Dean's Message - Summer 2016

Over the years I’ve talked about how innovative we are at Smith School of Business. One of the key drivers of that innovation is our ability to be nimble – to respond to the market as it changes. Across our school I see many examples.

Analytics

Interest in big data and management analytics is exploding and, as such, demand for our Master of Management Analytics (MMA) program is booming. To ease the pressure on a long wait list for the MMA – the only program of its kind in Canada that teaches analytics in 12 months while students continue to work – we’ve added a third section starting in January 2017. This past January, we also launched the Scotiabank Centre for Customer Analytics, keeping us at the forefront of analytics research and teaching.

Toronto

As a result of growth across our programs, including a new suite of executive education programs to be delivered exclusively in Toronto, we have run out of space at our Toronto facility. We seized the opportunity to take over the entire 30th floor of 200 Front St. West, notable for its prime downtown location and gorgeous views of Lake Ontario. As of January 2017, we will have an additional 12,000 square feet of teaching, learning and networking space (double what we have now). The on-site team now fittingly calls this our Toronto campus, and I concur.

Entrepreneurship

A growing number of our students are pursuing the entrepreneurial track – winning competitions and launching new ventures as they continue to study. And while Smith students enjoy the great resources we have on campus through the Centre for Business Venturing, they asked us, “Where is the network once we graduate?” Cue the launch of the Queen’s Venture Network (QVN), an initiative that connects new venture-minded alumni and students, provides resources and enables entrepreneurs to share their stories through a series of networking events and competitions.

These innovations at Smith are just a few examples of how we are responding to market changes and the unique needs of our students and alumni. As we grow, we will stay nimble so that we can continue to quickly bring innovations to market. Stay tuned for more.

David M. Saunders, PhD
Dean, Smith School of Business
dsaunders@queensu.ca