Innovating business education: London Business School’s Graham Hastie shares insights

As business education undergoes a profound transformation, institutions worldwide adapt to meet the evolving needs of executives and professionals in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.

In this interview with Gulf Business, Graham Hastie, associate dean of Degree Education at London Business School (LBS), discusses how innovation reshapes traditional business education, the future of hybrid learning, and the importance of lifelong learning for mid-career professionals.

He also shares insights on how LBS ensures a global yet locally relevant perspective in its programs and offers advice to executives preparing for leadership in an AI-driven future.

How do you see innovation transforming traditional business education, and why is this shift happening now?

This is a new era for business education. A generation shaped by smart working and smart tech now wants to study in a smarter way too. There is growing demand for flexible programme formats and stackable qualifications and the sector is responding accordingly.

At LBS, for example, we developed our One-year MBA in response to the specific demand from  Masters in Management graduates looking for a one-year programme that is delivered in a way that is complementary to our flagship two-year MBA while maintaining the quality of the world-class learning experience we offer. The new program will reduce the number of days executives need to spend out of the office and provide an opportunity to complete the programme in 17 months.

What role do smart technologies play in reshaping the way business schools deliver education to students worldwide?

Business executives lead demanding and busy lives. Time committed out of the office, or away from family and friends, is a major investment for these executives. Smart technology provides a different way to learn more flexibly.

Offering our world-class executive MBA in two different locations and two different formats means our executive students can choose not just where they study, but how they study – in the way that best meets their needs and helps them to balance work and life.

On a practical level, generative AI means that students taking our Masters in Analytics and Management programme, for example, have benefitted from the introduction of more complex analysis, which has replaced some of the simpler coding assignments.

We also use AI for a number of our services in Careers: Vmock for CV reviews; Attensi for interview prep, and MConsultingPrep for case study practice. In all instances, they enable greater customisation, volume and convenience for the student. Plus, we have a comprehensive offer of digital learning resources, including sector insights and interactive skills modules, so students can access support 24/7. We use platforms like Exponent and Opportunify to help students with specific needs, like preparing for technical interviews or sourcing employment leads.

LBS research examines the implications of AI for business, translating cutting-edge academic research into practical tools and strategies to help organisations thrive in an AI-driven world. And skills such as human-AI collaboration, ethical decision-making, and strategic thinking in AI-enabled environments, will be integrated into our curricula through the LBS AI Initiative. For leaders navigating a rapidly changing world, lifelong learning is more than just an advantage – it is a necessity.

Do you think hybrid education is the future for business schools globally? How are blended learning models helping mid-career professionals balance work, personal commitments, and education?

Time committed to study equates to time out of the office, or away from family and friends. Because business executives lead such busy, demanding lives, offering choices about not just where people study, but how they study helps to meet students’ needs and helps them to balance work and life.

Business schools must invest in innovative approaches to teaching and learning. We must expand our experiential and our blende, learning and invest in developing flexible and stackable degrees.

How does London Business School ensure that its programmes provide both a global perspective and local relevance to students?

London Business School prides itself on its world-class faculty expertise and the global diversity of its student population and alumni community. Students representing over 110 countries and a wide range of industries have the chance to collaborate in a dynamic, cross-cultural environment. Students are put into internationally diverse streams and study groups, allowing them to bring their local knowledge and benefit from invaluable peer-to-peer learning.

The school also runs Global Experience programmes and London-based experiential learning projects, which provide students with practical hands-on experience of helping to solve local and global business issues.

Plus, our curriculum focuses on current, real-world business challenges.

What role does lifelong learning play in addressing the skills gap, especially for mid-career professionals? In the Middle East specifically, what unique skills gaps do you observe, and how can regional institutions or global schools like London Business School address them?

Today’s leaders are faced with an unprecedented level of social, environmental, technological and economic challenges that require them to be able to think with a global mindset and act on a global scale. The pace of change is such that what was known yesterday will not be what is known 10, 20 or 30 years down the line. That means that business professionals need to continually update their knowledge whether they are based in the Middle East or elsewhere. Lifelong learning is not just a nice to have, it’s an essential part of any business executive’s toolkit.

At LBS we support this in numerous ways, such as through educational alumni events or LBS Online, which allows people to upskill through high-quality education accessible to professionals anywhere in the world.

In your experience, what are the key trends in higher education that universities need to adopt to stay competitive?

We are seeing a move to more online learning and greater use of generative AI and this is a trend that I expect to continue. Whatever the format in which business education is delivered, quality and relevance will also be the essential ingredients that education providers need to offer to remain competitive.

What advice would you give to executives looking to enhance their skills and prepare for leadership in the digital future?

AI, automation and digital transformation are having a transformative impact on society and the world of work.

Technological advancements will continue to proliferate and the world needs leaders who have the skills, knowledge and vision to harness the opportunities that technology offers.