News Briefs
Darden Climbs in the Rankings America, just behind the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business — which holds the No. 1 position on both lists — and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth at No. 2. Within the criteria, Darden was rated the Second Year students, left to right, Taylor Henry, Jack Bannister and No. 1 full-time MBA Veneka Chagwedera were interviewed for Bloomberg TV’s Market Makers the day after Bloomberg Businessweek released its 2012 rankings. “education experience” in the world for the The Economist: No. 3 in the World and second year in a row. the Best “Education Experience” The School also topped the list for “diverDarden’s No. 3 rank in The Economist’s sity of recruiters.” 2012 ranking of full-time MBA programs Darden ranked in the Top Five in is the highest ever achieved by the the categories of “alumni effectiveness,” “student assessment of career service,” Darden School. “open new career opportunities,” “faculty Darden moved up one position from quality” and “student assessment of its 2011 standing at No. 4 internationally facilities.” and held steady at No. 3 in North
Bloomberg Businessweek: No. 10 In Bloomberg Businessweek’s 2012 biennial ranking of “Best B-Schools,” released in November, Darden rose one place in the ranking of U.S. business schools to No. 10. The survey is based on three elements: a poll of newly minted MBAs; a poll of corporate recruiters on the quality of graduates; and an evaluation of faculty research output. Of the business schools in the Top 10, Darden is rated the highest for faculty. The magazine describes the attributes of top faculty as: “a compelling classroom presence, an encyclopedic knowledge of the subject, easy availability after class and a research record second to none.” Darden also received the second highest score among Top 10 business schools in the survey of students. In Bloomberg Businessweek’s “graded” categories, Darden received all “A’s”: an “A+” in career services, teaching quality, critical thinking and leadership skills and an “A” in caliber of classmates.
Darden’s First Courses in the Clouds MORE THAN 43,000 ENROLL FOR FIRST ONLINE OFFERING ON COURSERA
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N JANUARY 2013, Darden will offer its first massive open online course, or MOOC, in partnership with Coursera, the online educational platform, to more than 43,000 participants. Professor of Business Administration Edward D. Hess will teach the two-part course “Grow to Greatness: Smart Growth for Private Businesses,” beginning 28 January.
Professor Edward D. Hess
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THE DARDEN REPORT | FALL/WINTER 2012
Hess, who teaches in the academic area of Strategy, Ethics and Entrepreneurship, designed the course based on research funded by Darden’s Batten Institute, of which he is executive-in-residence. Part I of the case-based class will address common growth management challenges facing expanding businesses. Over a five-week time span, Hess will cover the following topics: “Truths About Growth,” “Are You Ready for Growth?” “The 4 Ps of Growth — Planning, Prioritization, Processes and Pace,” “Four Ways to Grow a Business” and “Creating a Growth Plan.” Darden Professor Michael J. Lenox will offer a new course on strategy in March 2013, and Professor R. Edward Freeman will teach a course on ethics. Online courses such as these actively advance Darden’s educational goal of improving the quality of its students’
learning experiences by remaining at the forefront of technology. “Through our partnership with Coursera, we can reach thousands of individuals on a global scale who would not otherwise have access to Darden’s high-engagement learning environment and thought-leadership style,” Darden Dean Bob Bruner said. “This is a ‘learning launch’ whereby we can further the Darden mission of developing principled leaders for the world of practical affairs beyond the classroom.” U.Va. will also offer three Coursera courses from the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. The University does not plan to offer course credits or certificates to students or public viewers who take U.Va. courses, and the partnership involves no exchange of funds. U.Va. owns the intellectual property of each course.