Technology, competition and consumer preferences have changed higher education just as they've changed virtually every sector of society, and our mission should reflect that dynamism. This focus is not easy, since it requires a balancing act. On the one hand, the School must adhere to the strict curricula and research standards imposed by our national accrediting bodies and our colleagues in the global academic community, to ensure quality educational experiences for our students. On the other hand, we live in the same world as everyone else, where students want relevant classes and the business community expects a well-trained workforce. Continuous improvement is an integral part of our approach.
Management education is an industry.
To succeed in it, we must keep tabs on our competition. But we also must understand our place in the industry. George Mason is a very young school, barely 25 years old. Moreover, we shouldn't try to emulate the benchmark schools any more than a new market entrant should try to compete by copying the industry's leaders. It is not necessary to be big to be good and tradition sometimes gets in the way.