Core Values: Becoming Canada’s most diverse business school

CORE VALUES: GOODMAN’S PATH TO BECOMING CANADA’S MOST DIVERSE BUSINESS SCHOOL

By Andrew Gaudes

This year we opened ourselves to participating in the QS Global MBA Ranking. This is a process of discovering our strengths and weaknesses; one that allows us to consider how we can leverage both towards better programs and future rankings.

Initially, there wasn’t anything apparently extraordinary about the results we received in September. The Goodman School of Business’s overall ranking was in the 200-plus range of the participating 258 business schools around the world. That overall ranking was where one might expect to land on a first-time submission. Indeed, we have room to grow across the ranking indicators and learned a lot by entering our School for consideration.

However, when we started to peel back the layers of the survey to review the results of the five indicator groups contributing to an overall score, we discovered Goodman ranked first in Canada for class and faculty diversity. We received this distinction because of the percentage of staff and faculty who are women, the number of nationalities in our classrooms, and the percentage of international faculty in our School. You can view our numbers in these categories in the Goodman Facts and Figures section on Page 14 in this issue of The Magazine.

Our score also placed us second in North America and 39th globally. To put this into further perspective, we had a higher diversity score than 23 of the 25 top-ranked business schools around the world; higher than such globally recognized institutions as Yale, Harvard, Wharton, Oxford, MIT, Stanford, Columbia, HEC Paris, and INSEAD.

This is an outstanding result. Gender distribution and diversity of nationalities within a school does not occur overnight. On the leadership front, and in particular with my own Advisory Council, we’ve introduced new voices who represent various industries and backgrounds. The discussions that take place around the table are richer for the multiple perspectives on issues. In addition, we have met with the leadership of our student groups to encourage them to broaden their representation so all Goodman students will see themselves and their interests reflected in these areas.

These efforts make Goodman more attractive to people of varied backgrounds who are considering working or learning here. Faculty candidates see diversity on the selection panel at their candidate interviews and during campus visits, and recognize Brock University and the Goodman School of Business as a safe environment. Our students also see our School as a place where they can feel comfortable living and learning, knowing an inclusive community exists here.

Every student, faculty and staff member, and administrator at Goodman benefits from this. For one, a safe and inclusive environment results in a sustainable international education model. Research has also shown that diversity in the classroom and workplace contributes to a higher level of cultural intelligence — the ability for individuals to relate to and have flexibly to adapt across different cultures. This will help them going forward in their careers, whether they choose to run their own business or work for someone else. Companies with a more diverse and inclusive workforce perform better financially.

There is no endpoint to being a diverse and inclusive place of learning, however. We will never state that we’ve arrived or that our mission is accomplished. Much like ourselves as individuals, our School is a work in progress, continually learning and evolving, and remaining open to reflection and adjustment.

Going forward, it’s imperative that Goodman signal to the broader community that an education in business is possible for everyone. Engagement programs offered through Goodman Group’s Venture Development team, such as Goodman Lemonade, Kick-Starting Entrepreneurship, Monster Pitch and our High-School Entrepreneurship Co-op, introduce elementary and secondary students from all backgrounds to business education opportunities in creative and safe environments.

We must also present to children business role models of diverse backgrounds to inspire and capture their imaginations about what’s possible for their futures — that any child can dream of and embark upon an education in business and, in the process, their own personal path to greatness.

Our hope is to offer everyone — now and in the future — a safe, inclusive and everevolving learning environment, where ideas and perspectives are not only welcome, they contribute to a world-class, and top-ranked experience for all.