Responsible Management Education Week 2026: Counting on Collective Values

NEW YORK, 13 NOVEMBER – The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), an initiative of the UN Global Compact, will be organizing the 4th annual Responsible Management Education (RME) week, hosted at the Onsi Sawiris School of Business at The American University in Cairo, Egypt from 28 June - 1 July. The 2026 edition will include collaborations and events with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Responsible Research in Business and Management (RRBM) Network, and EFMD Global.

The objective of RME Week is to advance responsible management education and its impact worldwide through convening and knowledge exchange. This year introduces a theme to connect the events through one common through line: Counting on Collective Values.

RME Week 2026 in Cairo will unite leaders from academia, business, government, and student communities to spark new ideas and actionable solutions for responsible management education and sustainable development. With a dynamic program of dialogues, workshops, and collaborative spaces, the week will reinforce global commitments to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

RME Week 2026 offers a rich program of events, including:

• PRME Global Forum (28-29 June): Through thought-provoking keynotes, dynamic panels, and practical breakout sessions, attendees will learn from best practices, innovative solutions, and insightful discussions on how to bring sustainability into business and management schools.

• RME Week Reception (29 June P.M.): Connect with like-minded peers across the globe paving the way for transformation in education and research.

• AACSB Societal Impact Workshop (30 June A.M.): Join AACSB for an interactive seminar designed to help your school effectively integrate and communicate societal impact across strategy, accreditation, and stakeholder engagement. Discover practical approaches, peer insights, and innovative ways to demonstrate your school’s commitment to advancing societal and research impact globally.

• EFMD Global workshop (30 June P.M.): This EFMD workshop explores how accreditation standards can drive meaningful transformation in business education. Rather than a checklist, accreditation offers a framework to rethink leadership, ethics, and responsibility within diverse contexts and challenges. Through examples and dialogue, participants will reflect on how accreditation can strengthen institutional culture, purpose, and impact.

• RRBM session (1 July A.M.): Interactive dialogues on advancing credible and relevant research for societal impact will highlight how responsible research strengthens the connection between academia, business, and society - ensuring scholarship meets the highest scientific standards while addressing real-world challenges and restoring public trust. Participants will actively explore, discuss, and debate how responsible research can drive positive change within and beyond business schools.

The strategic collaboration among PRME, AACSB, EFMD, and RRBM underscores the importance of weaving responsibility, ethics, and sustainability into the core of teaching, research, and practice. Hosting the week in Africa highlights the region’s pivotal role in shaping global conversations on management education and in driving innovation for a more sustainable and inclusive future.

“RME Week 2026 calls us to remember that the true power of management education lies not in competition, but in communion — in learning and leading together with purpose. Our collective values are the living pulse of responsible leadership: they remind us that progress without conscience is no progress at all. As we gather in Cairo, we honor Africa’s emerging voice and reaffirm a shared conviction — that wisdom grows through dialogue, courage, and care for the whole. The measure of our success will not be what we know alone, but what we choose to become — together — in service of humanity and the planet.”

— Prof. Dr. Omid Aschari, Senior Advisor, Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME)

“On behalf of the Onsi Sawiris School of Business at The American University in Cairo, we are thrilled to host the 2026 PRME Global Forum! The event reflects our unwavering commitment to shaping a future of business that is responsible, sustainable, and inclusive—both across our region and worldwide. Bringing the Forum to Cairo is an opportunity to showcase the dynamic role the Middle East and Africa play in reimagining the future of business and management. By welcoming educators, practitioners, and changemakers from around the globe, we aim to amplify regional voices, spark bold ideas, and build lasting connections that align business success with positive societal impact. Together, let’s seize this moment to inspire action, accelerate progress, and create a more sustainable and inclusive future for generations to come.”

–Sherif Kamel, Dean of Onsi Sawiris School of Business, The American University in Cairo.

“RME Week 2026 reminds us that the future of business education depends on our shared commitment to responsibility and relevance. As partners in this global effort, AACSB champions learning and research that create positive societal impact—turning purpose into progress for communities and economies worldwide. Gathering in Cairo reflects the region’s growing influence and the power of collaboration across borders to shape management education that is inclusive, impactful, and deeply connected to the world it serves.”

