Key Thematic Goals For The Next Five Years

The leadership of the School spent fall term reviewing the book The Innovative University by Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen, a recognized expert in innovation in times of difficult transitions. The theme of the book is that two key changes have caused a dramatic and permanent change in higher education: (1) The persistent and deep financial crisis of the recession; and (2) The disruptive technology of the internet and viable online education tools. He concludes that each University must be more focused on niches of excellence, with selective and limited key thematic goals. 

I am pleased to report that the UAB School of Business has been and will be very responsive to the strategies of focus urged by Professor Christensen. For the last several years, in preparation for our AACSB visitation, we engaged the faculty and staff in a process of intense strategic planning. Beyond a successful accreditation visit, we have achieved a new and stimulating culture of change in which faculty (including both our many long-term faculty members and our 27 new faculty members)  are together : (1) exploring and implementing creative, technologically-driven,  and high quality ways to meet the rapidly changing learning needs of students; and (2) moving deep into a process of research and discovery related to the commercialization of the great  intellectual property created by UAB’s respected  scientists and medical investigators. As a result of the necessity of change and the crisis of economic uncertainty, we are creating new sources of revenue and pride in helping to solve big, meaningful problems. And we are pulling our students into this process of change and discovery so they learn first-hand that change can mean opportunity and growth.