University of British Columbia
LocationVancouver, British Columbia |
Classification4-year College, Graduate School |
StudentsUndergrad: 2,700 | Graduate: 409 |
Faculty111 Core Faculty Members |
Why Concourse
The Manager of Learning Design at the Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia, summed it up best when she said, "We need one and only one syllabus for a course."
The Backstory
As a recognized world leader, the Sauder School of Business takes great pride in offering rigorous programs and high-caliber academics across seven business divisions. With 15 specialized research centers that span the globe, the Sauder School of Business makes accreditation a top priority. In preparation for their next accreditation visit, the Sauder School of Business formalized their efforts through the launch of an Assurance of Learning (AOL) initiative.
This important undertaking would enhance Sauder’s commitment to excellence in teaching and learning – and is a critical part to maintaining their valued accreditation standing with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) & Equis, International Accreditation. The Assurance of Learning initiative would test Sauder’s ability to manage and maintain syllabi as well as demonstrate selected learning outcomes across their courses.
The Challenge
The Sauder School of Business believes their syllabi are key components for mapping course outcomes to accreditation standards. Syllabi are also viewed as an essential element of the student experience and extension of the Sauder brand. The AOL initiative prompted Sauder to evaluate the effectiveness of their syllabus management and curriculum mapping processes. After the evaluation, it was determined that filing cabinets, emails, and shared drives were not suitable for managing syllabi.
The current methods for managing course content consumed a significant amount of time and energy. It was difficult to interpret what syllabi were up-to-date, pending, and needing revisions to be compliant with school and AASCB mandates. Sauder further observed that they would need to generate and report on data related to how the school is meeting their program learning goals, in preparation for their next accreditation visit.