New scholarships, induction workshops, and a curriculum review—Bayes Business School, of City, University of London, has changed more than its name, explains Deputy Dean Caroline Wiertz
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By Chloé Meley
Tue Oct 12 2021
Bayes Business School, formerly Cass, is launching a host of new initiatives to support a renewed drive for diversity and inclusion at the school, including a generous scholarship fund for Black undergraduate students.
The business school of City, University of London, is known for its strengths in finance and technology, and its prime location in the heart of the UK capital, attracting students from all over the world to its MBA and business master’s programs.
Now, the school is also looking to update its curriculum to promote responsible management and address issues related to social injustice.
Professor Caroline Wiertz (pictured below), Deputy Dean of Bayes Business School and co-chair of the naming project, says the school's rebrand to Bayes, named after Bayes’ theorem, is about much more than a name change.
Why the name Bayes Business School?
Thomas Bayes (1702-1761) was a nonconformist theologian and mathematician. He is buried in Bunhill Fields, just down the road from the business school.
He is best known for Bayes’ theorem, which states that if you are presented with new evidence, you should evaluate the weight of this new evidence and update your beliefs accordingly.
The decision to rename the school Bayes Business School was the outcome of a months-long consultation process, Caroline explains, which involved thousands of students, staff, and alumni to ensure that all relevant stakeholders had their say.
“Bayes reminds us that we need to be truly open minded and seek out and evaluate new information,” says Caroline. “This is an interesting counterpoint to a lot of the things we see nowadays, with people often holding fixed ideas and becoming entrenched in their camps.”
The act of renaming the school itself, Caroline says, reflects the three principles of Bayes Business School: We care. We learn. We act.
The business school decided to change its name because Sir John Cass, after whom the school was named, had historic links to the slave trade. Honouring a slave trader is simply incompatible with City’s values and principles as a global business school that aims to offer an inclusive space for students of all backgrounds, explains Caroline.
What’s new at Bayes Business School?
Alongside the name change, Bayes has launched a brand-new undergraduate scholarship fund for Black British students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It will support 10 students per year, for 10 years, covering all tuition fees as well as a stipend to help with living costs.
Bayes has also created the new positions of associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion as well as director(s) for race, equity and inclusion, whose role is to ensure that the school is making meaningful progress in those areas.
Another new initiative is the launch of workshops in inclusive teamwork, which teach MBA and master’s students how to work efficiently with people from different cultures, racial and gender identities, and sexual orientation.
“In the past, we've always just put students in a team and wished them good luck. Now we’re actually talking about these issues and giving students more tools to actively address them,” Caroline says.
Curriculum Review
Perhaps the biggest change at Bayes is the wide-ranging effort to review the curriculum.
MBA and master’s students will still get a holistic management training in core areas like accounting and marketing as well as a host of electives to choose from, but Bayes is looking to challenge traditional thinking.
“We’re looking at what we’re teaching and how we’re teaching it,” Caroline explains. “How are we using international case studies from across the world? What kind of role models do we hold up? What kind of perspectives do we discuss in class?”
Bayes Business School is signed up to PRME, or principles of responsible management education, which is a subset of the UN sustainability goals.
That means the school is reviewing the curriculum not only to address issues around social justice, but also around climate change and all the other challenges facing the global business landscape.
“The new Bayes brand is really about flexibility and adaptability of mind, being aware of your thinking styles and the pitfalls of becoming too myopic in viewpoints,” Caroline says.
“The curriculum is also changing in that direction, with a focus on how to think rather than what to think.”
By promoting independent thinking, Caroline says, Bayes wants to create a diverse learning environment that will benefit students throughout their careers.
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The diversity at City University facilitates interactions and is a direction toward the unity of the world. The classes are well built to match the number and needs of all students regardless of the elements of diversity that set people apart. The use of technology in delivery makes learning even more interesting and achievable. At City University there is no distinction pegged on the issues that make people unique.
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The team of lecturers at the Uiversity are well experienced. Their level of insight and the methodologies of delivery works for the interes of the leaeners. My learning experience was largely boosted by the level of knowledge of the professors at the institution, and their passion to transfer the same to learners. I appreciate every class I attended because of the level of insight I was able to gather
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The campus and the people I've met have made it a wonderful experience. I was reared in a small town with a graduating class of only 88 individuals, so moving to City University was a huge adjustment for me. My dorm has more residents than my whole high school combined! I enjoy the atmosphere here, and everyone is so friendly. Outstanding academic options and a stunning campus. Really great from beginning to end. The educators genuinely love what they do, and the students are ready to learn. On or around college, there is always something to do with friends, and the social scene is particularly warm.
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As a student at City university attending Bayes Business School I would totally recommend choosing this university as the experience is exceptional with great social networking opportunities . Professors are significantly helpful, delivering with excellence and professionalism. Everyone is happy to help and make you feel welcomed in such an esteem university as City, offering exceptional development and guidance through out the course.
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I really like it it’s perfect for me with not too many people and not too few either. All the modules are amazing. I love the toy bar. I love all the societies that I’ma part of. Especially the colour Bollywood society
