June 23, 2009.

Press release

Corporate Knights releases 2009 Knight School Survey; Schulich School of Business tops MBA list again

(Toronto, Canada, June 23, 2009) Today, Corporate Knights Magazine unveils the sixth-annual Knight Schools ranking. The ranking analyzes how Canadian universities fare in integrating sustainability into the school experience.

In reviewing MBA and undergraduate Business programs, the researchers adopted a broad definition of sustainability that encompassed environmental and social concerns. Issues of social justice, human rights, professional conduct, cultural diversity, climate change, and conservation were considered.

The survey, modeled after the US-based Beyond Grey Pinstripes Survey, scored the programs in the areas of institutional support, student initiatives, and course work.

After evaluating 35 MBA and 47 undergraduate Business programs, one thing is clear: school scores are on the rise. This year, the average undergrad score was 37.94%, a 4.22% increase over the previous year. The jump in MBA scores is even more marked. While the MBA program average in 2008 reached 33.36%, the current average score has shot up to 40.33% in 2009.

With the overall increase in average scores, schools had to work harder to make it into the top ten. In the MBA ranking, the average score for the top 10 schools was 70.92%, up from 61.23% in 2008. Schools also had to work harder to maintain their positions in the ranking. Even an improved score did not guarantee an improved rank. For example, the University of British Columbia – Sauder School of Business MBA scored 66.8% in 2008, and earned the 3rd spot in the ranking. This year, their score rose by 7.95% but because of increased competition, they dropped to the 5th spot, despite their improvement.

More and more business schools are stepping up to meet the challenge of integrating more sustainability features into their programs. While the current economic recession has critics suggesting business schools are to blame for unscrupulous traders, managers, and CEOs, the increased focus of Canadian business schools on professional ethics, the environment, and social issues suggests these trying times may have boosted schools’ focus on sustainability.