In August 2024, Julian Birkinshaw, MBA ’91, PhD ’95, returned to his alma mater to serve as Dean – a role that has been both challenging and rewarding. An internationally renowned scholar in business research and education, and a dedicated educator, Birkinshaw brought with him a bold vision rooted in Ivey’s distinctive strengths.
Now, one year into the role, he reflects on what has surprised him most, key milestones from his first 12 months – including the launch of a new strategy called Bold Ambition – and how Ivey is moving from Bold Ambition to “bold action.”
What has surprised you most about returning to Ivey in a leadership role?
After almost 30 years away, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I returned to Ivey in August 2024. I knew there had been big changes in the degree program portfolio, and I knew about the ‘new’ building (which is actually 12 years old) and the Toronto campus. But that was about it. So, I was in for some pleasant surprises. Here’s what I’ve observed:
Ivey’s dedication to case teaching is as strong as ever. Ivey is one of the few business schools that continues to invest in the ‘Socratic method ’ (exploring complex issues through continuous probing), and it is to our credit that we do so. It’s harder work for students and faculty, but the payoff in terms of the quality of learning is huge.
Ivey’s alumni are amazing. It is great to see so many of Canada’s top companies and startups being led by Ivey graduates, and I have been astounded by how many alumni want to give back and help us with our bold ambitions. I didn’t see this level of alumni support in my previous institution; there is something special about the Ivey learning experience that has made alumni lifelong supporters. Long may that continue.
Finally, I have been delighted by the quality of the leadership team and the positivity of Ivey’s culture. My personal style is all about encouraging individual initiative and getting things done, and it was great to see so much of this type of behaviour already in place when I arrived.
When you reflect on your first year as Dean, what moments or milestones stand out the most?
There have been many great achievements over the course of the year, from degree program performance to faculty publications and grant successes to strong results in executive education and publishing, but several highlights rise to the top. The launch of our Bold Ambition strategy in May was a defining moment. It sets a clear direction for the future: to reimagine experiential business learning for the world.
We also recommitted to Ivey Executive Education in Asia and began harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) technology to advance our teaching.
Another milestone is the introduction of new stackable qualifications to open more pathways to our degree programs. I’m excited to see some of these new pathways launch in the coming months and their impact on expanding access to an Ivey education.
What have you learned through this first year as Dean?
I have been teaching and researching on topics like leadership and strategic change for my entire career, so it's enjoyable – but also a bit daunting – to try to practice what I have been preaching. One of my biggest lessons is the importance of patience while pushing forward. I have a bias for action, but I am learning to take things at their natural pace and bring others along.
I’ve also learned that it’s important to stay in touch with what Ivey is all about. That’s why I launched the Dialogue with the Dean podcast series, where I interview faculty about their research, and why I host occasional Impact Live webinars on topical issues. This coming term, I will be co-teaching a new elective, built around case studies of successful Ivey alumni. It’s a way of staying in touch with our students and seeing how they respond to the issues of the day. I am even working, when I have time, on a couple of research papers with Ivey colleagues.
How are you balancing challenges while pushing the School forward?
Like all postsecondary institutions, we face huge headwinds, with funding cuts, geopolitical problems, a tight labour market, and myriad small problems. It is easy for us to get consumed by day-to-day issues and to frame our conversations around these threats. My job is to push in the other direction – to use our Bold Ambition narrative as a reminder that we face a world of opportunities, and to allocate our time to things that help make Ivey better. Bold Ambition helps us to stay forward-looking and to lead positive change in business education.
Looking ahead, what are your top priorities?
While Bold Ambition outlines our priorities in detail, here are a few highlights:
- Reimagining experiential business learning for the world – Thanks to the speed of Gen AI development, there is a real impetus for us to be proactive in thinking creatively about how teaching and learning will change in the years ahead. The good news for Ivey is that case-based learning is more important than ever in a Gen AI-world of commoditized business knowledge.
- Excellence in research – To attract and retain the best faculty, we have to continue to raise our game in research. This is a long game – the cycle time from starting a research project to getting published is rarely less than five years. A promising indicator of progress was our record number of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grants this year.
- Global reach – The long-term measure of success for Ivey is that we are known as one of the most recognized and respected business schools in the world, not just in Canada. Ivey will always stay true to its London, Ontario heritage, but we do our best for the Canadian economy by building our reputation globally. We have many initiatives underway aimed at building our international networks and activities, but, as with research, they will take time to come to fruition.
What has been the most rewarding about engaging with students, faculty, and alumni during your first year?
There is a greater sense of community, a greater feeling of belonging, than I have experienced at other business schools, and this manifests itself in a very positive attitude towards learning and knowledge development. I think this has a lot to do with our case-based approach to learning, and the strong relationships students build with their sections. There is also small city effect – people seem to build closer ties with colleagues when they are in London, Ontario; Ann Arbor, Michigan; or Fontainebleau, France, than when they are at a business school in a huge city like New York, London England or Hong Kong.
What is the best part about living in this London?
Obviously there are things I miss from the old London, from the bustle of the big city to the variety of cultural experiences available there. But focusing on the positives of London, Ontario: it’s a very easy city to get around it, I love being able to walk to work, and I enjoy all the cycle and running trails. And I have finally been able to buy a home on the River Thames! The diversity of wildlife – geese, skunks, raccoons, deer, coyotes – is much richer than what we had back in England.
