From vision to action: UBC Sauder’s commitment to business as a force for good

As I celebrate two years as Dean of UBC Sauder School of Business, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on our journey and the momentum we’ve built together. Leading this school has sometimes felt like steering a ship. Every small course correction requires deliberate effort, but once we build momentum, it propels us forward and creates a lasting impact.

At UBC Sauder, our role is clear: to be a catalyst for creative thinking, innovation, and solutions that address today’s most complex business challenges. We match our stride to the evolution of business. As major global events challenge the very fabric of our society, businesses are being called to play a part in building a better world. This shifting landscape has prompted a transformation in business education, and we are responding to this shift with clear purpose and vision. 
 

Incubate innovation and creativity: Business as a force for good 

Our commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship has been central to this vision. And we’re moving swiftly in that direction. As example, in the area of climate action, we’ve expanded our academic programming to reflect the evolving role of business in meeting sustainability goals.  This year, we officially launched the UBC Sauder Centre for Climate and Business Solutions—a central hub where research, innovation, and entrepreneurship converge. This approach reinforces our commitment to supporting the global net-zero energy transition and ensures our students are equipped to create actionable climate strategies for businesses such that they can adapt. 
 

Encouraging new and critical ways of thinking

As a school, our value proposition is we invite our students to challenge their outlook and approach problems differently. It’s about stretching ourselves intellectually beyond traditional practices, encouraging independent and critical thinking and being open to new ideas and experiences. This unique vision encapsulates and reinforces our commitment to fostering out-of-the-box thinking in all aspects of business education. It’s a call to action to support our strategic positioning of Think Outside. 

Think Outside is an invitation to redefine how we view success, creativity, and responsibility in business. It challenges us to embrace diverse perspectives, respecting, listening, and learning from viewpoints that may differ from our own. By fostering this inclusive mindset, we are preparing students to navigate and shape the future with innovation and purpose. 

Over the past two years, we’ve taken significant strides to align our business operations in an effort to support and enhance student recruitment and student experience more effectively with a greater focus on life-long learning and with the demands of a rapidly changing global environment.

• We have streamlined functions within the school to optimize our strengths and ensure we’re meeting the needs of students and professionals at all stages of their journey. 
• A significant shift has been made under our Recruitment and Admissions portfolio by combining our Undergraduate Office, Robert H. Lee Graduate School, and Diploma in Accounting Program under one cohesive structure, centralizing our recruitment efforts.  By streamlining these functions, we can better serve potential students, providing them with one dedicated Recruitment and Admissions team. This team can effectively represent all of our academic offerings, helping applicants find the program that best aligns with their goals while ensuring a seamless and unified academic or learning experience.
• Similarly, we’ve created a unified Academic Services unit (program delivery, student experience, academic advising, student retention, etc.), that will now function under a single structure to foster a cohesive academic environment that benefits all of our students and builds a common outstanding experience in their learning journey. 
  
  These shifts allow us to harness expertise across the school and maintain two strong education brands – the Robert H. lee Graduate School programs and the Undergraduate Office with our Bachelor of Commerce and Diploma in Accounting programs. 
• We are taking important steps towards the merging of our Executive Education and Continuing Business Studies programs into one comprehensive operation or program that enhances professional development. This integration will optimize our offerings and meet the growing need for lifelong learning.

Our focus remains steadfast on innovation, entrepreneurship, finance, and climate with an emphasis on business as a force for good. And to continue our momentum in these areas, the Powerhouse Project with the groundbreaking in October 2024 —will embrace this philosophy for the next generation of business leaders. It brings to the fore a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build on our strengths and create a physical space that fosters collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship across disciplines. It’s where we will spark the next big idea, launch new companies, and develop the talent needed for a sustainable and resilient economy. This step also propels our vision forward by creating new spaces for programs designed to equip graduates to drive future change for society, the environment, and the economy. 

Our school embodies a vision for students, alumni, staff and faculty that fosters a community dedicated to driving innovation, propelling creativity, and leading by example. The changes we’ve implemented are not just milestones; they are stepping stones toward a future where UBC Sauder continues to lead in business education, both in Canada and worldwide. I am incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together, and I am excited about what the future holds as we continue to push in this direction.

Darren Dahl
Dean, UBC Sauder School of Business