international environments. However, schools will have to find that balance between preparing students for interacting with international partners or even working in a foreign setting and familiarising them with the nuances of local culture and economies.

“It is really a paradox: how can we stand out globally in ranking while retaining a local focus,” says Professor George.

“The pressure to be local is great, but how do you manage that? For example, we work with industry partners, both in research and in teaching, through leadership certification programmes and enrichment programmes within existing degree structures to incorporate some element of localisation. And we need to do a lot more in Southeast Asia than we are now, through entrepreneurship programmes or placements in regional internships.”

Today, students tend to seek higher education with a regional presence as employers usually gravitate towards candidates with knowledge of the local market. According to Professor George, even Chinese graduates from top US universities find difficulty in securing coveted jobs back home as companies require workers trained to handle regional issues. At LKCSB, 40 per cent of the MBA curriculum revolves around ASEAN or Southeast Asian challenges. The faculty also provides plenty of expertise in the region. That said, global brand name degrees still hold plenty of cachet due to credibility and prestige.

“We will think more about global partnerships in our degrees, as people are increasingly globally mobile,” says Professor George.

“Because we are far too new, so we may partner with global brands. There is a need for business schools to adapt, as students want more regional presence but a global brand.”

For more thoughts from Professor Gerard George, join us on Facebook Live this 28 August 2018, 4pm SGT.

Georgina O’Brien, Head of Sales, LinkedIn Learning Asia

Cultivating a love for lifelong learning

The world is made up of different kinds of learners: Some of us absorb information by doodling out mind maps and looking at beautifully designed infographics; others can spend days poring through tomes; while some may prefer getting hands-on experience to pick up a new skill.

“The life cycle of any given skill today is just around three to five years,” reveals Georgina O’Brien, head of sales for LinkedIn Learning Asia and a panellist at the upcoming Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018.

“The business education industry will be heavily focused on upskilling and reskilling, and we will explore how we can support to improve a student’s relevance to the work force, and how we can help with on-demand learning.”

Speakers at the Business Education Jam, held at SMU on 28 August, will no doubt wax lyrical about the role of technology in the transformation of education. And one-way technology could enhance the learning experience is by complementing, not usurping, the current mode of quality brick-and-mortar learning conducted by members of faculty with the industry and academic know-how to enable current competencies in business school students.

Launched last year, LinkedIn Learning is an online platform with over 12,000 courses led by industry experts. It taps on LinkedIn’s 573 million members to gather information on the evolution of jobs, industries, organisations and skills in the fast-changing business world.

“It is a data driven way of learning to enhance high quality content,” explains Georgina about the platform that combines content from Lynda.com, the online education site acquired by LinkedIn in 2015, with the professional social network’s vast user base.

“I now know more about you and your professional life through your LinkedIn profile, and can target the specific courses relevant to your career track and future skill requirements.”

The pursuit of traditional degrees are the foundation for workers’ essential skill set, and they will perhaps choose to continue with post-graduate studies to upgrade their competencies and excel in the workforce. These channels of higher education are crucial for employees in a competitive workplace, whether they are fresh hires or seek to bolster their current positions against changes in a volatile global economy.

“What business education does is carefully formulated and well thought-out,” observes Georgina.

“We want to create that inquisitive mindset complemented by online platforms, deepening the skills that are covered in the classroom to produce true talent solutions to the industry.”

For example, Georgina suggests that online learning can serve as reinforcement for university curriculum: A student might be assigned a three-minute video that will introduce a particular topic, before going into a seminar the next day to delve deeper into the subject together with their peers and faculty. She hopes that platforms like LinkedIn Learning can support the functions of business schools by providing additional tools to promote this need for constant learning.

As of now, LinkedIn Learning covers a range of business, creative, and technical topics, including leadership soft skills, design principles, and programming. Topping the LinkedIn list of most sought-after skills are cloud and distributed computing, followed by statistical analysis and data mining, mobile development, storage systems and management, user interface design, and network and information security.

