The purpose of this invite-only two-day convening of the BELL Consortium is to:
- Cultivate a shared understanding and renewed energy among founding members
- Deepen connection, experimentation, and intellectual engagement within a trusted group
- Reflect on current tensions shaping the landscape and future of business education
- Surface emerging themes, prototype ideas, and lay the groundwork for Spring 2026
Agenda
Thursday, October 9
3:00 – 5:00 p.m. | Opening Roundtable
Business Education in a Turbulent Era: Naming the Moment
Facilitators: Anne Greenhalgh & Harris Sondak
- Reflections from recent gatherings (e.g., Aspen, Utah State)
- Defining what makes this era turbulent — and what it asks of us.
- Tensions to navigate:
- Critique vs. possibility
- Exclusivity vs. inclusivity
- Reactivity vs. proactivity
5:30 – 7:30 p.m. | Informal Dinner & Fireside Dialogue
Sharing What Grounds Us and Prepares Us for the Future of Work
- Informal storytelling and brief remarks from selected board members
- What practices, philosophies, or provocations have shaped our work?
Friday, October 10
9:00 – 10:30 a.m. | Thematic Breakout Discussions
(Participants select one, all sessions include notetakers or rapporteurs)
1. Beyond Bridging: Integrating the Technical and the Humanistic
How can we unify rather than merely connect technical skills with ethical and societal insights? Put simply, how do we help our students “make cents and sense”?
2. From Harm to Healing: Repairing the World
What does it look like to make business a force for healing rather than harm?
3. The Future of Business Education: Beyond Machines to Meaning
How do we prepare leaders to do what machines cannot—exercise judgment, foster connection, and lead with wisdom?
10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Reflections and Sense-Making
- Debriefs from breakout groups
- Cross-cutting themes and emergent questions
- What merits further exploration or writing?
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch & Informal Connection
Location(s): TBD
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | Future-Facing Session: From Pilot to Possibility
- What could Spring 2026 look like?
- Who else should be part of this conversation?
- What outputs or “prototypes” can we develop between now and then?
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. | Closing Reflections
Prompt: As we reflect on the sessions, how might your teaching, writing, or convening work contribute to the vision outlined in the book? What shifts are needed in ourselves and in our institutions to realize that vision?
- What are you taking with you from this gathering?
- Final thoughts from Anne, Harris, and attendees