30 May 2012. The 50+20 vision focuses on transforming management education by helping to educate and develop responsible leaders for a sustainable world. 50+20 is a collaborative project from a broad global group of management education providers who critically question the current thought and practice in the field. A preview of the 50+20 project is scheduled to take place at the HSG Hub São Paulo, Brazil, 11th June 2012.

Project for sustainable business
The project will also be presented at the Corporate Sustainability Forum in Rio de Janeiro as part of the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development from 20 to 22nd June 2012. University of St.Gallen is represented by Prof. Thomas Dyllick, who is one of the driving forces behind the project. 50+20 is a collaborative initiative between three organizations - the World Business School Council for Sustainable Business (WBSCSB), the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI) and the U.N. backed Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) - that have been working together for close to two years. It also includes 16 business schools from around the world as official institutional co-authors.

Another initiative is launched by students of the University of St.Gallen: The organisation oikos international invites business and economics students from around the world to take part in the Student Reporter coaching programme. The students will be live blogging at the Rio+20 United Nations Summit.

New vision for management education
50+20 aims to foster debate on creating a world worth living in – to build a society that improves the well-being of its members, with business contributing to its success and creating leaders who will embrace the challenges we are collectively facing. "To develop globally responsible leadership we need to redefine the framework and roles of management education", says Thomas Dyllick. The vision describes three fundamental roles in management education: Educating and developing globally responsible leaders, enabling business organizations to serve the common good and, last but not least, engaging in the transformation of business and the economy.

A fourth unifying element is the collaboratory, a space where students, educators and researchers meet with societal stakeholders to address relevant issues. The collaboratory is an evolving communications platform that can be established anywhere, virtual or real, within a management school, within companies or communities. Its primary strength lies in enabling issue-centered learning, conducting research for a sustainable world, and providing open access between academia and practice.

Picture: Photocase/ Cykriz