Ideas Worth Teaching
In 2019, Dr Sarah Birrell Ivory was awarded one of ten prestigious Ideas Worth Teaching awards by the Aspen Institute. Previous winners include MIT and Harvard.
The award recognises "exceptional courses that are preparing future business leaders to tackle society's largest challenges and create a more inclusive, just, and sustainable version of capitalism".
The award relates to the undergraduate Global Challenges for Business course, which was designed by Dr Ivory and is a required first semester course for the entire annual Business School UG intake – around 350 students. The course is centred around critical thinking, understood through the lens of global challenges businesses are facing including digital, environmental, and social disruption.
In an interview discussing the award Dr Ivory said:
"The University and in particular the Business School should be really proud of this award as it is international recognition that what we're doing is valued. It is an idea worth teaching for society and that's important. It links to the role of the business school in society generally. You look at the other award winners and these are schools that care about their impact on society, not just making sure businesses run efficiently but asking questions about why business exists and where it is placed in society "We’re the only European university this year to win one of these awards. Edinburgh obviously has a great tradition of enlightenment and leadership. There is something in the fact that we pushed for this new course. There is definitely something about the Edinburgh learning environment that means we are willing to be first-movers on important ideas."
See the full press release and interview: Here
100 Alumni Making an Impact
In 2019, to celebrate 100 years of teaching business, the University of Edinburgh Business School named 100 alumni from around the globe making an impact in their chosen field. Dr Ivory was among those chosen, for her contribution to business education and in particular to re-envisioning undergraduate business teaching and learning.
“I was honoured to be one of the chosen 100, among other names like Alan Jope (CEO, Unilever), Judith Everett (COO of The Crown Estate), Rob Woodward (Chair of the Board of the Met Office), and Birna Einarsdottir (CEO Islandsbanki). But more particularly I’m inspired to have some of my former students also on the list – which makes me proud of my ongoing legacy. This includes Tracey Crowe (Chief of Staff, Sustainable Energy for All), Kushal Gurung (Founder and CEO of Windpower Nepal), and Kevin Houston (Co-Founder of Carbon Masters).”
Teaching Awards
In 2020 Dr Ivory was nominated for the Dean of Students Award for Contribution to Student Experience, in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
Dr Ivory is regularly nominated for the Edinburgh University Student’s Association (EUSA) teaching awards for Teacher of the Year, Personal Tutor of the Year, Supervisor of the Year, and Best Course.
Dr Ivory won a 2018/19 University of Edinburgh Business School Excellence in Teaching Award for Inspirational Teaching.
“Dr Ivory’s passion for teaching is emulated through her lectures. She has a way of speaking which is truly engaging. Rather than telling us the answers, Dr Ivory asks questions and allows her students to form their own answers. Not only does Dr Ivory allow us to form our own answers, she educates her students on how these answers are best formed. Dr Ivory encourage us to ask questions, offer our answers and debate them without fear of failing. Too often are lecturers insistent on what students should memorize and think. Dr Ivory taught me how to think. That has been the most inspirational lesson of my education to this day.” Anonymous student nominator.
Research Awards
Best Full Paper Award at the 2017 Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM) conference, Sustainable and Social Issues in Management stream, co-authored with Dr Anthony Alexander, Sustainability’s Missing Dimension: defining economic sustainability at organisational and societal levels.
Best Full Paper Award at the 2012 British Academy of Management (BAM) conference, Sustainable and Responsible Business special interest group, co-authored with Prof Brad Mackay, Corporate Sustainability: A Critical Review.