Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Grossman School of Business’ Sustainable Innovation MBA program has once again been named the No. 1 “Best Green MBA” program by The Princeton Review. This 2019 distinction marks the second consecutive year in which the program has topped the annual list. With its first-place ranking, the UVM program led Ivy League schools including Cornell University and Yale University, which ranked second and third on Princeton’s list, respectively.
“When you are already number one, the pressure is intense to continue to build excellence in the curriculum and the ecosystem of innovators, entrepreneurs, faculty and staff that deliver such a high-quality program,” said Sanjay Sharma, dean of the Grossman School of Business.“You know that excellent schools such as Cornell and Yale are breathing down your neck for the coveted number one spot. Kudos to the entire team for maintaining this focus on excellence and quality.”
At its core, the Sustainable Innovation MBA at the Grossman School of Business is an accelerated one-year program that seeks to address environmental, ethics, poverty and inequality issues through global entrepreneurship and enterprise.
Unique in its mission, the program ultimately replaced the school’s traditional MBA program, which UVM offered for 38 years, upon its creation in 2014. Today’s iteration of the program retains the foundational business school toolkit required for graduates to succeed in business; however, its focus on inclusivity and sustainability prepares graduates to transform today’s businesses and establish new ones that improve environmental strategies and corporate sustainability.
“We're thrilled, of course, but not too terribly surprised,” said program director Joe Fusco about the second consecutive first-place ranking. “We're very fortunate to have passionate students, alumni, faculty and staff involved in this program who are committed to the transformation of business and business education. They're making this program the place to be if you want to change the world.”
“What makesthe Sustainable Innovation MBAprogram so unique is that we integrate innovation and sustainable business strategies throughout the entire curriculum, rather than in a few elective courses,” added David Jones, academic director of the program.
The Princeton Review ranking adds momentum to growing international recognition of the program, which was ranked the No. 5 “Better World MBA” programworldwide in 2018 by Corporate Knights, based in Toronto, and was named a top tier MBA program in North America earlier this year by London-based CEO Magazine. In addition to being ranked No. 1 on the 2019 “Best Green MBA” programs list, the Grossman School of Business at UVM was also named to The Princeton Review’s “Best Business Schools for 2019”list, a merit shared with 252 other elite business schools across the nation.
The “Best Green MBA” rankingsare based on students’ assessments of how well their school is preparing them in environmental/sustainability and social responsibility issues, and for a career in a green job market. The “Best Business Schools for 2019” list was based on data from surveys of 23,000 students attending the schools and from administrators at the graduate schools.
Source: UVM 11.12.2018