Schulich ExecEd, an extension of the Schulich School of Business at York University, and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), are partnering to launch leadership and management programs, as well as workshops and speaking engagements, with the goal of strengthening the leadership capabilities of TIFF’s management and senior teams. The joint venture was launched in May and will continue alongside TIFF 2023, currently underway until Sept. 17, and into next year.
Targeting managers, senior managers and executive leaders across TIFF, these new programming and professional development offerings aim to meet the current needs and strategic goals of the film organization by empowering its leaders with advanced training in areas such as: strategy; resilience; leadership; management change and transformation; and diversity, equity and inclusion.
“Schulich ExecEd is proud to be the official training partner of the Toronto International Film Festival,” says Rami Mayer, executive director of Schulich ExecEd. “Through custom programming and a bespoke learning journey, we will empower TIFF senior leaders and management with advanced training on skill sets integral to today’s business landscape. Through a series of programs, workshops and speaking engagements, we will incorporate TIFF’s mission and goals with strong, strategic leadership skills that are at the core of the program.”
Schulich ExecEd’s programming is customized to address relevant business trends as well as skills gaps and needs specific to TIFF. Through a blend of “soft” and “hard” skills, the programming is designed to allow TIFF leaders to fully engage in interactive sessions, learn and practise key business concepts, with a curriculum that blends academic rigour with industry relevance.
“The goals of the partnership are to augment and enrich the management and leadership development program at TIFF by engaging with Schulich ExecEd’s research excellence and expertise to: co-develop a diverse curriculum intended to elevate leadership competence and empower TIFF people leaders at all levels; to secure best-in-class resources and tools that will increase team effectiveness and organizational performance; and to position TIFF as a learning organization committed to investing in its employees’ growth and development,” says Nathalie Sato, director of people and culture at TIFF.
Taking the lead on programming creation and facilitation in this partnership, Schulich ExecEd, ranked 30th in the world in the 2023 Financial Times Executive Education rankings, is drawing on its experience professionally developing, upskilling, and reskilling other non-profit and media-based organizations, including Women in Film and Television, the McGillivray Group and the American Marketing Association.
Upon completion of the new programming, TIFF participants will receive a digital credential from Schulich ExecEd, recognizing their new skill development and commitment to continuous improvement.
“The TIFF-Schulich ExecEd partnership will amalgamate our mission to support the professional development, upskilling, and reskilling of today’s business professionals and TIFF’s aim to transform the way people see film,” says Mayer.
For more information about Schulich ExecEd, visit Executive Management Programs & Training | Schulich ExecEd (yorku.ca). For more information about TIFF, visit TIFF – Toronto International Film Festival.