A message from Dean Mehrotra
It is an honour to serve as the next dean of the Alberta School of Business.
I joined the University of Alberta in 1992 after completing my doctorate in finance at the University of Oregon. Since then, I have served in a number of leadership roles, including associate dean of MBA programs, stewarding the launch of the Masters in Financial Management in Shenzhen, China. I’ve served as chair of the department of finance with the goal to foster financial education and research that contributes to the economic development of the province as well as increasing our understanding of the theory and practice of modern finance. Externally, I served as the inaugural director on the board of Canada’s premier finance academic organization, the Northern Finance Association, and then subsequently as its president.
As Canada’s first and longest accredited business school, the Alberta School of Business is recognized nationally and globally for its research excellence, innovative teaching and learning and economic impact within Alberta and Canada. I’m excited to continue to advance our reputation as a world-class business school.
Before I move forward, I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Kyle Murray, who has served our school as acting dean and vice-dean for the past seven years and has led our community through many challenges with strong guidance.
Under his leadership, our school has achieved significant milestones and I am honoured to follow in his footsteps.
Our program is growing exponentially. This year, our Bachelor of Commerce program welcomed its first direct entry cohort from high school, more than doubling our undergraduate student population. We will welcome an additional 2500 new students over the next two years.
To accommodate our growing student body, we created an Office of Education that is transforming the way we teach, with a greater focus on experiential learning through student clubs, case competitions and real-world experiences, such as the Eric Axford Impact Series, which saw 1300 first- and second-year students address a grand challenge on downtown vibrancy.
Our Office of Careers and Work-Integrated Learning is also committed to expanding our experiential, work-integrated learning and co-curricular activities — just this spring a group of MBA students traveled to New York for an opportunity to visit Fortune 500 companies and network with industry professionals
We are also weeks away from the grand opening of the brand-new, 6000 square-foot Carruthers Student Commons, a modern and bright hub for collaboration that will give our future leaders the edge in an increasingly complex and interconnected world of business
Our faculty continues to lead in research excellence, demonstrated by our recent number 1 ranking in business administration. Our PhD program secured fifth-year funding starting for 2022/23 and this year saw a record number of candidate applications for our program. We are also welcoming eight talented, tenure-track faculty this summer.
We are grateful for the generous support we have received from our alumni and donors as we continue to innovate and evolve in our community through initiatives like the Alberta Business Family Institute and the Centre for Cities and Communities. And thanks to your strong support, last year we more than exceeded our fundraising goals and are already close to meeting our ambitious fundraising targets for this year.
For more than a century, our school has been a pillar of innovation, growth and learning for the University of Alberta. I’m confident that together, we can elevate our reputation as a world-class school with award-winning teachers and renowned faculty who are committed to delivering cutting-edge and innovative programs
This year, I will work closely with my colleagues and stakeholders in the community to develop the school’s new five-year strategic plan with a continued focus on community building, student experience, EDI engagement and research excellence. Over the coming weeks and months, I will meet with business leaders to build upon existing relationships and share my vision for the school.
I am looking forward to getting to know all of you and working together to uphold the mission and vision of our school. I believe that, together, we can continue to provide our students with an exceptional education and prepare them for success in their lives and careers.
As we transition towards new goals and innovative ideas, I encourage you to share your ideas and thoughts so we can navigate our vision together. My direct email is vmehrotr@ualberta.ca and I look forward to connecting.
Vikas Mehrotra