— Professor Eileen McAuliffe PhD, Executive Vice President, Chief Officer Thought Leadership and EMEA, AACSB International

“Gathering in Cairo carries a special significance. The city has always been a crossroad of cultures and ideas, a place where knowledge exchange leads to new understandings. That spirit captures exactly what RME Week is about. Africa today is driving some creative and innovative thinking in responsible management education, shaped by both local challenges and global realities. For EFMD, being part of this conversation matters deeply and we are excited to explore the diversity of perspectives, as well as ways towards collective progress for business education worldwide”

— Prof. Dr. Alfons Sauquet, Director, Quality Services & EQUIS, EFMD Global

“RRBM’s participation in RME Week 2026 reflects our commitment to responsible research, grounded in our seven principles emphasising both scientific credibility and societal relevance. By advancing research that is both trustworthy and impactful, we demonstrate how scholarly work can drive meaningful, inclusive, and sustainable change, while also informing teaching as part of Responsible Management Education Week. Research-led education is a core value proposition of business schools, connecting students, academia, and the wider education ecosystem to address pressing global challenges. Hosting the week in Africa underscores the region’s pivotal role in shaping these global conversations and fostering research practices that are both contextually grounded and responsibly oriented, supporting a sustainable scholarly future.”

— Prof. Agnieszka (Aggie) Chidlow & Prof. Saonee Sarker, Chair and Co-Chair of RRBM

Registration for RME Week 2026 will open at the end of 2025. To be notified, subscribe to the PRME newsletter.

About the Partners

Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME)

The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) is a United Nations-supported initiative founded in 2007 that aims to raise the profile of sustainability in their classrooms through Seven Principles focused on serving society and safeguarding our planet. As a voluntary initiative with over 800 signatories worldwide, PRME has become the largest organized relationship between the United Nations and management-related higher education institutions.

Onsi Sawiris School of Business at The American University

Onsi Sawiris School of Business at The American University in Cairo is a leading hub for business education, connecting Egypt with the global community. Recognized as the top private business school in Egypt and one of the best in Africa and the Middle East, the School is ranked as the number-one business knowledge hub in the region by Eduniversal and has consistently been among the top 100 business schools worldwide since 2012.

With the prestigious Triple Crown accreditation (AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS), placing it among the top 1% of business schools globally, the School is committed to shaping future business leaders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers. Through cutting-edge programs, five research centers, a startup incubator, and its digital knowledge hub Business Forward, the School drives innovation and excellence while advancing its core focus on entrepreneurship, family business, responsible management, and economic development.

For nearly eight decades, Onsi Sawiris School of Business has been dedicated to preparing leaders who combine purpose with performance, ensuring they are ready to tackle the challenges of a dynamic global business landscape.

AACSB

Established in 1916, AACSB International (AACSB) is the world’s largest business education association, connecting business schools, businesses, and lifelong learners to create the next generation of great leaders. With members in over 100 countries and territories, AACSB elevates the quality and impact of business schools globally. Learn how AACSB and business schools from around the world are leading boldly in business education at aacsb.edu.

RRBM

Responsible Research for Business and Management (RRBM) is a global network to fostering credible and impactful research in the business and management disciplines that serves society. Founded in 2015 by EFMD and supported by its strategic partners such as the AACSB, PRME, the Aspen Institute’s Business and Society Program, the Global Responsible Leadership Initiative, and business schools worldwide, today RRBM is recognised as one of the thought leaders advocating for responsible research that addresses global challenges and promotes responsible management practices. To learn more about RRBM please visit https://www.rrbm.network/.

EFMD Global

EFMD is a global non-profit organisation founded in 1972, with nearly 1000 institutional members across 92 countries. It serves as a premier network for management development professionals in academia, business, public service, and consultancy. Recognised globally for accrediting business schools, programmes, and corporate universities, EFMD’s 30,000-strong network shapes management education worldwide. It fosters socially responsible leaders and managers through information exchange, research, and networking. EFMD facilitates close collaboration between companies and academic institutions, offering an array of services to its tight-knit community, such as conferences, seminars, workshops, awards, international projects and industry surveys. It leads quality assurance and enhancement through accreditation and certification systems like EQUIS, EFMD Programme Accreditation, EOCCS, CLIP, its EDAF mentoring programme and the BSIS impact assessment system. EFMD aims to strengthen the global management development community with a positive societal impact. For more information, please visit www.efmdglobal.org.