Message from the Dean
At Ivey, we’ve always believed in the transformative power of business education. Our purpose – Inspiring leaders for a sustainable and prosperous world – is more than just words. It is our why. It is a commitment to developing leaders who make a meaningful impact on the world.
But the world is rapidly changing, and we need to respond. Since launching Ivey Next in 2022, artificial intelligence (AI), global disruption, and shifting learner expectations have reshaped the landscape. These changes have deepened our resolve and clarified our vision.
That vision is our Bold Ambition: to reimagine experiential business learning for the world.
This isn’t a pivot. It’s about doubling down on our legacy in immersive case-based learning and ensuring that this distinctive feature of Ivey remains relevant in a changing business environment. This means working proactively to make it future-ready in an AI world, and more accessible to more people in more places.
Guided by our purpose and values, we’ve identified four strategic priorities to drive our vision forward: 1) Transform Experiential Learning; 2) Open More Pathways; 3) Create Insights That Matter; 4) Expand Global Impact.
Ivey has always been a place where leaders are made. As we move from bold ambition to bold action, I’m excited about the opportunities ahead – and inspired by the people who will help shape what comes next.
Dean, Ivey Business School
Julian Birkinshaw
Bold Ambition to Bold Action
Our vision and strategic priorities for the future
Learn more about Bold Ambition
Transform Experiential Learning
OBJECTIVES:
- Develop hybrid, online, and AI-powered learning experiences that maintain the depth and rigour of Ivey’s case-based approach.
- Launch Ivey Online as a leading provider of digital-first business education.
- Modernize infrastructure and learning spaces to leverage the latest technologies and best practices for immersive learning experiences.
Open More Pathways
OBJECTIVES:
- Redesign traditional programs and launch new flexible degree offerings that deepen learning and enable learners to build qualifications over time.
- Expand non-degree offerings to reach new global learners with high-quality, accessible programs.
- Grow our physical and digital learning spaces to meet evolving demand, embedding inclusion and accessibility through thoughtful, universal design.
- Expand financial support while strengthening student support structures to enhance belonging, wellness, success, and career pathways.
Create Insights that Matter
OBJECTIVES:
- Equip decision-makers with timely, research-based insights through policy briefs and practice-focused outputs.
- Invest in faculty research on pressing business and societal issues and share through academic and public platforms.
- Translate research into practice via high-impact cases, tools, and frameworks used by educators and business leaders.
Expand Global Impact
OBJECTIVES:
- Lead the expansion of experiential learning in underserved markets through hands-on training and context-relevant case materials, supported by strategic partnerships that extend our reach and impact.
- Create the Ivey Global Opportunities Fund to invest in new mission-driven learning experiences that cultivate global citizenship among our students and faculty.
- Expand executive education programs to deliver case-based learning to professionals and organizations worldwide.
- Leverage Ivey Publishing’s position as the platform of choice for case writers around the world.
For more than a century, Ivey has empowered ambitious students through world-class learning and a strong network of talented peers. At the same time, Ivey has led in research-for-practice that shapes business, policy, and society.
With this legacy as our foundation, Ivey charted a course for the future through the Ivey Next strategic planning process, defining a purpose that honours its history while embracing its ambition for the next century: Inspiring Leaders for a Sustainable and Prosperous World. Guided by the plan’s commitment to "Innovating for Impact," we strengthened the core of the Ivey experience – advancing relevant research, deepening our commitment to global citizenship, inclusion, and lifelong learning, and evolving our programs to meet the changing needs of business and society.
Our purpose drives us to create even greater impact. We’ve seen firsthand that an Ivey education transforms lives – not just for learners, but for the communities and industries they contribute to. Expanding access to top-quality business education builds capability, creates jobs, drives innovation, and raises living standards. Simply put, accessibility fuels impact.
By making our experiential approach and insights available to more people, we will empower more leaders, accelerate innovation, and extend Ivey’s influence in shaping a more sustainable and prosperous world.