AUB-OSB Fourth Case Conference: Promoting Case-Based Learning Across Disciplines and Contexts

The Case Hub at the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business (OSB) at the American University of Beirut (AUB), oraganized the AUB-OSB Fourth Case Conference: a two-day event that featured dynamic discussions, an insightful keynote speech, a fireside chat, hands-on case development sessions, and collaborative workshops focused on promoting the case method and innovative teaching approaches.

On this occasion, Dr. Fadlo Khuri, AUB president, stated, “We are here to celebrate a shared belief that education is most powerful when it is not just in theory but in experience, observation, and judgment; a real-life example of this is the case conference. We envision The Case Hub as the go-to hub for case writing and case teaching in the region, and over time a global resource for educators worldwide.”

Highlighting the impact of case-based learning, Professor Yusuf Sidani, OSB dean, reflected, "When we use cases, discussions are rich and engaging. They spark dialogue, invite reflection, and leave a lasting impression; students rarely forget the story. Rooted in real events and decisions, cases bring learning to life with a clear purpose.”

During the opening ceremony, opening remarks were delivered by Dr. Randa Salamoun, founding director of The Case Hub and chair of the AUB-OSB Fourth Case Conference, AUB President Fadlo Khuri, AUB Deputy Provost Lina Choueiri, and AUB Associate Provost Fida Afiouni on behalf of the Dean of the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business Yusuf Sidani.

Emphasizing the impactful work of The Case Hub, Deputy Provost Choueiri noted, “The Case Hub has established a strong platform for case writing, faculty engagement, and regional collaboration, contributing to a global community of educators and expanding the presence of impactful research in the region.”

Stressing the vital role of The Case Hub in bridging academia and industry, Associate Provost Afiouni remarked, “Over the past four years, The Case Hub has become a bridge between academia and industry, prioritizing real-world impact and preparing students as the next generation of responsible leaders.”

Reflecting on the conference’s expansion and disciplinary diversity, Dr. Salamoun emphasized, "While the case method has long been rooted in business education, this edition stands out for its disciplinary diversity, from health and public health to public policy, engineering, education, and beyond, affirming that case-based learning belongs wherever thoughtful decision-making matters. I am proud of the growth of our community and the dynamics of this annual meeting. When we first started in 2023, we hosted just 60 participants from 5 countries and 12 institutions. This year, 2026, we are proud to host 140 participants, including academics, leaders, and business professionals, from 77 institutions across 20 countries, with 90 submissions.”

The conference featured a distinguished keynote speaker, Professor Pablo Collazzo, who highlighted that effective case writing begins with the teaching note, while effective teaching requires choosing case length strategically, using long cases to simulate managerial complexity, and short cases to sharpen conceptual precision.

The panel discussion “Local Voices, Global Insights: Case-Based Learning Across Cultures and Contexts,” was one of the key highlights of the first day of the conference. It was moderated by Dr. Randa Salamoun and hosted academic professionals and case center directors: Professor Imane El Ghazali, Dr. Hany Kamel, Stefaan Van Waes, and Professor Albert Wocke. The panelists exchanged perspectives on the power of locally rooted cases in case-based learning and how they travel across global classrooms.

The second day of the conference featured another rich panel discussion “Cases That Matter: Bridging Scholarship, Practice, and Community Voices,” moderated by Dr. Victor Araman, and featuring leaders from academia and practice, President Thami Ghorfi Abdulla Albinali, Dean of the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik School of Business Danielle Khalife-Fraiha, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Management at the University of Balamand Karim Rebeiz, and Vice President for EMEA Growth and Engagement at AACSB Ihsan Zakri. The panelists discussed how business schools can promote case-based learning’s relevance and impact through program integration, faculty recognition, alignment with institutional priorities, and collective effort.

Participants also took part in interactive workshops exploring diverse, hands-on approaches. On the first day, Professor Bijan Azad, director of the Darwazah Center for Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship at OSB, guided participants through a narrative thinking approach, showing how stories make concepts more memorable, and providing practical tools to design more impactful cases. On the second day, Dr. Antoine Duvauchelle, cofounder of LiveCase, led an engaging hands-on session where participants transformed cases into interactive, AI-powered learning experiences using the platform LiveCase.

The conference also included parallel case development sessions spanning various disciplines, including AI and analytics, digitalization, entrepreneurship, public policy, public health, human resources, leadership, ESG (environmental, social, and governance), and marketing.

The two-day event concluded with closing remarks and an awards ceremony honoring outstanding case contributions.

With support from AACSB International, the Faculty of Medicine at AUB, LiveCase, NACRA, The Case Centre, and Ivey Publishing, this year’s event reinforced The Case Hub’s pivotal role in promoting case-based learning in the MENA region and shaping future leaders to lead responsibly and effectively across disciplines and contexts.