Business schools’ impact during the COVID-19 pandemic

The latest EFMD Global report, The Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on Business Schools, analyses the pandemic’s impact on business schools’ internal and external environments. Published in collaboration with survey software Le Sphinx, the report sheds light on how business schools are responding to the crisis and how they see the future.

The pandemic has shaken the foundations of business schools’ operations and teaching, but even more importantly, schools have re-evaluated the core of their missions, re-established relations with global and local environments, realigned their approach to key stakeholders, and redefined their business models. The survey collected responses from over 100 business schools between October-November 2020 and analysed responses according to the Business Schools Impact System (BSIS) model.

Four in five business schools (79%) are confident that they have managed to sustain or increase their impact during the pandemic. The only significant difference between schools is based on their location: in Europe, fewer schools believe that their impact has increased (17% instead of 30%, on average).

Learn more and download the report HERE.

About the survey

The EFMD Impact Survey was conducted between October and November 2020 and focused on the challenges which business schools face across the world as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact dimensions were based on the seven chapters of the Business School Impact System (BSIS) tool, which helps schools measure and communicate their impact. An online questionnaire gathered responses from deans representing 114 schools around the world.

The data generated by the survey will be used to inform and further develop the Business School Impact System (BSIS) tool, both enhancing the assessment of schools undertaking BSIS, and also to develop the programme of BSIS events and activities.