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Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Business School Dean Survey: The Major Threats Facing Business Education
In a survey done in collaboration with the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School, some 75 business school deans identified the major threats to business education and how they were responding to the challenges Business school deans are facing a bewildering array of challenges today. They are juggling a range of concerns, balancing academic excellence, student outcomes, financial sustainability, and industry relevance. Keeping some up at night are the uncertainty over government policy along with rankings and their impact on a school's reputation. But the number one threat to business education, according to a new survey of business school deans, is declining demand due to the coming enrollment cliff. More than a third—34%—of the deans say the expected sharp decline in the number of traditional college-aged students due to declining birth rates and demographic shifts is the major threat to business education today. Not far behind as a major vulnerability is competition from alternative education models, including online certifications and bootcamps, identified as a significant threat by 26%. Declining enrollment due to high tuition costs was next, with 24% naming this issue as the top challenge. Rounding out the top five threats are global economic uncertainties impacting international student enrollment (23%) and reduced employer demand for traditional MBA degrees (18%). In a survey done in collaboration with the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School, some 75 business school deans responded from all over the world. They were surveyed online in the field from early February until mid-March. In addition to the survey questions, deans were asked to amplify their perspectives in a commentary section that guaranteed their anonymity. The results highlight the many challenges business education leaders are facing and how they are dealing with those headwinds. It's particularly relevant at a time of increased debate about the role of higher education in society, the return on investment of a business degree, and the relevance of what students are taught as artificial intelligence begins to disrupt markets. 'Like my peers, we at Miami Herbert recognize these challenges—but we're transforming them into exciting opportunities by leveraging our unique location in Miami,' said Paul A. Pavlou, dean of Miami Herbert. 'Through our 2025-29 Strategic Plan, called 'Moonshot Project,' we personalize each student's journey and ensure lifelong career success with experiential learning, enabled by strong industry partnerships in Miami and beyond.' MIAMI HERBERT'S 'MOONSHOT PROJECT': A BOLD VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS EDUCATION Paul A. Pavlou, dean of Miami Herbert While developed before this survey, Miami Herbert's 2025–2029 strategic plan, the Moonshot Project, aligns closely with many of the challenges and opportunities business school deans have identified. Designed to propel Miami Herbert into the ranks of the world's top 20 business schools, the plan is rooted in bold, future-focused priorities: industry-relevant research, AI-integrated curricula, laser focus on career success with immersive industry engagement, and lifelong learning through executive education. The Moonshot Project underscores Miami Herbert's commitment to personalized education and preparing principled leaders who are ready to lead from day one. Those forward-looking strategies are occurring in the context of a climate of massive policy and attitudinal changes. Many universities, from Cornell to Duke, have put in place hiring freezes and other restrictions on spending. Government interference and federal policy uncertainty was cited as major challenges by several deans because of what one business school leader noted was his 'campus dependence on business school revenue.' 'Uncertainty is tough to navigate,' says one dean. 'It is impacting students' decisions about whether and where to study as well as our ability to invest in new programs, modalities, and technologies.' Another dean concedes that educators have lost the trust and confidence of the public. 'It is an unprecedented period of upheaval in higher education,' explains another business school dean. 'We need to work together to re-establish the trust of the public and create a deeper understanding of our role and value in modern society. Somewhere along the way we lost the trust and confidence of those we serve. We must find a way to remedy this unfortunate truth.' Several other leaders believe a pro-active approach is essential. 'We need to create a collective voice to speak for higher education in business, especially in times of uncertainty for outside issues beyond market change.' Coupled with what a dean believed is the 'declining respect for the value of a college education,' the regulatory uncertainty could pose a major new issue for business education. The rapid changes in Washington, D.C., have become a considerable worry for business school deans inside and outside the U.S. Some 86% of them said that uncertainty in visa and immigration policies was having an impact on their schools. About 65% identified potential changes in optional practical training (OPT) policies that allow international graduates to work an additional two years in the U.S. Some 61% of the deans said they are being impacted by cuts to research funding, while 57% said that shifts in diversity and inclusion mandates also were having an impact. A dean of an international school expressed concern over the abolishment of government funding abroad. 