When you think of business schools, entrepreneurship, innovation and management are among some of the first concepts that tend to come to mind.
But for me and my colleagues, business education is about more than spreadsheets and strategy. We’re focusing on the impact our actions can have on society and our local community, working to safeguard Morocco’s centuries-long artisanal traditions.
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We view culture and commerce as partners, rather than distinct opposites. By empowering artisans, especially women in rural cooperatives, our work is also helping to preserve Morocco’s cultural identity.
Reviving heritage through entrepreneurship
From weaving and embroidery, through to rose water and argan oil distillation, the artisanal activities of Morocco tap into a range of important traditions that go beyond simple crafts.
They are a living expression of our community, identity and intergenerational knowledge. And yet, in an increasingly globalised and industrial world, traditional practices like these are at risk of disappearing.
As an example of how we are responding to this challenge, we recently partnered with the Azrou Center for Community Development, a university-linked hub for social impact and professional skills. Both partners now run various workshops and programmes that merge business acumen with cultural preservation.
The initiative focuses primarily on women’s cooperatives, involving small, community-led enterprises that sustain traditional crafts while also creating livelihoods. These women, through practical training and support in financial literacy, marketing and leadership, are empowered with tools to turn inherited artisanal skills into viable businesses.
As a business school, this moves us on from just teaching business to showing how business education can strengthen communities and protect cultural heritage at the same time.
The revival of brocade weaving
Another example comes from Anamil Dahabiya, a cooperative in Azrou specialising in horizontal weaving. Its members were initiated into the art of brocade, a sumptuous fabric once highly prized in Moorish Spain and transported to Morocco by artisans after the 15th-century Reconquista.
Generations of Moroccan brides have worn kaftans sewn from brocade. The fabric became an emblem of elegance, art and national pride. Now only two artists countrywide, one in Fez and another in Marrakech, can still master this intricate work.
My institution and the Azrou Center supported a visit by members of Anamil Dahabiya to one of the remaining brocade workshops in Marrakech. This experience sparked something among them, allowing them to dream of learning the technique themselves and making brocade weaving part of their community once again.
Our School of Business Administration is now making this dream possible through capacity-building workshops, which mentor learners and deliver strategic planning sessions. This kind of initiative illustrates how universities can act as catalysts, providing the skills and confidence needed to transform passion and heritage into sustainable ventures.
Why universities should care about cultural heritage
The connection between education and heritage preservation is both pragmatic and moral.
Universities are about more than knowledge. They are part of the societies they exist and function within. When we help preserve cultural heritage, we strengthen local identity, promote social inclusion and create new economic opportunities.
There are other tangible academic benefits. Our ongoing partnership with Azrou brings to life experiential learning.
Students get to see theory applied in very real communities, mixing classroom insight with social innovation. Those involved in such business initiatives also walk away with heightened problem-solving skills and a deeper sense of purpose.
It’s one thing to study marketing in a textbook, but quite another to design a marketing plan for a women’s cooperative trying to sell handmade textiles online.
Additionally, these collaborations enrich research opportunities in fields like sustainable business, cultural economics and social entrepreneurship. They can also attract partnerships with NGOs, government agencies and global institutions invested in heritage preservation and women’s empowerment.
Lessons for the higher education sector
Our experience offers valuable lessons for universities around the world seeking to align their academic practice with cultural and community engagement. Here follow four lessons that can shape your approach:
1. Integrate culture into curricula
Don’t make cultural heritage an extracurricular topic. Make it part of your curriculum covering business, design or tourism courses. In this way, future leaders will consider cultural preservation in the context of sustainable development.
2. Engage with local communities today
Universities should always be active community partners, rather than passive external observers. Being in close collaboration with the local cooperative, artisans or cultural society builds mutual trust and helps ensure that projects will successfully address community needs.
3. Empower communities through education, not charity
This exercise is not about saving traditional artisans, but enabling them to thrive in contemporary markets. Training in digital marketing, financial planning and leadership equips artisans with the tools needed to take their own futures into their hands.
4. Celebrate impact and share stories
Cultural heritage resonates most when it’s seen and valued. From exhibitions through to student showcases and collaborations with the creative industries, universities can spotlight artisan collaborations and bring traditional crafts to new audiences.
A model for future engagement
What we’ve built is a model that mixes academic rigour with cultural stewardship.
It is business education with a heart, and in this instance a distinctly Moroccan soul. Through our continuing collaboration with the Azrou Center and local cooperatives, we’re showing that universities have a direct role to play in sustaining cultural heritage, not as relics from the past, but as incubators for the future.
Preserving culture doesn’t mean resisting change. It means adapting our traditions into new realities, and making sure they continue to enrich our society. When education meets heritage, they both emerge stronger.
Ahlam Fakhar is assistant professor at the School of Business Administration, Al Akhawayn University.
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