The Rotman MBA program is located in downtown Toronto, Canada’s financial, commercial and cultural capital. Toronto is the third-largest centre for financial services and communications technology in North America, and the site of major clusters of innovation in industries ranging from aerospace to biotech.
With a multicultural population of over 5 million people, safe, clean streets and a vibrant culture, Toronto is consistently ranked as one of the best cities in the world in which to live. Chris Flanagan, writing in BusinessWeek online’s Business Innovation Factory, says, “Bottom line: if you want to learn about innovation, Toronto is the place to be.” Needless to say, it’s a great place to do business.
Rotman students are trained just blocks from Bay Street (Canada’s business centre), and the School takes full advantage of its strategic location by drawing on a rich pool of business and political leaders as teachers, mentors and speakers. A wide variety of academic and research partnerships exist between Rotman and the corporate world. Combine Rotman’s assets with the advantages of living and studying in Toronto, and you have one of the best places in the world to learn a new way to think about business.
For MBA students new to Toronto, the Rotman School provides a variety of resources to
help make your transition a smooth one. Once you accept your offer of admission, you will gain access to the pre-program Student Portal, where the 'Your City' section has a useful overview of Toronto and its neighbourhoods, information on getting established in your new home, and 'survival tips' from current Rotman MBAs. RTalk is an online forum where new Rotman students can chat with current MBAs from their region of the world and discuss their questions and concerns.
Living and Studying in Toronto
We asked current Rotman students what they like best about living and studying in Toronto. Here’s what they had to say about:
The University of Toronto is recognized worldwide as Canada’s pre-eminent research university, a reputation that will add value for students, especially those who aspire to careers with global dimensions. The University of Toronto’s strong academic and research performance ranks among the best in the world in two prestigious international rankings. In 2011, U of T placed 19th in The Times Higher Education's World University Rankings, and 9th by the Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan (HEEACT). In both rankings, U of T leads all Canadian universities.
Established in 1827, U of T is home to 74,000 students and 20,230 faculty and staff members, and generates an annual economic impact of $5.4 billion. It also boasts:
• Six Nobel Prize-winning graduates
• The highest number of Rhodes Scholars of any Canadian university
• 108 spin-off companies with 4,000 employees and revenues of $800 million
Rotman students are welcome everywhere on the U of T
campus, which offers unmatched opportunities for
learning and recreation. Some of its attractions include:
• First-class athletic facilities at Hart House and the Athletic Centre. Membership is free for Rotman students.
• The fourth-largest research library in North America, Robarts Library, just across the street from the Rotman School.
Rotman students have access to all U of T libraries.
• A range of dining options, including vegetarian food
at the Centre for International Experience (five minutes from Rotman), and halal and
kosher food at Sammy's Shack at Hart House.
Housing: Top Five Tips on Finding a Place to Stay in Toronto
Contact the University of Toronto’s Student Housing Service at 416-978-8045 or http://www.housing.utoronto.ca, or drop by in person at 214 College Street, 2nd Floor, on the U of T campus. Provides thousands of housing listings, both on campus and off, as well as advice and tips on housing issues.
Use RWorld, the Rotman School student web portal, to learn about on- and off-campus housing, and background info on Toronto’s neighbourhoods and public transportation. Access to RWorld is provided via e-mail to incoming Rotman students shortly after they register.
Check local newspapers. Good rentals can be found in the classified pages of NOW and EYE WEEKLY (both weekly free entertainment papers), as well as U of T’s Bulletin, and in the Toronto Star.
Before signing a lease (or mortgage), make sure you’ve found the right location! Learn about Toronto’s colourful neighbourhoods, including the Annex, where the Rotman School is located, at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_neighbourhoods_in_Toronto. If you’re moving outside the Annex, check a TTC map at www.ttc.ca to make sure you can get to class on time on local transportation.
Also in 2011, Toronto placed second in an annual report on the top 26 ‘cities of opportunity’ by PricewaterhouseCoopers, and first in ‘quality of living’ and ‘life satisfaction’
Also in 2011, The Economist ranked Toronto as the fourth most liveable city in the world, ahead of New York, London and Paris, and named Canada “the most liveable destination in the world.”
In 2011, Canada placed third out of 34 countries in the “Better Life Index” of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Fortune Magazine ranked Toronto first overall in its international survey of cities in which to live and work, calling it among other things, the “safest city in North America.”
Forbes magazine named Toronto to its top ten of the World’s Most Economically Powerful Cities, calling it “one of the best places for companies to establish themselves.”
Foreign Policy ranked Toronto as the world’s 10th most global city, as well as fourth best for cultural experiences.
“ Toronto is the most civil and civilized city in the world.” National Geographic
“ Toronto is a metropolis with clean air and healthy downtown neighbourhoods.
In short, a city that works.” The New York Times
“It's time to discover Toronto as the new capital of Cool.” The Huffington Post