'We have projects funded by USAID to understand and study the conditions of vulnerable people, particularly migrants, and those funds have been withdrawn after having people hired and having started the projects,'explains the dean. How are schools responding to these challenges? To create new revenue streams for their schools, deans are pursuing a number of strategies (see chart below). More than eight out of ten deans say they are expanding online and hybrid programs, while 68% are launching certificate programs. New corporate partnerships are being forged by 64% of the deans, while another 61% are introducing interdisciplinary programs with other schools and department in their universities. Offering courses and certificates that can be stacked into a degree program is a strategy being pursued by 47% of the business school deans. Slightly more than a third of (36.5%) say they are partnering with global institutions to expand their reach, while far fewer schools (14.9%) are planning to open satellite campuses to attract new students. Beyond innovations for growth, the deans are also taking other steps to ensure their relevance in the future (see chart below). Roughly 42% said they were enhancing connections with industry to make sure they were exposing students to 'practical learning outcomes.' Another 39% said they were innovating programs to meet such emerging trends as artificial intelligence, sustainability and ESG, while one in four, or 24%, said they were expanding accessibility through online and hybrid learning options. Despite the current challenges, deans were fairly optimistic about continued growth in undergraduate business education. Some 79% of the deans responding to the survey said that current demand for their undergraduate business programs was increasing, with 39% describing the increase as significant and 40% saying their schools were experiencing a slight increase (see chart below). Only 8% of the deans say undergraduate demand is falling, with a mere 1% describing the decline as significant. The deans attribute the strength of the undergraduate business market to job outcomes. 'Students and parents recognize the value of a business education,' says one respondent. Adds another: 'Families and prospective students focus on employability and ROI, which professional programs such as business, offer.' Nonetheless, rising tuition rates is causing some parents and their children to reevaluate higher education. 'The cost of tuition is leading students to weight career opportunities of a degree even higher than before,' explains one dean. Business school deans were less enthusiastic about their graduate programs, including the MBA and specialty master's degrees. Only 8% said that current demand for graduate business programs at their institutions was increasing significantly. Some 32% said demand for increasing slightly, while 27% described the current market for graduate degrees as stable. Some 28% of the respondents say their schools have experienced a slight decline in demand. 'Tuition pressure, saturated markets, decreasing or ending employer sponsorship, and less emphasis on the MBA for career advancement,' explained one dean was the reason why his school saw less interest in graduate management education. 'Employers (are) placing less value on MBAs,' echoed another dean. At least one business school increased its one-year degrees as demand for the MBA has declined. 'The MBA is too expensive and graduates are getting the same jobs as our undergraduates and one-year masters students,' explains one respondent. 'The one-year MS is cheaper and prospects are better than with the MBA.' Deans with a more favorable assessment of the graduate market said they have been able to increase enrollments through curricular innovation, new program design, and a larger variety of specialized masters. One dean noted that his school was able to maintain enrollment 'through aggressive marketing and pricing options.' Even so, program innovation is a major focus of business school leadership. Not surprisingly, deans overwhelmingly identified artificial intelligence and technology integration as the most important emerging trend in the next five to ten years. Many schools, including Arizona State, Carnegie Mellon, Rutgers Business School, and Wharton, already offer a major or concentration in AI within their MBA programs. Harvard Business School recently updated an existing course on data science to include a greater emphasis on AI in its required core curriculum for first-year MBA students. Sure enough, 88% of the deans said AI and tech integration was the top priority for their schools. Some 29% said they were prioritizing lifetime learning and executive education, while 23% identified globalization and international partnerships as top priorities. Some 15% said sustainability and ESG were emerging trends of importance. Asked what they believe are the most important skills for business school graduates in today's business environment, the deans put a strong emphasis on soft skills. Some 30% of the respondents said the most important skills were leadership and decision-making, while