Background

The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) will be hosting the 2027 PRME Global Forum on 1-2 July, 2027 as part of the broader Responsible Management Education (RME) Week hosted by Sunway Business School at Sunway University in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The PRME Global Forum is PRME’s annual flagship event that brings together PRME’s stakeholders (i.e. students, faculty, staff, Deans/Heads of Schools and board members) to exchange knowledge and good practices on how to use the Principles of PRME as vehicles for transformation and advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Stakeholders not only connect on systems and structures of sustainable development facing their institution but also cross-pollinate the latest pedagogical innovations to advance the state of RME and business education for sustainable development. We seek to grow this opportunity to engage educators, students, and all key decision makers in the road to achieving the SDGs. The theme of this year’s event is Bridging a Changing World.

A portion of the Global Forum’s programme will be set aside for breakout tracks dedicated to three of the Seven Principles of PRME: Research, Teach, Practice, as well as a new track this year on Student Engagement. These sessions are designed to help participants move from inspiration to implementation by sharing concrete practices, frameworks, and institutional pathways. The objective of the breakout tracks is to provide tools, resources, and knowledge on how the Principles can be utilized as vehicles for transformation and sustainable development integration into business and management schools. Each track at the Global Forum will include two sessions over two days, featuring a mix of contributions from PRME Signatory Members. Only proposals from PRME Signatory Members will be considered.

Breakout Track Format

Each session is crafted to ensure attendees leave with specific, actionable strategies, resources, and networks to advance sustainable development and responsible management education practices. The sessions will run for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The sessions will engage participants through a unique structure suited to their content, such as:

• Roundtable Exchanges: Small, facilitated group discussions focused on a particular theme. Participants rotate to gain diverse perspectives.

• Guided Workshop: Hands-on sessions where attendees work in small groups on case studies or real-world challenges, then share insights in a larger debrief.

• Panel Discussions: Diverse panels featuring a wide range of perspectives on emerging trends.

Tracks Available for Contributions

Teach: These sessions introduce innovative teaching strategies and course materials for embedding sustainability into management curricula. Educators will explore techniques for interactive and experiential learning, including covering case studies and collaborative projects, that bring sustainability to the forefront of business education.

Partner: Sessions on partnerships will guide attendees through building collaborative networks that foster sustainability across academia, industry, and government. Attendees will gain insights into successful partnership frameworks and strategies for leveraging cross-sector resources, helping institutions create impactful alliances and shared projects. Attendees will also gain access to PRME partnerships that have benefits for the entire community.

Practice: Designed to address institutional integration of sustainable practices, these sessions provide tools and resources for implementing campus-wide sustainability initiatives. It will also dive into monitoring progress, with a specific look at how PRME Commons, and other reporting measures, can move the needle forward on sustainability.

Student Engagement: These sessions explore innovative approaches to engaging students as active participants and leaders in advancing sustainability and responsible management education. Attendees will discover strategies for empowering student-led initiatives, integrating student perspectives into institutional decision-making, and fostering meaningful collaboration between students, educators, and external partners.

Session Roles & Responsibilities

• Design and organize the session in consultation with the PRME Secretariat

• Lead the session in-person at the Global Forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

• Recruit and manage speakers for the session

• Attend monthly meetings with the Organizing Committee (from late February 2027 to June 2027) for logistical management

• Promote the PRME Global Forum and RME Week

• Prepare 3-5 concrete and actionable recommendations immediately following your session tailored for the PRME community (e.g., curriculum adaptations, partnership models), to be shared as part of the post event wrap-up

Session Priorities

1. Diversity and Inclusion

• Geographic Representation: Proposals that include contributors from diverse regions, particularly underrepresented areas in sustainable management education.

• Age and Career Stage: Proposals that integrate voices from across age groups and career stages (e.g., early-career educators, experienced faculty, young professionals, and student representatives). Note: Student engagement sessions must feature students as part of the programme.

• Multidisciplinary and Cross-Sectoral Diversity: Sessions featuring speakers from varied disciplines, sectors, and backgrounds to enhance the richness of perspectives on sustainability in education.

2. Innovation and Relevance

• Novelty and Boldness: Proposals that not only introduce innovative approaches but push the boundaries of what’s possible in embedding sustainability across curricula, partnerships, and institutional practices. We are looking for sessions that feel transformative, push boundaries, spark new ideas, and help shape the future of responsible management education.

• Actionability and Practical Application: Sessions designed to deliver concrete, actionable strategies that attendees can implement post-forum.

• Alignment with PRME’s Mission and SDGs: Sessions that clearly tie into the Principles of PRME, the theme of the Global Forum, and the broader Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting the role of responsible management education.

3. New Contributors and Community Engagement

• First-Time Presenters and Institutions: Weight given to proposals from new voices within the PRME community, encouraging fresh contributions.

• Engagement of Broader Networks: Proposals that aim to connect attendees to broader networks, fostering future partnerships and collaborative projects within PRME and beyond.

4. Session Design and Interactive Potential

• Interactive Elements: Proposals that emphasize participatory and engaging session formats (such as guided workshops or roundtable exchanges) to ensure active learning and collaboration.

• Effective Facilitation and Outcomes: Clear plans for facilitation that balance multiple perspectives and have defined outcomes, including actionable insights or resources for attendees.

5. Scalability and Transferability

• Global Applicability: Sessions with strategies that can be adapted to various institutional or regional contexts, making them relevant across different geographical and cultural settings.

• Potential for Ongoing Impact: Proposals with plans for follow-up actions, resource-sharing, or continued collaboration to sustain the session’s impact beyond the forum.

Important Dates

Submission Deadline: 15 January, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET

Notification: Week commencing 8 February, 2027

First meeting: Week commencing 22 February, 2027

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