We know professional growth is important. Whether it’s a requirement for a job, a desire to learn and improve our skills, or an opportunity to gather with colleagues, we all are called to sign up for that webinar, attend that conference, or read that article or book.
A recent article in Forbes discussed how the pandemic has brought about new ways to leverage opportunities for professional growth.¹ Dr. Ruth Gotian notes that today we have a myriad of opportunities through podcasts, videos, interactive webinars, social media, and more. Many of us have found great lessons through YouTube, TED talks, and online communities.
Within all that opportunity, we also find a lot of noise…marketing emails, pop-up ads, LinkedIn messages. So how do we cull through all of it to narrow it down to what we have the time, energy, and money for?
Since we are all business school members, we generally look for something that is tailored to business school faculty, students, and administrators. Here at IACBE, one way we support members and nonmembers alike is through our Annual Conference and Assembly Meetings. We also work locally with schools to hold the Regional Conferences and provide monthly Forums that offer the opportunity to interact with business and education leaders across the globe.
As important as the “business” side of our knowledge, though, is the “teaching” side…becoming a better educator. It has been shown time and time again that faculty who regularly participate in professional development improve their students’ chances for success.² That’s why you’ll see presentations at our conferences and Forums on topics such as “Trauma Informed Teaching”, “The Meaning of Learning”, and “Innovative Online Teaching Techniques” interspersed with “Tales from the Real World” and “Community College Partnerships”.
Naturally, we here at IACBE also want to grow and gain new skills, which is why we participate with top companies like Peregrine Global Services and CapSource to be a part of their webinars and programs, and co-sponsor events with members like the Franklin University Distinguished Speaker Series. The benefit of these partnerships is that they offer win-wins…programs that benefit both you and your students. Looking to gain knowledge about NFT’s and block-chain technology? Enter a student in the IACBE-CapSource Student Competition. Wanting to create more meaningful learning outcomes that improve your program and give your students the best preparation for the business world? Check out the Peregrine webinars on Assurance of Learning or many other topics.
While not an exhaustive source (we said we don’t need all of the noise, right?), we hope you’ll find this list helpful as you look for opportunities to improve both your business and teaching knowledge. As Sivaprakash Sidhu reminds us, if you’re investing time to learn something in your profession you will be rich in your knowledge…if you’re not, you’ll be poor in your performance. So check out these resources, and get rich!
IACBE Conferences
IACBE Forums
Peregrine Global Services Professional Development Resource Webinars
CapSource Student Internship and Case Study Competition Opportunities
National Business Education Association (NBEA) Professional Development
Institute of Management Accountants Education Center
Association for Career & Technical Education Professional Development Center
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Events
EAB Higher Education Professional Development Resource Center
¹ Gotian, Dr. Ruth, Pandemic Professional Development Looks Different, And It Is Here To Stay https://www.forbes.com/sites/ruthgotian/2021/04/13/pandemic-professional-development-looks-different-and-it-is-here-to-stay/?sh=c5caa623c4f7. April 13, 2021.
² Catherine Haras, Faculty Development as an Authentic Professional Practice, Higher Education Today, https://www.higheredtoday.org/2018/01/17/faculty-development-authentic-professional-practice/, January 17, 2018.
These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. IACBE bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
