IPB University’s School of Business Wins ABEST21 Good Practice Award
The School of Business (SB) at IPB University has won the international ABEST21 Good Practice Award. This achievement reinforces global recognition of the sustainable business education approach developed by IPB University’s School of Business.
ABEST21, or The Alliance on Business Education and Scholarship for Tomorrow, a 21st century organization, is an international accreditation body headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The organization was founded in 2005 to evaluate and ensure the quality of management education at various business schools and universities worldwide.
Dr Zenal Asikin, Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Alumni at the IPB University School of Business, explained that the award is not merely a recognition of academic quality but also of the business education philosophy developed by the IPB University SB.
“This award underscores that business schools today must not only focus on profit and economic growth but also on human well being, sustainability, and social impact,” he said.
According to him, the IPB University SB views business studies not merely as the study of the exchange of goods and services, but as the study of services aimed at creating human well being through creativity, collaboration, and responsible business practices. Therefore, he emphasized, business education must be able to integrate knowledge production and problem solving simultaneously.
In a global context, Dr Zenal noted, business education is currently shifting from a growth-oriented focus toward well-being, sustainability, and societal impact. This shift is considered highly relevant for developing nations or the Global South, including Indonesia, which face challenges such as social inequality, economic transformation, food security, environmental crises, and gaps in leadership and innovation capacity.
“The uniqueness of SB IPB lies in the development of business education rooted in the character of IPB University as a techno-socio-entrepreneurial university. This approach is translated through the concept of business-sustainability embeddedness, which places sustainability at the core of business development and economic life,” he explained.
The sustainability approach is also integrated into the curriculum, learning processes, research, and the character development of students. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, the green economy, and sustainability are not merely studied as course materials but serve as an educational paradigm that fosters awareness of the interconnectedness of humans, business, society, the state, and nature.
“Education at SB IPB is designed to produce business leaders who are not only competent in management but also possess ethical responsibility, social sensitivity, and ecological awareness in making business decisions,” explained Dr Zenal.
He noted that this award further strengthens SB IPB’s commitment to continuing its contribution to sustainable development at the global level. Moving forward, SB IPB will enhance the integration of knowledge development, impactful research, and the resolution of real world societal challenges through international collaboration and research.
“In the long term, we aim to contribute to building a business education model that is not only focused on economic growth but also on human welfare, ecological well-being, and sustainable prosperity,” he concluded. (*/Rz) (IAAS/EXC).
