«High-quality knowledge can drown in a sea of fakes and misinformation», says Iryna Tykhomyrova, President of the MIM Business School
Iryna Tykhomyrova / mim.kyiv.ua
PHILOSOPHY OF SURVIVAL: NEVER STOP
I firmly believe that one should never stop, even when resources seem insufficient. Adhering to the principle that there is always more that can be done is crucial.
From the first days of the war, I received numerous emails and calls from our partners around the world. They were shocked by what was happening and asked, «Is it true that you are being bombed?» My response was simple: «Yes, that is indeed the case».
Our partners offered all kinds of support and collaboration, including free lectures so that we could continue our educational activities. However, at the very beginning of the hostilities, this was impossible. But by April 2022, as we were restoring and relaunching our programs, we came up with the ReinforceUA project.
This project was aimed at bringing modern managerial agendas to Ukraine and starting a discussion about global trends, ensuring that we did not remain on the sidelines of worldwide knowledge and educational trends.
The first people we invited to participate in the project were renowned global thinkers, such as philosopher Yuval Noah Harari, author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind and Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, and economist Guy Standing, the proponent of the basic income concept. Later, thanks to recommendations from the Thinkers50 rating agency, we were able to establish contacts with other outstanding speakers from South Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Asia.
Every Wednesday, we held sessions with leading experts, including many remarkable individuals such as Philip Kotler, who, with his Ukrainian roots, responded to our project with exceptional warmth.
LOCAL LIMITATIONS ON GLOBAL WISDOM: UNEXPECTED OBSERVATIONS FROM OUR PROJECT
Unfortunately, many modern thinkers remain unknown in our country. The challenge lies in the fact that a significant portion of essential books, articles, and research that have become classics of global thought have not been translated into Ukrainian.
This issue extends beyond literature to educational courses on online learning platforms, which are often offered exclusively in English. As a result, even with the technological capabilities for global learning and research, accurate access to knowledge remains limited. This creates a situation where many significant theories and ideas remain beyond the understanding of those who could potentially use them to develop new scientific and cultural projects.
I assumed that the generation born in an independent Ukraine without a Soviet past would have a better command of English. They have access to the Internet and can use global libraries, yet their overall level of language proficiency remains the same.
We strive for integration into the European Union, want to develop international business on equal terms and be visible on the global stage. But this is impossible without understanding and mastering the experience and practices of Europe, and knowledge of a foreign language plays a crucial role in this. Without English, our goals are unattainable. Incidentally, for this exact reason, it is tough for our Ukrainian teachers to build an academic career abroad.
MIM AND IMD: LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR UKRAINIAN WOMEN
At the end of 2023, our ReinforceUA project received an award from Thinkers50. During the award ceremony, we struck up a conversation with Professor Howard Yu from the Swiss business school IMD, who was recognized for his achievements in the field of strategy.
This conversation, which began as a discussion about MIM’s history, Swiss roots, and business education model, led to the idea of collaboration and the creation of a joint initiative. Jens Lundin, a member of MIM’s Supervisory Board and supporter of sustainability projects at IMD, supported this idea.
The leadership program for Ukrainian women is a six-month online course created jointly by IMD and MIM. Guest lecturers from the ReinforceUA project will also participate in the program. To be eligible for the program, applicants must meet the following criteria: Ukrainian citizenship, a higher education degree, a high level of English proficiency, leadership potential, and a desire to contribute to the country’s development.
We are confident in the necessity of such a program, given the growing role of women in society and the importance of their contribution to Ukraine’s development, especially in light of the current demographic changes caused by the war. The program will also result in the formation of a community of women leaders, fostering an active and engaged network.
IMD representatives set strict requirements for us, establishing high standards for all processes, but this did not prevent us from launching the program in record time – by June 2024. In the initial selection phase, we evaluated the candidates and then forwarded the applications to IMD for review. Out of nearly 300 applicants, 43 participants were selected, representing civil society, business, and government. The result was a group of incredibly talented women, each of whom could have a book written about them.
The program is now in full swing, and soon, the participants will begin working on their final projects. For the final evaluation, in addition to representatives from MIM and IMD, we will also invite some of the most successful and well-known women in Ukraine. The anticipation of feedback and the excitement of new projects inspire us to continue developing and supporting women leaders in our country. We expect that next year, a second group will begin their studies.
