In a February 9, 2012, message, Business School Lausanne (BSL) Dean-Katrin Muff makes the point that we need a radically new vision of business schools that can best be described as a "call to service: To educate citizens to act responsibly for the world."
Here is a review of the major definitions in Dean Katrin Muff's conception of how business schools can communicate the call of service to their students:
- A call to service = a clear purpose beyond and above keeping our institutions alive, enriched by the understanding that education stands on equal footing on external knowledge and internal wisdom.
- To educate = an issue-centred education complemented by subject or domain knowledge focused on the big issues of this world, replacing teaching with a powerful and safe learning environment.
- Learning embedded in action-learning platforms of collaborative laboratories (collaboratories).
- Research supporting global issues by involving stakeholders in the definition of research topics and delivering results to them in appropriate formats.
- Citizens = you and me, business professionals, artists, activists, consultants, coaches, women in emerging countries, micro entrepreneurs, collaborative networks, seniors, everybody with a desire to make a positive contribution to this world.
- To act = empowered learning to enable action, facilitating participants to wake up to what is inside of them, embracing the adventure ahead, becoming eco-literate and fluent in divergent thinking and courageous action, learning to act as a result of being.
- Responsibly = creating a space to reflect on action and choices, to connect with true purpose and inner values, embracing the choices and consequences for society and planet in the long-term.
- For = rather than against, rethinking strategic product & service needs, complementing competition with collaboration and understanding that we are all part of the same larger Unit.
- Sustainability is the obvious and essential guiding principle of life, business and anybody with a desire to act. Example: waste-free closed-loop cycle inspired by nature.
- The world = beyond the current paradigm of capitalism: serving society and the planet.
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