2025 has brought so many exciting developments to AIB—we could not have done it without the constant support and engagement of members like you! Before 2026 arrives along with the new semester, we would like to take a brief pause and appreciate some of the great things we have accomplished as an association:
- 2025 was a record-setting year for online programming at AIB with over 40 events being coordinated by our various chapters, SIGs, and journals. In addition to developing new entries in our various webinar series, our component leaders also branched out into innovative, new event formats, such as the Sustainability SIG’s 24-hour Sustainability Impact Forum, the Digitalization SIG’s Online Townhalls, and a collaborative session with the Academy of Management’s Ethics Education Committee. AIB members can access recordings of most of these events, plus archives from past years, in the “Video Archive” section of our member portal.
- With the ascent of AI sparking numerous debates and innovations across industry and academia alike, AIB entered the arena with a brand-new program designed to make cutting-edge IB research more accessible to the general public: The AIB Journals Podcast. With 34 episodes released so far across streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube, we have seen great strides in 2025 toward our ultimate goal of bringing the academic research published in JIBS, JIBP, and AIB Insights into an engaging, conversational format, suitable for on-the-go consumption without sacrificing intellectual rigor.
- Our premier IB certification program, the AIB-CIBER Doctoral Academy (ACDA), celebrated the graduation of its inaugural student cohort in 2025. Founded in 2023 as a collaborative effort between our association and select Centers for International Business Education and Research (CIBERs), ACDA also welcomed its third student cohort this year, consisting of 14 emerging scholars who represent 13 universities across six different countries.
- The generosity of AIB members had an unprecedented impact in 2025, providing support to doctoral students and emerging market faculty through complimentary memberships, conference registrations, and funding for lodging. These efforts were made possible through numerous grants and gifts, including two newly established endowments. If you are as passionate about these causes as we are and wish to make a long-term, sustainable donation, we encourage you to reach out to AIB Managing Director Ieva Kule (programs@aib.msu.edu) to identify where your funds can make the biggest difference for our community.
- Our members continued to innovate in the field of IB research in 2025 and our Annual Meeting in Louisville provided us many opportunities to recognize their scholarship through AIB’s prestigious award programs. All of our 2025 award nominees are a credit both to our association and our discipline as a whole. What better way could there be for us to conclude the year than congratulating these exceptional academics?
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: All of these accomplishments would not have been possible without the constant support and engagement of members like you! Special thanks are owed to the exceptional volunteers who have led AIB’s various components throughout 2025, including our Executive Board and the teams behind our Regional Chapters and Shared Interest Groups (SIGs).
Now, in the spirit of the season, let’s wrap up this year-end message with some words of good cheer from AIB President Torben Pedersen.
AIB PRESIDENT TORBEN PEDERSEN
As we close the year, I want to offer my sincere thanks for everything you have done to advance international business scholarship and practice. Across our Chapters, SIGs, journals, and member networks, your work has strengthened AIB’s global community and its impact.
AIB’s strength is you—your curiosity, collegiality, and commitment to high-quality research that informs the world of international business.
We live in turbulent times. It has never been as important to understand the world we live in and the implications for business and society, which is precisely what International Business is about.
As we enter a new year, I invite you to stay engaged and participate in the many activities scheduled for 2026. Enjoy a well-earned break—we’ll build on this momentum together.