another 30% identified emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills as critical. A close third with a nearly equal emphasis (29%) said that data analytics and technical skills were most important. Asked which publications were most influential in shaping the perception of other schools' quality, the deans cited U.S. News' annual rankings as critical. Some 74% said U.S. News was most influential, followed by the Financial Times (21%), and Poets&Quants (13%). Forbes, which no longer publishes a ranking, was fourth (8%), while The Wall Street Journal (6%) and Princeton Review (4%) brought up the rear. Rankings obviously loomed large in these opinions. When asked what qualities best inform perceptions of a business school's quality, more deans cited rankings over any other attribute, including faculty research and thought leadership or program innovation. Four of every ten responding deans believe that rankings and reputation most inform perceptions of a school's overall quality. That was followed by employer relationships and placement outcomes, cited first by 31% of the respondents, and alumni success and engagement, reinforced by 28% of the deans. Faculty research came in fourth, cited by 22% of the deans, while program innovation and adaptability was fifth, cited by 16% of the deans as the most important criteria that impacted perceptions of a school's quality. The post Business School Dean Survey: The Major Threats Facing Business Education appeared first on Poets&Quants. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Texas bill targets Project Connect, other tax rate election-funded capital projects
Editor's note: The above video is from Jan. 10, 2025 and is related to new design elements flagged in the Project Connect draft environmental impact statement. AUSTIN (KXAN) — A new bill filing in the Texas Legislature could prohibit tax rate elections from funding multi-billion-dollar capital projects — including those like Austin's Project Connect light rail program. Rep. Ellen Troxclair (R-Lakeway) filed House Bill 3879, also known as the Texas Taxpayer & Voter Defense Act. The bill is intended to 'close two perceived loopholes in the law,' including the use of tax-rate elections to fund substantial capital projects as well as a lack of limits on how much a project can change in scope or costs once voters have weighed in on it. KXAN reached out to both Austin Transit Partnership — the organization overseeing the delivery of Project Connect — as well as the city of Austin for comment regarding the bill filing. We will update this story once we've received a response. Troxclair's bill calls on an amendment to the Texas Tax Code to add a definition for projects that 'materially deviate' from what voters approved, including those that 'make a significant change in carrying out the purposes state to voters on a ballot proposition.' Those significant changes defined in the bill include substantial changes in purpose, the financing structure for the purpose, an increase of 33% or more in the actual or project costs of the purpose as well as a sizable reduction in the project's scope or scale. PROJECT CONNECT NEWS: New stations, urban greenway detailed in Austin's light rail impact draft While the bill's language doesn't specifically name Project Connect, Troxclair did address Austin's light rail program in her release Thursday. She said this would be a statewide policy applicable to all municipalities within Texas, and Austin wouldn't be an exception. We don't want this happening in any city in Texas. It sounds to me like Project Connect is a mess. The OAG's office won't approve their bonds. The Texas Solicitor General has been assigned to a lawsuit against the project's financing plan. Local taxpayers and Democrat elect officials are suing to stop the project. The Trump administration will likely not grant them any federal funding. And the project voters approved has been totally thrown out and replaced with a miniature light-rail line, with no downtown tunnel, no airport connection.' Rep. Ellen Troxclair (R-Lakeway) Texas Sen. Paul Bettencourt is anticipated to file the same bill in the Senate, Troxclair confirmed in her announcement. 'This is simply unacceptable,' Bettencourt said in the release. 'Every session, we work hard to cut property tax burdens, yet local governments find new loopholes. The law I wrote in 2019 doesn't grant use of M&O collections for long-term debt issuance – this legislation will make that clear.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MAGIC, PROJECT and SOURCING at MAGIC Embrace Emerging Trends, Strengthening Las Vegas Fashion Community
