Beyond the A: Al-Falah's Quest for True Academic Rigor

This LiveCase simulation immerses participants in a critical leadership role as the newly appointed Director of Academic Standards and Curriculum Innovation at Al-Falah School of Global Business in Dubai. Faced with a pervasive issue of grade inflation, characterized by an average GPA of 3.8 and a significant 'grade-skill gap' among graduates, participants are tasked with the daunting objective of re-establishing the school's reputation for rigorous academic excellence. The challenge is amplified by an impending AACSB accreditation review and a firm three-month deadline, necessitating a strategic and impactful solution to restore pedagogical integrity and ensure the long-term value of Al-Falah's degrees. This exercise requires a nuanced understanding of academic governance, stakeholder management, and the application of a comprehensive 'Creative Strategies for Grade Inflation Reduction Framework'.

The initial phase of the simulation immediately confronts participants with the gravity of the situation, as the Dean outlines the full extent of the crisis and the institutional risks involved. Following this, participants engage in crucial diagnostic interactions with key faculty members. These encounters reveal divergent perspectives on the causes and consequences of grade inflation, ranging from a veteran professor's philosophical cynicism about institutional change to a department head's perception of grading as a 'customer service problem.' These early scenes are designed to illuminate the complex interplay of internal pressures and academic philosophies that contribute to the challenge, forcing participants to consider both quantitative data and qualitative insights.

Progressing through the LiveCase, participants then collaborate with the instructional design team, exploring various technical and pedagogical solutions. This includes evaluating the potential of an 'EduRigor' platform for curriculum mapping and the application of a 'Rigor Index' to assess higher-order cognitive skills in assessments. The discussion extends to strategies like standardized rubrics and real-time data dashboards for monitoring grade distributions. However, these technical explorations are juxtaposed with a crucial reminder from an experienced faculty member about the indispensable need for faculty buy-in and a shared cultural understanding of academic rigor before any technological solution can be effectively implemented. This highlights the socio-technical nature of educational reform.

The culmination of the simulation places participants at a strategic crossroads, requiring a high-stakes decision among three distinct primary strategies: a pedagogical redesign emphasizing the Rigor Index, a focus on standardization and transparency through unified rubrics, or a monitoring and enforcement approach with incentives and penalties. Participants must select and justify their chosen path, considering the trade-offs in terms of faculty autonomy, student satisfaction, and long-term impact. This critical decision point is immediately followed by a challenging AI-simulated role-play with a skeptical department head, compelling participants to persuasively defend their strategic choice against anticipated objections and demonstrate robust critical thinking and communication skills.

Ultimately, this LiveCase provides a holistic learning experience, enabling MBA students to explain the systemic causes and consequences of grade inflation, identify fundamental strategies for improving academic rigor and objective evaluation, and apply a structured framework to make and defend high-stakes strategic decisions in complex organizational settings. The practical skills gained include navigating diverse stakeholder interests, integrating technological solutions with cultural considerations, and demonstrating strategic leadership in the face of institutional reform. It offers an invaluable opportunity to develop competencies in change management and strategic implementation within an educational context, with direct applicability to broader organizational challenges.