Jakarta. Universitas Terbuka (UT) is hosting the Asia-Pacific Business Schools (AAPBS) Annual Meeting 2026 on Nov. 1-3, 2026 in Bali.

The conference zeroes in on the theme “Resilient Business Schools: Strategic Innovation and Leadership in Times of Global Uncertainty”.

This meeting focuses on strategic resilience, innovation, and leadership as key components in shaping the future direction of business education.

UT sees the APPBS Annual Meeting as an opportunity to explore academic and research collaborations with business education institutions from various countries. This forum provides a platform for Indonesian higher education to broaden its perspectives on navigating shifts in the business world and addressing future competency requirements. Consequently, UT’s participation is expected to support the development of business education that is increasingly responsive to the dynamics of the Asia-Pacific region.

The forum brought together 64 participants — including representatives from Indonesia, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Russia, the US, and the UK —along with 20 council members representing various business education institutions.

This diversity serves as a crucial foundation for exchanging perspectives on the development of business education across the Asia-Pacific region and the globe.

Business schools face the ongoing challenge of continuously aligning their educational approaches with the evolving needs of both industry and society.

The development of graduate competencies is no longer limited to managerial skills; it now encompasses adaptive leadership, innovation, an understanding of sustainability, and the ability to respond to shifts in the business environment.

Collaboration among business education institutions serves as a vital platform for broadening perspectives and formulating approaches that are relevant to these challenges.

As a higher education institution that has provided open and distance learning for over four decades, UT possesses extensive experience in developing educational services that reach individuals with diverse backgrounds and learning needs.

This experience is highly relevant to ongoing discussions regarding how higher education institutions can design adaptive learning models in the face of technological change and the evolving demands of the professional world.

Hosting the AAPBS Annual Meeting offers UT an opportunity to introduce the perspective of open and distance learning into the broader conversation about the future of business education.

UT Rector Prof. Ali Muktiyanto, S.E., M.Si.; Prof. Jikyeong Kang, President and Dean of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) and AAPBS President; and Prof. Eric Cornuel, Director General & CEO of the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) kicked off the forum.

Delivering the keynote address was M. Riza Damanik, Ph.D., IPU, Deputy for Micro Enterprises at the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises.

Prof. Dominique Turpin, President Emeritus of the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) delivered the closing keynote.

The discussions focus on three strategic issues concerning the sustainability of the business sector, uncertainty in the business environment, and the future direction of business school transformation:

• Business Empowerment & Sustainability:
This topic will examine the role of business education institutions in fostering business empowerment and sustainable development, featuring:

- Samsul Widodo, Director General for the Acceleration of Development of Disadvantaged Regions, Ministry of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions;
- Prof. Xianjun Geng, Dean of the C. T. Bauer College of Business, University of Houston; and
- Tantowi Yahya, President of the United in Diversity Foundation, President Commissioner of the Kura Kura Bali Special Economic Zone, and former Indonesian Ambassador to New Zealand (2017–2021).

• Business Environment Uncertainty:
This topic will address the strategies employed by business education institutions and industry players in responding to uncertainty and changes in the business environment, featuring:

- Anindya Novyan Bakrie, Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN Indonesia);
- Prof. Benny Tjahjono, Professor of Sustainability and Supply Chain Management at Coventry University; and
- Prof. Hiroshi Nakamura, Dean of Keio Business School, Keio University.

• The Future of Business Schools:
This topic will explore the developmental trajectory of business schools, ranging from curricula and learning models to research and leadership—to ensure alignment with the needs of industry and society—by featuring:
- Prof. Ir. Tian Belawati, M.Ed., Ph.D., Former Rector, Universitas Terbuka;
- Prof. Valery Katkalo, Director, Graduate School of Business, HSE University; and
- Prof. Mei H.C. Ho, Associate Dean, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology.

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