Telfer School of Management’s programs and research achievements reached new heights in 2023-2024

Last year, the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa made big strides in research. Our progress was notable in areas such as Indigenous issues, entrepreneurship training, organizational AI, and workplace disparities. Moreover, we also designed new world-class quality programs, allocated full-ride scholarships to students from diverse minorities, rose in EMBA rankings and received prestigious awards. 

Telfer Nation continues to build a greener, healthier, happier, wealthier, and more prosperous Canada for all. As a top-tier Canadian business school, we are delighted to share news of our innovations. Read about our research and programs accomplishments below.

Telfer School of Management research accomplishments

Telfer School of Management earns Highly Commended status in the Best Responsible Business School Awards from the Financial Times 

Telfer was commended by the Financial Times for our institutional commitment to responsible ethos and our willingness to address pressing societal and environmental needs. As the only Canadian institution ranked, Telfer appears with 16 top-tier institutions from across the globe chosen for their dedication to adopting ESG goals, including implementing sustainability-focused curriculums and low-carbon campuses. Our presence on this prestigious list would not have been made possible without the work of our gifted professors who are part of the Telfer Centre for Sustainable Impact (CSIID).

SAWI addresses the world’s greatest workplace equality disparities in the MENA region

Telfer Professor Charlotte Karam leads the Support and Accelerate Women’s Inclusion (SAWI) project, which focuses on improving women’s equality in the workplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The project, based at the American University of Beirut in partnership with Telfer and funded by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) at the U.S. Department of State, is a multi-country and multigenerational network.

Professor Karam received the Highly Commended accolade from the Financial Times for her tireless and impactful work in equality and social justice, in the field of EDI.

Telfer School Welcomes Leading Researchers

The Telfer School of Management excels at hiring top-notch professors / researchers and this year is no different. In 2024-2025, we are proud to welcome Timothy R. Hannigan joining us from the University of Alberta as the Father Edgar Thivierge Chair in Canadian Business and Syrine Sassi from the Paris School of Business, as the Paul Desmarais Professor in Finance. The Telfer research community is also growing with the addition of Professors Milena Parent (Sports Governance), Justin Boutilier (Health Care Analytics), Raymond Lavoie (Marketing), Jacline Nyman (Marketing), Mathieu Bouchard (Health Care Management) and Rengong Alex Zhang (Finance). Combined with our already exceptional faculty, these new talents will further strengthen our teaching and research capabilities.

We hosted the inaugural International Academy of Research in Indigenous and Organization Studies (IARIMOS) conference

Organized by Professor Ana Maria Peredo, a mestiza scholar from Peru who also holds the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, IARIMOS recognizes the invaluable ancestral wisdom of Indigenous scholarship in management.

Together with University of Ottawa’s Chancellor Claudette Commanda, the first Indigenous person to hold this position, as well as Indigenous Elders and community leaders, participants discussed reconciliACTION and how to amplify Indigenous voices in academia, environmental stewardship and equity.

Professor Christopher Sun, who is also a uOttawa Heart Institute scientist, is named Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Data Analytics for Health Systems Transformation

The prestigious CRC was awarded to this Telfer School of Management assistant professor—who studied at MIT—for his research in data analytics and health systems transformation. In his potentially life-saving work at the uOttawa Heart Institute, Christopher Sun leverages artificial intelligence and health analytics to improve cardiac event outcomes. His work is supported by an impressive $1.45M CIHR project grant received this year.

Professor Mayur Joshi co-releases a book on AI organizational decision-making

In cooperation with Copenhagen Business School and Portland State University, Assistant Professor Mayur Joshi curated the Research Handbook on Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making in Organizations, which features chapters by leading academics. The book explores the implications of AI’s embeddedness in decision making in organizations.

Full-time Faculty and Part-Time Professors are encouraged to fill out the Maclean’s Top Business School Survey and submit their university rankings by August 31, 2024. 

Telfer School of Management programs accomplishments 

Patricia Saputo establishes Distinguished Chair in Family Enterprise with record-breaking $5 million gift

Patricia Saputo is familiar with the complexities of business families: she is a member of the Saputo family, founders of Montreal-based Saputo Inc., one of the top ten dairy producers in the world. Enthusiastic about supporting the next generation, Patricia works closely with Telfer’s Family Enterprise Legacy Institute (FELI). In 2024, Patricia made history with a transformational gift of $5 million to FELI, the largest single gift from a woman in the University’s history, and the second-largest donation to Telfer from an individual.

Wes Hall gifts full-ride scholarships to Black and Indigenous students

The King of Bay Street is one of Canada’s most powerful businesspeople and a staunch activist in the fight against systemic anti-Black racism. To democratize post-secondary education for youth from marginalized communities, Hall established an Admission Scholarship that will provide personal mentorship and $60,000 to two deserving Telfer students per year. This year, Abigail Gonzalez Fabian and Louis Philippe Ariel Nanihio are our two Wes Hall Scholars.

 Family Enterprise Legacy Institute (FELI) 

In May 2023 and 2024, the institute held experiential learning sessions for 40 next-generation members as part of Family Enterprise Canada’s (FEC) NextGen Retreat. Also in 2023 and 2024, FELI continues to deliver the Certificate in Responsible Ownership in partnership with Telfer Executive Programs (TEP) . This unique program is designed to support next-generation leaders of enterprising families in their personal and professional development.

Telfer EMBA program ranks #1 in CEO Magazine’s 2024 global rankings

CEO Magazine’s Global MBA Ranking evaluates 284 different programs in 24 countries, and Telfer’s Executive MBA ranked first. The Telfer EMBA is the most practical and real-world program in Canada, the only accredited EMBA to feature six diverse consulting projects. Telfer is proud to top these rankings thanks to the high calibre of our professors’ teaching and thoughtful curriculum designed for mid-to-senior level professionals ready to grow in their careers.

Telfer launches microprograms in Capital Markets, Management Consulting, and Entrepreneurship

A new initiative, Telfer’s diverse microprograms provide a select group of purpose-driven Telfer undergraduate students with unique opportunities to network with industry professionals in their area of interest and get hands-on experience with real-life projects.

The Capital Market's microprogram students manage the Telfer Capital Fund and go on exclusive trips to global financial centres. The Management Consulting microprogram students undertake a consulting project and benefit from mentorship from certified management consultants. The Entrepreneurship microprogram participants work on a new venture, perfect for future entrepreneurs and corporate innovators.

Telfer School of Management is proud of all we have accomplished in 2023-2024 as a leading Canadian business school, from ground-breaking industry research to transformational gifts for our students and significant program additions. 

Full-time Faculty and Part-Time Professors are encouraged to fill out the Maclean’s Top Business School Survey and submit their university rankings by August 31, 2024.