“Digital is definitely the main trend now and one that cannot be ignored,” adds Georgina.

“Besides e-learning tools, someone who is strong in soft skills like communications will soon need to also upgrade themselves and couple them with digital skills like knowledge in AI, machine learning and perhaps data analytics.”

How will the traditional model of business education be disrupted in Asia? Hear from our panel comprising of Gerry George – Dean of the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Georgina O’Brien – Head of LinkedIn Learning Asia, Kris Sasitharan – Global HR Business Partner, Standard Chartered Bank and Jason Lawrence – Director of Market Development in North Asia from GMAC in the Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018.

Join us on Facebook Live this 28 August 2018, 4pm SGT.

Georgina O’Brien, Cultivating a love for lifelong learning

The world is made up of different kinds of learners: Some of us absorb information by doodling out mind maps and looking at beautifully designed infographics; others can spend days poring through tomes; while some may prefer getting hands-on experience to pick up a new skill.

“The life cycle of any given skill today is just around three to five years,” reveals Georgina O’Brien, head of sales for LinkedIn Learning Asia and a panellist at the upcoming Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018.

“The business education industry will be heavily focused on upskilling and reskilling, and we will explore how we can support to improve a student’s relevance to the work force, and how we can help with on-demand learning.”

Speakers at the Business Education Jam, held at SMU on 28 August, will no doubt wax lyrical about the role of technology in the transformation of education. And one-way technology could enhance the learning experience is by complementing, not usurping, the current mode of quality brick-and-mortar learning conducted by members of faculty with the industry and academic know-how to enable current competencies in business school students.

Launched last year, LinkedIn Learning is an online platform with over 12,000 courses led by industry experts. It taps on LinkedIn’s 573 million members to gather information on the evolution of jobs, industries, organisations and skills in the fast-changing business world.

“It is a data driven way of learning to enhance high quality content,” explains Georgina about the platform that combines content from Lynda.com, the online education site acquired by LinkedIn in 2015, with the professional social network’s vast user base.

“I now know more about you and your professional life through your LinkedIn profile, and can target the specific courses relevant to your career track and future skill requirements.”

The pursuit of traditional degrees are the foundation for workers’ essential skill set, and they will perhaps choose to continue with post-graduate studies to upgrade their competencies and excel in the workforce. These channels of higher education are crucial for employees in a competitive workplace, whether they are fresh hires or seek to bolster their current positions against changes in a volatile global economy.

“What business education does is carefully formulated and well thought-out,” observes Georgina.

“We want to create that inquisitive mindset complemented by online platforms, deepening the skills that are covered in the classroom to produce true talent solutions to the industry.”

For example, Georgina suggests that online learning can serve as reinforcement for university curriculum: A student might be assigned a three-minute video that will introduce a particular topic, before going into a seminar the next day to delve deeper into the subject together with their peers and faculty. She hopes that platforms like LinkedIn Learning can support the functions of business schools by providing additional tools to promote this need for constant learning.

As of now, LinkedIn Learning covers a range of business, creative, and technical topics, including leadership soft skills, design principles, and programming. Topping the LinkedIn list of most sought-after skills are cloud and distributed computing, followed by statistical analysis and data mining, mobile development, storage systems and management, user interface design, and network and information security.

“Digital is definitely the main trend now and one that cannot be ignored,” adds Georgina.

“Besides e-learning tools, someone who is strong in soft skills like communications will soon need to also upgrade themselves and couple them with digital skills like knowledge in AI, machine learning and perhaps data analytics.”

How will the traditional model of business education be disrupted in Asia? Hear from our panel comprising of Gerry George – Dean of the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Georgina O’Brien – Head of LinkedIn Learning Asia, Kris Sasitharan – Global HR Business Partner, Standard Chartered Bank and Jason Lawrence – Director of Market Development in North Asia from GMAC in the Business Education Jam: Singapore 2018.

 Join us on Facebook Live this 28 August 2018, 4pm SGT.