BUSINESS SCHOOLS RISK LOSING GROUND AS EXEC ED MARKET HEADS TOWARD $99B
The global executive education market is projected to reach $99 billion by 2030, but a new CarringtonCrisp study warns that universities and business schools could miss out if they do not adapt more quickly to changing employer and learner demands.
The Future of Lifelong and Executive Education study surveyed 1,033 employers and 9,057 individual learners across 30 countries. It found strong demand for continued learning: 68% of individuals expect to undertake more education to advance their careers, 70% say they are more likely to stay with an employer that supports learning and development, and 63% are more likely to join an organization that includes lifelong learning in its benefits package.
At the same time, employers are putting more emphasis on skills than degrees. The study found declines in degree-based recruitment searches among midsize companies in several European markets and reported that just 15% of employers are using MBAs, down from 30% in CarringtonCrisp’s 2024 study.
That shift is increasing demand for shorter, more flexible and more personalized non-degree programs that can be completed alongside work.
Business schools face several barriers, however. Among employers, 25% said other learning providers better meet their needs, while 21% cited a lack of specific expertise and another 21% said university offerings are too theoretical. Among individual learners, 35% consider universities and business schools too expensive and 19% view their learning as too theoretical.
Awareness is another problem. One in six employers are unaware that universities and business schools offer executive and management development, while roughly one in five individual learners view universities primarily as degree providers.
CarringtonCrisp recommends that schools communicate their executive education offerings more clearly, respond faster to emerging skills such as AI, expand blended and work-compatible formats, improve learning design, demonstrate ROI and better explain microcredentials.
“The message from employers and learners is very clear — they want learning that is fast, flexible and specific,” CarringtonCrisp’s Andrew Crisp says.
IMD WEBINAR EXPLORES HOW TO TURN SUSTAINABILITY GOALS INTO ACTION
IMD will host a Sept. 24 webinar focused on one of the biggest challenges facing sustainability leaders: turning corporate commitments into lasting organizational change. The 45-minute IMD Book Club session, “From sustainability commitments to lasting change,” is free and open to the public.
The webinar will examine why sustainability transformations often lose momentum and how companies can better embed sustainability into strategy, culture, governance and everyday decision-making. It will also explore how sustainability can drive innovation, resilience and long-term competitive advantage.
IMD Professor Julia Binder, director of the school’s Center for Sustainable and Inclusive Business, will host the discussion with sustainability leaders Pia Heidenmark Cook and Lisen Wirén, co-authors of Embedding Sustainability: How to Drive Organizational Transformation.
Heidenmark Cook previously served as chief sustainability officer at Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer, where she led sustainability strategy across more than 30 markets. Wirén’s work spans sustainability, human rights, social entrepreneurship and organizational transformation across the private, nonprofit and social enterprise sectors.
The session is designed for executives, managers, sustainability professionals and change leaders looking for practical ways to overcome organizational barriers and better align people, purpose and performance around sustainability goals.
HARVARD BUSINESS IMPACT BETS ON HUMAN SKILLS IN THE AI ERA
As AI takes on more technical and analytical work, Harvard Business Impact is putting new emphasis on the capabilities machines have a harder time replicating.
The corporate learning and education arm of Harvard Business Publishing has launched Essential Skill Suites, a new portfolio combining AI-powered online courses, short business cases and simulations designed to help students practice workplace skills including collaboration, judgment, adaptability and ethical decision-making.
The first three suites focus on Navigating Change and Uncertainty, Collaborating Productively, and Thinking and Acting with Integrity. They incorporate AI-powered courses developed with CodeSignal alongside Harvard Business Impact Quick Cases and simulations, which faculty can use individually or combine into broader learning experiences.
The idea is to move beyond teaching concepts such as teamwork or ethical judgment and give students opportunities to make decisions, work through ambiguity and receive feedback. The suites are available this fall, with additional skills expected to be added later.
PORTO BUSINESS SCHOOL JOINS QS RESPONSIBLE AI CONSORTIUM
Porto Business School has joined the QS Responsible AI Consortium, an international network of universities and business schools working on responsible uses of artificial intelligence across higher education.
QS Quacquarelli Symonds launched the consortium in December 2024 with EDHEC Business School, Imperial College Business School and Luiss Business School as founding members. The University of Exeter joined in 2025, and the network has continued to expand.
The consortium focuses on four areas: research and intellectual leadership; teaching, learning and assessment; outreach and operational efficiency; and governance and human commitment. Members can collaborate on research, participate in working groups and project-based learning, and test AI technologies in educational settings.
Porto Business School will also gain access to the QS AI Capability Framework, which helps institutions assess their AI capabilities, identify gaps and set priorities across teaching, research, governance and operations.
The membership builds on the school’s work in AI, digital ethics and executive education, including programs focused on leading responsible AI transformation. Porto says the consortium will give it more opportunities to benchmark its approach against other institutions and collaborate on AI research and experimentation.
COMCAST TAPS DREXEL FOR CUSTOM AI MBA FOR EXECUTIVES
Comcast has partnered with Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business to create a customized MBA focused on artificial intelligence for company executives.
The 30-credit program was designed by LeBow’s Corporate and Executive Education unit to help Comcast leaders use AI across strategic planning, customer engagement, operations and workforce development. The curriculum includes 16 newly designed courses delivered over five semesters, combining residency-based, in-person instruction with online classes.
The first cohort of 35 Comcast employees began the program in September 2025, representing a range of disciplines across the company. A second cohort began in August 2026.
The partnership reflects growing corporate demand for executive education that goes beyond teaching the mechanics of AI and focuses instead on how leaders can incorporate the technology into broader business strategy.
“We are using AI to help manage our networks, improve customer experiences and accelerate how we operate as a business,” says William Strahan, Comcast’s EVP of Human Resources. “As access to AI expands, the differentiator for success won’t be the technology itself, but the people who use it most effectively and responsibly.”
Drexel and Comcast already have a longstanding relationship that includes student co-ops, employee certificate programs and other collaborations across business and engineering.
LeBow Dean Vibhas Madan says the MBA extends that partnership into executive education designed to help Comcast leaders “harness AI for strategic innovation.”
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