8:30
Welcome coffee at the conference venue
8:30
Walk from Golden Age Hotel and President Hotel to ALBA Graduate Business School, The American College of Greece
9:00 – 9:45
Plenary II – Inner Development Goals – a framework for driving sustainable change
Aim: Engage in an interactive session about the value of personal reflection in cultivating a sustainable mindset. Investigate how to shape the next generation of sustainable individuals and leaders by fostering meaningful relationships and thinking beyond the promotional sphere. Discover the importance of finding your inner compass and personal development to navigate and embrace new sustainability trends. Inner Development Goals (IDGs) are based on the idea that personal development is an important part of achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN´s 2030 Agenda.
- Pernilla Thellmark, Career Coach, Lund University School of Economics and Management, SE
9:45 – 11:00
Working groups – Exploring your inner development goals
Participate in an interactive session that goes beyond theoretical inner development goal trends and allows individual introspection about your inner development goals. Participants will be grouped based on different functions to ensure a diverse and well-rounded discussion.
- Moderated by Pernilla Thellmark, Career Coach, Lund University School of Economics and Management, SE
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee break
11:30 – 12:45
Coping with geopolitical challenges
Aim: Exploring best practices for engaging with international markets in light of recent developments and shifting geopolitical landscapes. Learn how to deal with constant change and develop strategies for marketing, communication, external relations, and alumni professionals in business schools to navigate and respond to geopolitical challenges effectively.
- Ramon Noguera, Academic Director, EADA Business School, ES
- Moderated by Rachel Maguer, Executive Director of Communications, INSEAD, FR
12:45 – 14:00
Lunch
14:00 – 15:00
Bring your challenge session
This session will allow participants to share what they are currently struggling with and how other participants can assist them. Smaller group discussions are NOT divided by functions.
- Moderated by Rachel Maguer, Executive Director of Communications, INSEAD, FR
15:00 – 15:30
Coffee break
15:30 – 16:45
Working group – Collaborative solutions for future challenges
Aim: In this session, participants will be divided into groups based on their functions and led by an expert through a case study that addresses their current challenges in light of future trends. Participants will be able to share best practices and tips with other professionals while considering factors such as the influence of the new generation, geopolitical challenges, and sustainable development goals.
Unlocking Alumni Engagement: A Data-Driven Approach
Alumni engagement isn’t just about events and emails—it’s about understanding your audience. In this interactive session, we’ll break down the biggest data roadblocks in Alumni Relations and explore simple, practical ways to make data work for you. The goal is to empower you and your team to create (even more) meaningful connections and engagement opportunities with your alumni community.
- Alumni expert: Léon De Vos, Data Management Officer, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, NL
Who’s interested in Business School? GMAC’s Global GME Candidate Segmentation Study
The recently published Global Segmentation Study focuses on the decision-making processes of prospective students in graduate management education. The session will provide an overview of the eight segments the study revealed, focusing on why individuals pursue GME, how they research programmes, their opinions and attitudes towards education generally, and the perceived value of GME in supporting their career goals. Participants will be divided into small groups and tasked with brainstorming key ideas for a campaign targeting one of the market segments.
- Marketing expert: Sara Strafino, Director, Market Development, GMAC & Amy Rogers, Senior Marketing Manager, Europe, GMAC® – Graduate Management Admission Council, UK
Dealing with digital communication and social media
This session will explore how Decathlon leverages technology and social media for communication, addressing current challenges and future trends. Participants will have the opportunity to exchange best practices and insights with industry peers while considering key factors such as the influence of the new generation, geopolitical challenges, and sustainable development goals.
- Communication expert: Olivier Duband, Global Head of Communication, Decathlon (online)
Moderated by Rachel Maguer, Executive Director of Communications, INSEAD, FR
Sustainable Communication and Effective Crisis Management
This session explores sustainable communication strategies and crisis management in traditionally non-consumer-facing industries like gas. It will address how to engage communities effectively without direct intervention, allowing them to observe and understand the changes organically while minimizing conflict. Additionally, the discussion will examine geopolitical dynamics, the power of influence over institutions and authorities, and how countries can reshape narratives to regain central roles. Participants will engage in an interactive exercise to apply these concepts to their day-to-day real-world crises in the field of education, making the discussion relevant and accessible to all.
- External Relations expert: Fernando Kalligas, Corporate Affairs Director, DESFA (Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator), GR
16:45
Walk from ALBA Graduate Business School, The American College of Greece to the Golden Age and President Hotels
18:00 – 19:00
Optional walking tour “Athens Reinvented – A City of Endless Transformation*”
- Start time: 18:00 . Meeting Point (First stop): Monastiraki Square, Metro Station
- End time: 19:00 at the Elaia restaurant (Conference dinner)
*Athens is not a city that stands still. Over the centuries, it has constantly reshaped itself—sometimes by necessity, sometimes by force, and sometimes by the sheer will of its people. This walking tour isn’t just about monuments; it’s about how Athens has changed its identity from the centre of the ancient world to a modern European capital. Athens has been many things:
A democratic empire, a Roman cultural hub, a Byzantine religious town, an Ottoman province, a reborn European capital, and a modern city struggling between its past and future, Athens is still changing today. It’s a city of ancient ruins, street art, protests, tech startups, and endless reinvention. The question is: What will Athens become next?
19:00 – 22:00
Typical Greek drinks and dinner at Elaia restaurant, Erechtheos 12 & Erotokritou, Plaka, Athens 10558, Greece
22:00 – 22:15
Return to Golden Age and President Hotels by taxi, metro or walking
