‘A shining example of cross-institutional collaboration’
Concordia’s PhD in Business Administration, one of the largest programs of doctoral management education in the world, is celebrating its 40th birthday this year.
At a recent anniversary event, John Molson School of Business (JMSB) interim dean Stéphane Brutus called the program “a shining example of cross-institutional collaboration.” He said it plays an essential role in ensuring that Montreal business schools remain at the forefront of next-generation business education.
Emerging need for academics with business skills
Founded in 1976, the PhD in business administration brings together the business faculties of four Montreal universities — Concordia, ESG UQAM, HEC Montréal and McGill — to fill an emerging need for highly skilled academics with advanced analytical and technical skills in business disciplines.
Since its establishment, the joint program has graduated more than 800 students. They have gone on to occupy important positions in university education as well as in the private and public sectors.
The collaborative network model
One of Concordia’s strategic directions, Embrace the city, embrace the world, looks to achieve public impact through cross-institutional collaboration. “The Joint PhD in Business Administration has been doing that for four decades,” said Concordia’s provost and vice-president of Academic Affairs Graham Carr at the event.
There are currently 350 students enrolled in the five-year program, which gives them access to more than 300 professors qualified to supervise doctoral studies.
Students also attend presentations by internationally recognized researchers and have access to the four affiliated universities’ library systems and computer facilities.
Two of the program’s founders, Jean-Marie Toulouse, professor emeritus at HEC Montréal and Henry Mintzberg of McGill, addressed the attendees at the celebration, as did Hélène David, Quebec’s minister responsible for Higher Education.
Hélène David (fourth from left), Quebec's minister responsible for Higher Education, met with Alan Shepard (second from right), president of Concordia, and Graham Carr, provost and vice-president of Academic Affairs (far right). They were joined by representatives from McGill University, HEC Montréal and UQAM.
The next 40 years
Brutus described how JMSB is increasing the involvement of PhD students in research and fully integrating them into their research strategy through a number of initiatives, including new research centre fellowships.
“We believe that in order to develop a culture that inspires quality research and that values the importance of transferring knowledge to society, we must encourage work across the full spectrum of scholarship,” he said.
He also noted that construction is currently underway on the ninth floor of the John Molson School of Business Building to create a new area specifically for the use of PhD students.
“As we look toward the start of the fifth decade of the program,” says Brutus, “these new facilities will consolidate PhD students in a modern, dedicated space and will contribute to providing them with an engaging research environment that will inspire them to go beyond the commonplace for the development of business and society.”
Learn more about Concordia’s PhD in Business Administration.
