Ivey Business School Dean Sharon Hodgson

Abode2 Interviews Dean Sharon Hodgson of Ivey Business school.

What sets Ivey Business School apart?  

Ivey’s Case Method Learning truly sets the school apart. It isn’t just teaching, it’s about instilling powerful decision-making skills that will stay with you long after graduation. By working through complex, multi-disciplined challenges in tight-knit groups, you’ll develop a new way of thinking that influences everything you do going forward. You’ll adopt a big-picture point of view and you’ll improve your confidence and ability to turn options into decisions, knowledge into action, and ideas into change.  

How does Ivey Business School encourage students to think globally?  

At Ivey we are looking to develop purpose-driven leaders who are working towards creating a more inclusive and sustainable global economy. The world is shrinking and we understand the need to teach students they have a duty to contribute to the world they live in. Issues such as climate change, responsible governance, sustainability, and equity, diversity and inclusion are paramount themes tackled every day in the classroom. Our students also bring a global view and perspective with representation from around the world, as we emphasize the need to work across cultures driven by numerous case studies that are international in nature.     

How is the Ivey adapting to the ‘new norm’ - a blended learning environment? 

Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic Ivey had been actively developing blended curriculum materials for our Accelerated MBA program. We were already ahead of the curve adapting and developing creative methods of instruction for today’s student. This includes short bursts of multi-media learning and independent online exploration built to complement our dynamic in-person classroom experience. We are also seeing increased interest in “while-you-work” programs which blend both virtual and in-class elements. There is an opportunity to deliver more self-directed fundamental instruction online, which can only lead to a richer discussion in the classroom, the place where the real magic happens.   

What’s the biggest challenge faced by leading educational institutions today? 

The biggest challenge facing business education today can be summed up in a quote I heard recently, ‘The speed of change has never been so fast, and yet it will never be this slow again.’  I believe we are experiencing a 5th industrial revolution and we need to be thinking of the skills students are going to need in the future. It’s our responsibility to model adaptability and be able to manage change at lightning speed. We as educators have to be at the forefront of this disruptive wave, in order to train the next set of intellectual athletes. 

https://www.ivey.uwo.ca