The conference theme, “Management Education for a Changing World” focused on the global change and challenges, with particular spotlights on artificial intelligence and sustainability issues. Over 130 deans, rectors, faculty and staff from leading business schools and universities from 27 countries around the world came to exchange experience and ideas on the role and impact of business education.
The Conference has been granted the Patronage of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland Jarosław Gowin, the Honorary Patronage of the Mayor of Wroclaw Jacek Sutryk and Honorary Patronage of Mr.Cezary Przybylski, the Marshal of Lower Silesia. It was held in partnership with the Lower Silesian Fund for Development and with support of Impel Group.
“We are excited to hold our 27th Annual Conference of CEEMAN in Wroclaw in collaboration with the superb team of Wrocław University of Economics. Wroclaw is a dynamic and charming city, filled with historic beauty, a growing economy, and a strong focus on education, science, and culture, WUE being an important factor of development,” notes Prof. Danica Purg, CEEMAN President.
“Membership in the international CEEMAN family is both a huge challenge and exceptional satisfaction. The prestigious conference, which, together with the amazing CEEMAN Team, the Wrocław University of Economics is a co-organizer, is the best evidence of this. The opportunity to meet so many wonderful people from all over the world is a reward for us for the effort put into the internationalization of our University so far and a challenge for continuous development in this field” says Prof. Bogusława Drelich-Skulska, Rector for International Cooperation, Wrocław University of Economics.
The Conference started with several pre-conference events and workshops on Wednesday, 25 September. Four higher education partners (CarringtonCrisp; Peregrine Academic Services; Graduate Management Admission Council; and Unibuddy) ran short workshops to share the latest insights and updates on their services. In parallel, special time was reserved for individual Dean2Dean meetings among conference participants to share advice or discuss potential partnerships.
Fast-paced poster session for faculty and researchers in the afternoon provided a platform to learn about latest research, teaching or methodology innovations and practices from 10 different presenters, while the posters stayed on display for the duration of the whole conference and will be also part of the Conference proceedings published by the end of the year.
The main conference under the title "Management Education for a Changing World" took place on Thursday and Friday, 26-27 September. Focusing on three key areas: 1) global change and challenges; 2) spotlight on AI and its implications; 3) spotlight on business and society participants and speakers discussed relevant issues, best practices and ideas, both from education and business perspectives. 
Expert panels, roundtables, and interactive discussions provided ample opportunities for experience exchange among speakers and participants.
Two excellent keynotes provided additional insights and inspiration:
- Daniel Susskind of Oxford University, co-author of the famous book “The Future of the Professions”, talked about artificial intelligence and its implications for management and management education.
- Lana Popovic, President for CEE of the Coca-Cola Company, shared a corporate view on the latest trends in management and management education and how can universities and business schools be more relevant and excellent.
CEEMAN Annual Meeting on Thursday, 26 September presented a short report on past and upcoming CEEMAN activities and opportunities for members and partners, while the Awards Ceremony celebrated the winners of the CEEMAN Champion Awards (pictured on the left), CEEMAN/Emerald Case Writing Competition, as well as welcomed new CEEMAN members and IQA-accredited institutions.
An important highlight of the Annual Meeting was signing of declaration of intent for establishing an Alliance of Management Development Associations from Dynamic Societies to better serve the needs of business schools located in rising economies. Read more about the Alliance initiative.
The traditional Gala dinner and dance at the beautiful Topacz castle estate just outside Wroclaw marked the conclusion of the Conference with great food and ambiance.
Some materials from the conference are already available on the CEEMAN website, while Conference Proceedings will be published by the end of the year. In the meantime, you can read proceedings from previous conferences.
The 28th CEEMAN Annual Conference will take place in Trieste, Italy in collaboration with MIB Trieste School of Management. Reserve 23-25 September 2020 to join us!