In a grand comeback after four years, the IACBE Region Conference recently unfolded its vibrant chapters in the captivating city of Barcelona, Spain, last October 16-18, 2023 Under the dynamic leadership of Dr. Elizabeth Soliday-Naui, the incumbent Regional President hailing from the Swiss School of Management, the event united a diverse group of educators, researchers, and industry experts. The theme that ignited the conference discussions and set the stage for an exciting intellectual journey was “Education at the Crossroads: A Discussion on the Impact of AI in Education.”
This three-day event buzzed with conversations on the intersection of education and artificial intelligence, where participants from France (Paris, Strasbourg), the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, and the host city of Barcelona came together. The 3-day conference tackled essential issues concerning how the Education sector will approach the inevitable influence of AI in Education.
The IACBE President, Mr. Patrick Hafford, commended the turnout, noting the significant gap since the previous conference. He also praised the skillful orchestration of the event by the SSM Barcelona team, who ensured a rich tapestry of insightful talks, productive discussions, and an unforgettable highlight—a unique body rhythm activity led by the charismatic Music Training Lab CEO Oliver Watson. This activity created a space where attendees opened up, embraced vulnerability, and shared profound insights about themselves. And let’s not forget the culinary delights that graced the event. Delegates reveled in the tantalizing flavors of tapas, paella, and cava, proving that one can never have enough of these Spanish culinary treasures. After all, good food is a universal language of unity, and it seamlessly complements the vibrant discussions.
Beyond the immediate successes of the conference, Dr. Elizabeth Soliday-Naui has set her sights on a broader mission. She is determined to rejuvenate participation from all member schools in Region 9 and elevate IACBE’s presence in Europe. She hopes this revitalization will inspire more business schools to seek accreditation, ultimately enhancing the quality of business education in the region. If this year’s conference was any indication, it’s evident that the path to achieving this ambitious goal is off to a promising start.
By: Noemi Katuin
L-R: Dr. Patrick Hafford (President, IACBE), Montserrat Guardia Guell (Plenary Speaker, IACBE Regional Conference), Dr. Elizabeth Soliday-Naui (President, IACBE Region 9), Soula Kyriakou (Secretary, IACBE Region 9 and Michal Pronobis (Vice-President,IACBE Region 9)