LAS VEGAS, NV / / February 27, 2025 / MAGIC, PROJECT and SOURCING at MAGIC, the leading bi-annual wholesale fashion event, concludes bringing together the men's, women's and sourcing fashion communities to discover and connect with retailers, buyers and industry professionals to increase brand awareness and visibility within the fashion marketplace. MAGIC Las Vegas featured a live fashion show experience at the MAGIC Social House, provided by Zodel, showcasing seasonal designs across women's trend, contemporary, young contemporary and modern sportswear categories. Participating brands included Mod Ref, Dolce Vita, Lucy Paris, FRNCH and many more displaying trends from minimalist essentials and artisanal earthy colors to textural and immersive designs. The experience also included an exclusive runway show sponsored by America & Beyond, debuting vibrant resort-wear apparel. MAGIC Las Vegas offers buyers opportunities to shop at varying price points from trend to contemporary, and designers from over 50 countries, including Free People, Steve Madden, Little Words Project, ASTR the Label, Barefoot Dreams, Z Supply and more, displaying products across apparel, accessories, footwear, home, gift and beauty. Leading seasonal trends on the show floor, as seen in MMGNET Group's FW 25/26 Women's Young Contemporary Buyers Guide, included soft pastels with coquette details such as ruffles and charms, as well as statement knitwear with fuzzy and cozy outerwear and accessories. "Las Vegas continues to be the destination for the fashion community to collaborate and spark innovation," says Jordan Rudow, Vice President, MAGIC. "This season we diversified our offerings through a robust line-up of international exhibitors and the introduction of new brands which made up more than 22% of the show." PROJECT and MAGIC Men's Las Vegas bridges the cultural intersection between sports, street wear, music and fashion. The latest trends, particularly in skate and golf culture, were on display, bringing together an impressive roster of top brands, retailers and influencers. Over 120 of the leading skate shops were in attendance and featured appearances from legendary pros such as Bryan Herman, Frank Gerwer, Kenny Reed, Jim Thiebaud, Bod Boyle, John Dilo and many more. As golf apparel continues to innovate and modernize, the "GOLF STORE" in PROJECT Men's, presented by Gwop Meet , a consumer golf event, showcased seasonal offerings, new products and limited releases from leading golf brands including Devereux, On and Off the Course, Malbon, Merrill Golf, Sandy Par, The Number Thirty-Three, RipIt Grips and many more. The area also included a golf simulator for attendees to experience golf firsthand and learn more about the lifestyle golf category and how it can be integrated into the fashion retail market. "Providing a variety of interactive offerings allows us to engage with our audience on a deeper level while also educating on consumer trends in the market," notes Edwina Kulego, Vice President PROJECT & International . "Our goal is to always create a diverse and immersive environment that draws in key industry players to support product exposure and engagement on a wider scale." SOURCING at MAGIC hosts a global audience of manufacturers and suppliers across fashion technology, fabric, trim and print. As manufacturers are a critical part of the fashion ecosystem, SOURCING at MAGIC provides an outlet for turning innovative ideas into tangible products and solutions. Spring and Summer 2026 material and color trends, sustainability and policy conversations surrounding supply chains were main topics that dominated discussions at the event. MAGIC, PROJECT and SOURCING at MAGIC is the only fashion wholesale event that offers a data-based sustainability vetting program. The MMGNET Sustainability Awards Program, powered by third-party partner, Hey Social Good, presents an authentic data-driven sustainable fashion community with over 900 exhibitors. The initiative has seen remarkable growth since its launch in 2021, reflecting the industry's increasing commitment to sustainability. To learn more about MAGIC Nashville or MAGIC New York, taking place later this year, please visit MAGIC, PROJECT and SOURCING at MAGIC Las Vegas will return Aug. 18-20, 2025, to the Las Vegas Convention Center. MAGIC MAGIC is a high-energy fashion experience and home to the industry's largest selection of trend-driven and young contemporary apparel, footwear, and accessories. Fusing scale with curation to drive commerce, creativity, and connections, MAGIC joins a global audience of retail buyers - from big-box to boutique - with influencers, media, and industry thought leaders. More than just events, MAGIC is a deeply rooted community, and a place brands and retailers call home. For more information, please visit: PROJECT Representing what's new, now, and next in men's contemporary apparel, footwear and accessories, PROJECT is where domestic and international buyers go to be inspired by higher-end brands, find products from relevant mid-market labels, and connect with likeminded industry thought leaders and fashion insiders. Through a fusion of community, education, media, and experiences, PROJECT propels the next season's top trends, generates global awareness, and ultimately drives commerce. For more information, please visit SOURCING at MAGIC SOURCING at MAGIC gives fashion businesses, brands and sourcing professionals the opportunity to connect and collaborate with a community of global manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers. With a strong presence among international exhibitors and attendees and deep domestic connections, SOURCING at MAGIC is a global community. With a forward-thinking approach and commitment to the evolution of the global apparel supply chain, SOURCING at MAGIC consistently provides access to emerging fashion technology, solutions, sustainable resources, educational content, networking, and extended visibility into the industry's most critical global issues. For more information, please visit: Media ContactInforma Markets Fashion PR FashionPR@ SOURCE: INFORMA MARKETS - FASHION View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Sign in to access your portfolio
