Dean Laurent Muzellec discusses the evolving landscape of business education and the integration of ESG principles and AI at Trinity Business School.
The demands placed on businesses are undergoing a dramatic shift. There’s growing investor and regulatory emphasis on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues, so businesses must transform from prioritizing profit to considering the greater good.
Business education has undergone similar changes recently, driven by an increasing awareness of social and environmental issues. Dean Laurent Muzellec of Trinity Business School believes that business education must adapt to produce leaders who can effectively manage these challenges. This is reflected in the school’s mission, which is to “Transform Business for Good.”
“I think most institutions have realized that business schools have played a great role in the economic development of their country and the world in general,” he says. “This has come with a lot of difficulties, to say the least, and one of them is climate change, and the other one is social inequalities and wealth distribution inequalities. Most business schools are now trying to address those two fundamental issues.” (00:28)
In addition to traditional ESG concerns, the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) adds another layer of complexity.Trinity is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) and has proactively incorporated these concerns into its curriculum. Dean Muzellec shares insights on the school’s approach.
Business schools today face the dual responsibility of staying relevant and fostering responsible leadership.
Dean Muzellec says business schools have “a duty to stay relevant; they need to embrace innovation and new modes of learning such as AI, but they also have an immediate responsibility and a responsibility for the future. Their purpose should be to train current executives to retrain and to reshape the world to make it a better place, but also to train the next generation.” (1:02)
This involves teaching traditional business skills while embracing innovation and instilling a sense of ethical responsibility. Trinity Business School has made integrating ESG principles a cornerstone of its curriculum. Dean Muzellec highlights, “Integrating ESG principles at the heart of business education is no longer an option, but should really be part of the fundamental curriculum.” (01:34)
Dean Muzellec explains two techniques for introducing new topics: creating dedicated modules or integrating them into existing ones.
Trinity Business School employs both strategies. They offer specialized programs, such as the MSc in Responsible Leadership and Sustainability, while weaving ESG principles into the learning outcomes of all courses. This comprehensive approach ensures that students understand the societal impact of their studies regardless of the subject.
The rise of AI presents both opportunities and challenges for business education. Dean Muzellec notes that AI needs to be integrated across subjects. That means teaching students to use AI tools effectively while thinking critically about the results.
“It’s actually becoming even more of a challenge to teach critical thinking…rather than just ignoring the fact that most of the students are going to be using that tool, you need to integrate this into your learning mode,” says Dean Muzellec. (04:05)
To address this, the school encourages students to use AI tools like ChatGPT to generate initial answers, then critically evaluate and refine these responses and explain how they improved the results through their own added value. This approach fosters a deeper understanding of AI’s capabilities and limitations while honing students’ critical thinking skills.
Trinity Business School’s deep connections with the industry in Ireland and beyond ensure its curriculum stays relevant and aligned with changing business demands.
“Business schools really are the heart of a business ecosystem and a societal ecosystem,” Dean Muzellec points out. “You’ve got guest speakers and people coming in, all of this influences what we teach in the classroom.” (03:29)
Guest speakers and lecturers from various sectors bring invaluable insights, bridging the gap between theory and practice. Through content and curriculum, as well as its teaching practices, Trinity Business School integrates emerging trends, such as AI and sustainable business practices, into its teaching pedagogy.
Dean Muzellec highlights, “Some of our lecturers are very advanced in their ability to integrate the latest innovations and developments in the industry. Some of our lecturers come from the industry and will have an impact in that way because they are already using those tools in their own company. That’s how you integrate AI from a content perspective in your teaching.” (06:37)
By integrating these broader societal topics into every aspect of the learning experience, students are encouraged to make an impact beyond profit.
Dean Muzellec advises students, “A degree is what you make of it.” (08:33)
The school aims to offer the right speakers, tools, environment, and knowledge to endorse its mission to “Transform Business for Good.” Yet, ultimately, it is up to the students to immerse themselves in the learning process.
He continues, “We can provide the best experience on campus, provide the best teachers, provide the best interaction with the school, help you to develop values that you probably have in you already when it comes to our motto…and then it’s going to be what you’re going to make of it.” (08:37)
He encourages students to be proactive in their learning and use the available tools to make the most of their educational journey and to better themselves both personally and professionally.
Dean Muzellec concludes about the Trinity Business School experience, “Hopefully, this will be a transformative experience. We hope that you’ll be a better person, in the sense of a better person for the [greater] good, better for society, better for business, and also a more efficient and more effective businessperson.” (09:00)
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