With the publication of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2017, internationally, there has been a major drive towards Responsible Education (PRME) and Research in Business and Management (RRBM) (MacIntosh et al., 2017) to help prepare our global, economised society for sustainable futures. A significant element of this agenda is the effort to take seriously the outcomes and real-world impacts of research findings, and use them to shape future research agenda (Van de Ven, 2018).

This two-hour keynote panel was moderated by the Vice President of AFAM, Moses Acquaah and included the President of AFAM Baniyelme Zoogah, the Chair of BAM, and the President of BAM Nic Beech, the past president of AoM and PRME board member Jim Walsh and the founding Vice-Chair for the PRME Chapter Africa Sherwat Elwan Ibrahim. The panel gave presentations that discussed what was going on under the bonnet, revealing some of the activities those researchers and educators that have been seeking to make real-world impact through their work.

A key question for the AfAM Conference 2023 call qas, how are African institutions and organizations responding to, and preparing for, the realities and challenges of climate change and other grand challenges? The panel set out their answers and experiences as they turn this question on themselves as researchers, educators and leaders in the field.

This panel provoked a discussion between researchers and educators that have attempted to do engaged education and engaged research of one form or another, exploring experiences and insights gained from working with practitioners, policymakers and third sector organisations to make a difference to real-world settings through the work they do, while balancing the tensions, trials and tribulations of publishing their work in journals and other less traditional outlets, and using their research and research experiences in the classroom with students.