It was about three and a half years ago (May 2023, Episode 12) when we first interviewed Jeff Brown from the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. At the time, we discussed leading a college through remarkable transformation, something Jeff is well-versed in, due in part to the extraordinary innovation he led the Gies faculty through when they introduced the Illinois’ iMBA, an internet-based mba degree program that now serves thousands of students around the globe each year.

About a year-and-a-half after our interview, in the summer of 2024, Jeff stepped down from the deanship and back onto the Illinois faculty. Since then, he has re-engaged in his research but also has had the time to reflect on business schools and higher education much more broadly and ponder the big challenges facing the academy and its business model.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Jeff feels the need for innovation in Higher Ed is more compelling now than ever. Please join us as we get reacquainted with Jeff Brown and hear his insights into what he sees as the key issues future deans should anticipate confronting in the years ahead and why innovation on this scale is so difficult.

In this fascinating confab featuring our trio of hosts, Jim, Ken, and Dave, Jeff lends his insight to the challenges and opportunities facing higher ed, including:

• The demographic challenges will force innovation

• Teaching students how to think, instead of what they already know

• The important initiatives that are shaping the future of learning

• Experimenting with 3-year degrees

• Changing the mold on developing leadership talent

Learn more about Jeff Brown.

Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note.

Thanks for listening.

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Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts

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DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.

James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)

David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)

Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry

DeansCounsel.com