Reboot Business Education: Make Lifelong Learning the Default
As artificial intelligence reshapes industries and digital skills rapidly evolve, business schools find themselves at a crossroads. Traditional MBA programs and executive education are no longer endpoints but touchstones in a lifelong learning journey. As digital tools and technologies advance rapidly, educational models must keep pace to remain relevant in a changing workforce. Business schools must tightly link research, teaching, and real-world practice to stay aligned with the demands of today’s dynamic economy.
So, how must business schools evolve to keep pace with the accelerating world of work?
In this episode of The Future of Education, host Michael Horn welcomes Bill Kerr, D’Arbeloff Professor at Harvard Business School and co-director of the Managing the Future of Work Project, for a conversation on the evolving role of business education. Together, they explore how institutions like HBS can remain relevant in an age of continuous disruption.
Key takeaways from the episode…
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Lifelong Learning as a Business Model: Business education is shifting from a one-time degree to a continuous relationship with learners, like “hardware built for software updates.”
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Social Skills Are the New Power Skills: While digital skills evolve rapidly, leadership and social skills have become more central than ever for executive success.
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Keeping Curriculum at the Frontier: Research and teaching must stay deeply integrated so that academic programs reflect the changing needs of the global workplace in real time.
William Kerr is the D’Arbeloff Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, where he also serves as Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Research. He co-directs the Managing the Future of Work initiative and leads the Launching New Ventures program, focusing on entrepreneurship, workforce evolution, and innovation. A recognized expert in global talent and entrepreneurship, Bill holds a Ph.D. in Economics from MIT and has received awards for both distinguished research and excellence in teaching.
