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What is RME Week?

The objective of Responsible Management Education (RME) Week is to advance responsible management education and its impact worldwide through convening and knowledge exchange.

Advancing Africa-Rooted Management Scholarship from Cairo

For the first time, RME Week takes place on the African continent - at the Onsi Sawiris School of Business, The American University in Cairo (AUC), Egypt, from 28 June to 1 July 2026, under the theme "Counting on Collective Values."

Co-organized by PRME, AACSB, EFMD Global, RRBM, and the Africa Academy of Management (AFAM), RME Week 2026 brings together scholars, institutional leaders, UN representatives, and industry practitioners to advance sustainable transformation in business and management education - in direct alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

AFAM's Contribution - Why It Matters

On 1 July 2026, AFAM and AUC co-host a half-day workshop that positions Africa not merely as a setting for applying established frameworks, but as a source of original theoretical contributions to global management scholarship.

The workshop features a welcome keynote by Ghada Waly (Former Executive Director, UNODC; Former Minister, Egypt), opening remarks by Judy Muthuri (AFAM President) and Sherif Kamel (Dean, AUC School of Business; Immediate Past Chair, AACSB), and two flagship panel sessions bringing together distinguished scholars and practitioners from across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

The AFAM Workshop features two flagship panel sessions:

🔬 Panel 1 - "Africa as a Source of New Management Theory: Insights from Research and Practice" - This session repositions Africa not merely as a setting for applying established frameworks, but as a source of original theoretical contributions to global management scholarship.

This panel brings together scholars and practitioners to explore how management scholarship can move beyond applying established frameworks toward generating new theoretical insights from African research and practice. Africa is positioned not merely as a setting, but as a source of original contributions to management theory.

The panel aims to identify pathways through which African research can produce novel theoretical contributions that are both academically rigorous and practically meaningful. Drawing on experiences in policy, leadership, and organizational practice, the discussion will highlight how insights from African firms, markets, and institutions can inform broader theory development and influence mainstream management thinking.

The panel will also examine how practice-based insights can be translated into conceptual contributions with relevance beyond Africa. Particular attention will be given to moving from empirical observations to generalizable theory, positioning contributions in leading journals, and addressing challenges related to data, methods, and framing. The panel will conclude with a synthesis of key pathways to advance theory from Africa, strategies for publication, and directions to strengthen the global impact of African research.

🎓 Panel 2 - "Shaping Responsible Entrepreneurship Through African Business Schools" -This session examines how African business schools can act as catalysts for responsible, impact-driven entrepreneurship by aligning research, education, and ecosystem engagement with the continent's socio-economic realities. As entrepreneurship increasingly drives inclusive and sustainable development, business schools can move beyond traditional teaching models to adopt approaches that are practical, contextually relevant, and oriented toward societal impact.

The panel will explore how entrepreneurship education can equip students with the skills, ethical frameworks, and mindset to create ventures addressing social, environmental, and economic challenges. It will also examine how business schools can collaborate with local ecosystems-through accelerators, incubators, and impact investment networks-to strengthen innovation and venture creation. Additionally, the session will discuss strategies for producing rigorous, grounded research that informs policy, guides practice, and enhances ecosystem effectiveness. Panelists will provide concrete insights on designing programs and partnerships, developing supportive policy and investment ecosystems, and generating actionable knowledge for stakeholders.

AFAM Workshop - Agenda | 1 July 2026 | Room PO19

🍽 12:00 – 1:00 PM | Lunch & Networking Terrace/Foyer - Open to all registered participants

🎙 1:00 – 1:15 PM | Opening Remarks: Prof. Judy Muthuri - AFAM President; Prof. Sherif Kamel - Dean, AUC School of Business; Immediate Past Chair, AACSB

🎤 1:15 – 1:30 PM | Welcome Keynote: Ms. Ghada Waly - Former Executive Director, UNODC

🟩 1:30 – 2:45 PM | Panel 1 - Africa as a Source of New Management Theory: Insights from Research and Practice Africa as a source - not just a setting - of original management theory with global relevance. Moderator ◆ Prof. Judy Muthuri; Speakers ► Prof. Shiv Tripathi; Prof. Moses Acquaah; Dr. Mumbi Wachira, PhD; Prof. Samer Atallah (AUC); Raghda El Ebrashi, Prof. Dr.

☕ 2:45 – 3:15 PM | Break - Networking & Refreshments Terrace/Foyer - Coffee & tea provided

🟪 3:15 – 4:30 PM | Panel 2 - Shaping Responsible Entrepreneurship Through African Business Schools Business schools as catalysts for responsible, impact-driven entrepreneurship aligned with Africa's realities. Speakers ►Dr. Heba Zaki, Ph.D; Ms. Ghada Waly; Mr. Tamer Taha; Mr. Fabian Sukulu; Mr. Ash Ganzoury; Dr. Seham Ghalwash (AUC)

🚀 Join Us in Cairo

RME Week 2026 will equip attendees with tangible practices, skills, and policies to produce responsible leaders who prioritize the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Build connections with peers, industry leaders, and UN representatives committed to global responsibility.

Register today >>> 2026 Responsible Management Education (RME) Week Registration