Amplifying BGS Voices
A Global Perspective on Business Education
Business education is evolving quickly. As industries shift and new skills emerge, institutions are being challenged to ensure their programs remain relevant, forward-looking, and impactful.
To better understand how business education is serving graduates today, Beta Gamma Sigma partnered with ZHAW School of Management and Law and the Financial Times on the Global Alumni Pulse Survey. Supported by AACSB, this initiative brought together perspectives from 1,152 alumni across the globe, representing graduating classes from 1970 to 2025.
“Business schools invest heavily in educating future leaders, yet we lack a truly global, data-driven understanding of what happens after graduation.”
Dr. Reto Steiner, Dean at ZHAW School of Management and Law
More than simply capturing data, this effort was designed to better understand how member experiences translate into real-world outcomes. As Dr. Reto Steiner, Dean at ZHAW School of Management and Law, noted, “Business schools invest heavily in educating future leaders, yet we lack a truly global, data-driven understanding of what happens after graduation. The idea behind the Global Alumni Pulse was to give alumni a collective voice and capture their real-world experiences, expectations, and outcomes across borders.”
How the Survey Came Together
The Global Alumni Pulse Survey was built through a collaborative and intentional process. From the beginning, the focus was on creating a survey that could resonate with a global audience while delivering meaningful, actionable insights.
Working closely with BGS, ZHAW SML led the development of the survey structure, including question design, messaging, and overall strategy. Together, the teams worked on how to effectively reach members worldwide and ensure strong engagement.
As Martyna Maniak-Hüsser of ZHAW shared, “Working with BGS on the Global Alumni Pulse Survey was a very collaborative and well-structured process. It was particularly valuable to align on the survey design, messaging, and distribution strategy to effectively reach a global audience and drive meaningful engagement across different regions.”
The strength of the BGS network played a key role in this effort. With an engaged global membership, the survey was able to reach a diverse audience and generate thoughtful, high-quality responses.
Collaboration Across Organizations
This project brought together three organizations with distinct strengths, each contributing to its overall success.
ZHAW led the research design and analysis, ensuring the survey was both structured and relevant. The Financial Times provided a global platform to share the findings and connect them to broader trends in business education. BGS played a critical role in engaging our members and ensuring that their voices were well represented.
For BGS, this was an opportunity to highlight the strength and perspective of our members on a global stage.
As Matt Plodzien, Director of Marketing and Partnerships at BGS, noted, “Participation in the Global Alumni Pulse Survey was a great opportunity for both BGS as an organization and for our members. We had the chance to elevate awareness of our organization while simultaneously promoting our members. Beta Gamma Sigma has always referred to our members as the best in business, and it was an exciting opportunity to showcase that in the Financial Times.”
“Beta Gamma Sigma has always referred to our members as the best in business, and it was an exciting opportunity to showcase that in the Financial Times.”
Matt Plodzien, Director of Marketing and Partnerships at BGS
From the Financial Times perspective, the collaboration came at an important moment. As global education editor Andrew Jack shared, “The FT is always interested in trends in business education and at a time of such disruption, it was valuable to partner with ZHAW and BGS to gather insights from alumni around the world.”
Together, this partnership created a well-rounded and globally relevant initiative that extends beyond any one organization.
Why Member Insights Matter
BGS members offer a unique and valuable perspective. Our members have experienced business education firsthand and have applied it in the workforce, making them a critical link between academia and industry. This survey reinforces the importance of creating an ongoing conversation.
As BGS Executive Director Christina Allrich shared, “Projects like this create a rare and valuable feedback loop between graduates and the institutions that helped shape their careers. By participating in this project, we’re able to elevate our alumni’s voices on a global scale and translate those insights into meaningful action.”
By listening to alumni, institutions can better understand what is working, where gaps exist, and how to continue evolving in a meaningful way.
Key Highlights from the Survey
The findings reflect both the strength of business education today and the need for continued evolution.
83%
rated their degree highly or very highly
80%
said their degree was highly relevant to career progress
Top Growth Areas
AI, digital skills, global perspectives, and practical application
For a deeper look at the full findings and analysis, we encourage you to explore the Financial Times article.
What This Means for Business Education
The survey reinforces a simple but important idea: business education is strong, but it must continue to evolve.
As industries change, so do the expectations placed on graduates. Maintaining relevance requires ongoing listening, adaptation, and a willingness to incorporate new perspectives.
“My hope is that the results will help business schools better align their programs with the evolving needs of graduates and employers.”
Dr. Reto Steiner
Steiner emphasized the broader impact of the findings, noting, “My hope is that the results will help business schools better align their programs with the evolving needs of graduates and employers. By listening more closely to alumni, schools can make more informed, future-oriented decisions about how they educate the next generation of leaders.”
The Role of Beta Gamma Sigma Moving Forward
At BGS, this work reflects a broader commitment to amplifying the voices of our members and strengthening the connection between business education and the workforce.
Our global network represents some of the most engaged and accomplished individuals in business education. By participating in initiatives like the Global Alumni Pulse Survey, we are able to bring those perspectives forward and contribute to meaningful conversations on a global scale.
“By partnering with ZHAW and the Financial Times, we’re providing a platform to showcase the expertise and value of the BGS membership’s collective voice.”
Christina Allrich, Executive Director, Beta Gamma Sigma
This is where BGS plays a unique role. We serve as a connector between students, alumni, and institutions, creating opportunities to share insights, foster collaboration, and support continuous improvement.
Grounded in our values of purpose, leadership, and community, we remain focused on ensuring that our members not only succeed but also help shape the future of business education.
Looking Ahead
The Global Alumni Pulse Survey is just one example of what is possible when organizations come together with a shared goal.
By continuing to listen, collaborate, and bring forward the voices of our global community, we can help ensure that business education remains responsive, relevant, and impactful for years to come.