Diversity Management at European business schools – the business case

The survey “Diversity Management in Business Schools” conducted by EABIS, EIMD and EFMD in Spring 2008 mapped and analysed the best of teaching methods and research programmes on diversity management in European and international business schools. The role of education is paramount for raising awareness and further promoting the importance of workforce diversity management. Business schools are crucial actors where diversity and diversity management can be taught, debated and experienced among current and future management leaders. According to the outcomes of the study, conducted among over 280 business schools world-wide, 3 out of 4 business schools in Europe have already included diversity management content in their curriculum. The results point towards a growing interest among business schools to incorporate Diversity in their course selection. However, most courses are either electives or diversity content is taught as part of another course. Current perceptions and practices seem to overlook crucial aspects of the wider, holistic concept of diversity (e.g. religion and sexual orientation being far less often addressed). By extension, diversity does not seem to be a major area of research (yet) within the majority of business schools surveyed.
These and other key findings of the survey were presented at a symposium on June, 23 at ESADE Business School in Madrid. The main objective of this symposium was to discuss ways of enhancing cooperation between the academic and the business worlds in the area of diversity management and to raise more awareness of Diversity Management and Curriculum Development. Around 80 participants from 13 European countries attended the event and used the opportunity to exchange experiences in the field of Diversity Management and to establish potential cooperations between the academic and business sectors for mutual valuable exchanges.