AACSB extends Ted Rogers School’s accreditation
One of the most prestigious business school accreditors in the world has once again recognized the quality and caliber of the Ted Rogers School of Management and has extended its accreditation.
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) (external link, opens in new window) provides internationally recognized, specialized accreditation for business and accounting programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. Schools that have earned AACSB business accreditation demonstrate an ongoing commitment to excellence in teaching, research, curriculum development and student learning.
“The ‘seal of approval’ from AACSB validates that we have the best quality business school that is fulfilling its commitment to students, faculty and staff. We have a culture that promotes research and learning,” says Daphne Taras, Dean, Ted Rogers School.
“We thank the review committee for highlighting how we’ve transformed the research culture of our school, grown our experiential learning opportunities through our co-op program and harnessed data insights to continuously improve and innovate," she adds. AACSB accreditation is the most thorough and comprehensive of all accreditation systems.
Less than 5% of the world’s 13,000 business programs have earned AACSB accreditation, and the Ted Rogers School is one of only 11 business programs in Ontario to have this designation. The school first received accreditation by the AACSB in 2011. To achieve accreditation, thousands of pages of evidence are gathered and submitted, and then verified in a rigorous process during which three deans from other business schools visit and investigate, and then write a thorough report.
AACSB highlighted many strengths and successes of our school (referred to in quotes as TRS):
“The success and positive trajectory of TRS during the last five years is a source of pride for the school but should also be viewed as an opportunity to advance the value of TRS in enhancing the overall reputation of Ryerson University [now Toronto Metropolitan University]," the AACSB states.
Leadership and staff
AACSB commended Dean Taras on her leadership, stating “She has been able to build a culture of transparency and purpose and has garnered the support and trust of the faculty and staff.” It added, “Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Dean Taras has been able to effect change by introducing and implementing a significant number of new initiatives and by revising existing policies, programs and procedures.”
Building for the future
Ted Rogers School’s three-year (PDF file) Action Plan is described as “data-driven and charts a clear course for moving forward.”
Student learning
“TRS has garnered a proud record of accomplishments in the area of learner success,” notes the AACSB. The school has taken a forward-looking approach to revise course content by introducing topics related to equity, diversity, inclusion, sustainability and ethics, and creating “Pop-up topics in management.”
The AACSB also stated that “The curriculum content responds to current and emerging technologies with agility,” mentioning Bootcamps as an example of how students can acquire the skills employers are looking for.
Thought leadership
The AACSB noted that the intellectual contributions of the faculty have increased significantly in the last five years. “The ramp-up in faculty research has already taken root as part of a culture where ‘research is front and center,’” it states. The faculty-led Research Writing Group was cited as an example of how faculty have internalized this value. Faculty have also embraced the notion of having their research published in top-tiered scholarly journals as highly desirable.
“The focus on research and the celebration of research accomplishment of the faculty has enhanced optimism about and commitment to the school’s future,” states the AACSB.
“We found the early-career faculty enthusiastic, highly positive about the school and entrepreneurial in their activities. The morale among senior faculty is also high and they are willing to support their junior colleagues with mentorship and counsel. The various centers of TRS also play a significant role in furthering the research goals of the faculty," it adds.
The external impact of Ted Rogers School’s research is best understood by looking at the school’s 15 research centers, labs and institutes. According to the AACSB, “the centers have achieved societal impact and been able to make policy contributions.”
Co-op success
The Ted Rogers Co-op program was described as “the jewel in the crown” at the school, growing 57% year over year since 2017.
The current enrollment is roughly 2,100 and the employment rate is over 90%. The AACSB states, “co-op also constitutes a best practice across the University. It has provided a model for success that other units at Ryerson [now Toronto Met] can emulate.” In addition, the program helps identify industry needs. These needs are then fed back into curricular and co-curricular programming at the school.
Data-driven approach
The AACSB commended the Ted Rogers School for its data-driven approach. It mentions the school’s use of Salesforce as a way to understand and track the path of students’ journeys. Data is mined to gain insights into the various touchpoints students have with the school’s departments.
The Student Advising retention campaign was cited as another example. This campaign involved dormant student accounts being examined to encourage students to re-enroll, which resulted in 55 students enrolling again. And this effort continues and is being intensified!
“I would like to thank Cindy Dunne, Benjamin Samms, Niklaus Ashton, Prof. Mark Lee, Dan Cantiller and Sara Asalya for their stewardship and support of the accreditation process, and the dozens of faculty, staff, students, alumni, senior university leaders and Advisory Council members who attended meetings with the Peer Review Team,” says Dean Taras.
The AACSB Peer Review Team visited the Ted Rogers School from May 15 to 17, 2022.