The AABS 2025 African Deans and Directors Forum has wrapped up but with lasting impact on business education in the Global South.
The AABS African Deans and Directors Forum is a prestigious event designed to bring together decision-makers from business schools and related entities across Africa and globally. The primary objective of this forum is to foster collaboration and innovation among leaders in the academic and business sectors. Attendees participate in a masterclass where they engage in meaningful discussions about future impactful initiatives and effective problem-solving strategies. This forum not only provides a platform for insightful dialogue but also facilitates the creation of a robust network among participants. As part of the AABS membership, this event offers invaluable opportunities for professional growth and the development of new ventures in the African market.
The Hosts for AABS 2025 are Woxsen University, a private university located in Hyderabad, Telangana, established in 2014 as a School of Business and granted university status in 2020 and two partners: GRLI — Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative Impact Partner [Impact Partner], and CLADEA — The Latin American Council of Management Schools [Regional Partner]. Here are my curated reflections on how the meeting wrapped up today, Friday, 14 November 2025.
As Anne Wilson of SABSA -South African Business Schools Association posted on LinkedIn, “Entrepreneurship education in the Global South is undergoing a significant shift, and today’s panel at the AABS conference in India highlighted this evolution.”
The discussion explored how business schools can prepare innovators who are locally rooted, globally capable and socially responsible-while building ecosystems that enable meaningful impact.
The panel featured the likes of Prof Bernard Obeng, Dean of GIMPA Business School (Accra, Ghana), and Jordi Rey, Director of International Partnerships at Geneva Business School (Switzerland), and member of the CLADEA Steering Committee. A few powerful themes emerged:
- Partnerships as catalysts: Cross-border collaboration, regional networks and industry linkages expand access, accelerate innovation and strengthen inclusion.
- Mindset over content: Modern entrepreneurship education must prioritise problem-solving, adaptability, ethical reasoning and experiential learning-not only theory.
- Global perspective, local relevance: Global insights gain real power when applied to local socio-economic challenges in Africa, India, Latin America and beyond.
- Human-centred innovation: As AI and technology advance, emotional intelligence, ethics, values and sustainability must remain at the core of entrepreneurial practice.
- Preparing graduates for life: Entrepreneurial thinking and responsible leadership equip students to create value wherever they choose to work or build ventures. The conversation reinforced how partnerships, purpose and values-based innovation can shape a more inclusive and impactful future for the Global South.
In a related development “Deep Dive | The Future of Research and Knowledge Creation in the Global South” the AABS reported:
A forward-looking deep dive into how Global South institutions can lead in generating knowledge that shapes global relevance.
Nicolas ARNAUD, Dean of UIR Rabat Business School, and Manuel Ortiz de Zevallos, Executive Director of CLADEA?—?Consejo Latinoamericano de Escuelas de Administración, discussed collaborative research networks, elevating local impact internationally, and rebalancing global knowledge flows.
The session […] emphasized the opportunity for Global South scholarship to reshape management thinking worldwide. For example, the Association of African Business Schools (AABS) and CLADEA — Consejo Latinoamericano de Escuelas de Administración signed a landmark cooperation agreement to strengthen collaboration between Africa and Latin America in advancing business education.
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This partnership establishes a shared framework for joint initiatives, academic exchange, and capacity building, reflecting a commitment to development, sustainability, and ethics in business education. The agreement reinforces that both associations will collaborate in harmony with their social environments while advancing mutual objectives.
A decisive step toward expanding global collaboration and amplifying new voices shaping the future of business education.
And finally…
The Association of African Business Schools, CLADEA — Consejo Latinoamericano de Escuelas de Administración, and AMDISA — Association of Management Development Institutions in South Asia have signed a collaborative agreement to strengthen cooperation across Africa, Latin America, and South Asia.
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The parties will identify opportunities of common interest, including academic information exchange, joint events, and communication of relevant activities through their respective platforms. Collaborative actions, such as conferences, research projects, or training programs, will be developed and approved collectively, with no membership fees or financial commitments implied. Each association will assume its own costs for jointly agreed initiatives.
A strategic partnership expanding academic exchange and building bridges across three dynamic regions shaping the future of global business education.
Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.