QUALITY VERSUS FORGERY: THE FIGHT FOR AUTHENTIC KNOWLEDGE
Since ancient times, knowledge has been a valuable resource, access to which was strictly limited. For example, the secrets of making gunpowder or porcelain were carefully guarded and passed down from generation to generation within families or controlled guilds. This restriction of access guaranteed quality and helped maintain the economic and cultural influence of those who possessed this knowledge.
However, with the advent of the Internet and digital media platforms, knowledge has become a mass commodity accessible to everyone. But this newfound accessibility has also brought new challenges.
Primary, secondary, compiled, and unintegrated knowledge now mix, creating a patchwork of information where quantity often overshadows quality. The educational services market is saturated with offerings, including dubious ones. Surrogate online courses and programs based on unverified information or outdated data are becoming the norm.
This creates the risk that true, high-quality knowledge may drown in a sea of fakes and misinformation.
That is why projects like ReinforceUA and joint programs with leading business schools set the highest standards for knowledge quality, which is especially important in an age of information overload.
AI AND EDUCATION: ETHICAL ISSUES AND NEW HORIZONS
When Google first emerged, I was amazed that I could access the Library of Congress from Kyiv. Today, similar moments of wonder occur when we encounter artificial intelligence. However, it often happens that the first question people ask AI is about themselves. Then, they become disappointed when they realize that they are not in the vast database. This makes us reflect on how much we overestimate our significance in the context of history.
Artificial intelligence is becoming a significant challenge for the education system. Opinions among educators about AI vary: there are both supporters and skeptics. Current policies regarding the use of AI among students typically focus on combating plagiarism and the proper use of AI as a tool.
There is also the question of the ethics of AI use by educators, especially in grading. In my opinion, AI can serve as a tool, but the final assessment and understanding should come from the teacher, as they can take into account details and the creative element that AI might miss.
Soon, we will become mere witnesses in the process of organizing education. Thanks to artificial intelligence and platforms like LinkedIn, the educational format will change. LinkedIn has become both a vast university and a recruitment agency. It not only educates but also employs.
LinkedIn constantly asks, «Are you looking for a job or hiring?» This makes it a vast database that is useful for both education and career development. The integration of AI on the LinkedIn platform, where personal information, employment opportunities, and educational resources are combined with professional expert communities and a news feed, is completely transforming the educational format and model.
EMOTIONAL STABILITY: THE KEY TO SUCCESS
For the third consecutive year, Ukrainian business schools, along with the entire country, are operating under wartime conditions. The challenges we face now are far more complex, harsher, and more tragic than those during the pandemic, which turned global education upside down.
The pandemic was terrible, but we were confident it would end soon, knowing that the entire global pharmaceutical industry was working on a solution. Our war, like any other, steals the future. How can we plan when a neighboring country is destroying infrastructure and production, killing, maiming, and trying to eradicate your country?
But it is precisely our faith and understanding of the future we want to build that give us strength and resilience. We are working on how to prepare for life after the war. In collaboration with the Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the Office of the President, with the support of USAID, we launched a program to train managers for work in de-occupied territories. This project, along with our leadership program for women, has become one of the most significant initiatives in MIM’s 35th year.
The war has also heightened the demands for emotional stability in leaders as a critical factor in overcoming any difficulties, as the energy and attitude of management are transferred to others.
Everyone finds their source of emotional stability differently. In various circumstances, different actions may be required: an engaging project that consumes attention and free time, a hobby, meeting friends, watching a favorite TV series, or reading. For example, I have my own «antidepressant» book – Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) by Jerome K. Jerome.
I can read it from any page because each chapter is a self-contained story. The book brings optimism and ironically reminds us of traditional values. Although Jerome is not my favorite writer, his book is the best way for me to meditate and gain positive emotions.
What could be the critical attitudes, principles, and beliefs when making decisions, choosing a path, and interacting with others? A personal motto or principle that helps live the best life even in difficult times might be: «Strive to be useful». I have long pondered how to explain what I mean. Being helpful to oneself, to loved ones, to one’s work, to one’s purpose, to one’s country. It may sound utilitarian, but uselessness leads us to dwell on our tragedies. In contrast, the feeling of usefulness, involvement, and significance provides the emotional stability that underpins our creative resilience.
