Rankings show U of T enjoys broad public awareness

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 17:30:47 +0000

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 03/19/2024 - 13:30

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(photo by David Lee)

Adina Bresge

Topic

Global Lens

Christine Szustaczek

Global

Rankings

Subheadline

A recent ranking of universities’ “visibility” placed U of T fifth in the world when it comes to news reports, social media and online searches

The ��Ƶ is routinely ranked as one of the world’s top universities for research and teaching – and the public is taking notice.

Consistently ranked among the world’s top 25 universities in the most closely watched international rankings, there is growing evidence that U of T’s global reputation is expanding well beyond the realm of academia. For example, employers already consider U of T graduates among the most desirable hires in the world and the university recently earned the title of the most sustainable post-secondary institution on the planet.

Now, the inaugural edition of American Caldwell’s Global University Visibility (GUV) Rankings, updated earlier this year, ranked U of T fifth in the world when it comes to public interest as measured by online searches, social media followers and web traffic, among other metrics.

Moreover, U of T was the only public university – and the only university outside the United States – to place in the top five. The others were Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University and Cornell University.

N. Alexander Kader, partner at D.C.-based American Caldwell, says the GUV rankings, first released in 2023, are meant to complement traditional university rankings – which tend to focus on academic metrics, including publications and citations in peer-reviewed journals – by capturing institutional recognition among the public at large.

"[The visibility rankings] originated from a discussion of traditional university metrics of counting publications,” he says. “The challenge is not knowing how many people were seeing them or if they were available to the general public. Thus, we decided to see if visibility could be measured."

News mentions are the most heavily weighted metric in GUV’s calculations, followed by Google searches, says Kader. Social media followers and website traffic also factor into the visibility rankings, he adds, and American Caldwell tracks web references, the quantity of publicly available online information and video on YouTube.

Christine Szustaczek, U of T’s vice-president, communications, says GUV’s indicators of online interest likely favour both English speakers and large universities, but nevertheless suggest a growing number of people around the world want to know what’s happening at U of T. She adds that the more people learn, the more likely they are to become students, faculty, donors and industry partners.

“It shows that people around the world care about the ��Ƶ, and that we matter because it proves that people are seeking information about us,” says Szustaczek. “[Our visibility] rests on the excellence of our teaching and research, the quality of our students and the opportunities they get at U of T, the accomplishments of our alumni and our collaborations and partnerships across the globe. These are the topics that pique the public’s curiosity and earn their interest.”

Szustaczek notes that U of T’s pronounced position in the public’s consciousness is also a testament to the people across U of T who share these achievements with audiences around the world.

“Visibility is important, because it helps audiences form a positive opinion of the university, based on their knowledge of what makes us unique,” she says. “Reputation is a perceptual construct – it's something that lives in other people’s hearts and minds. By extension, it follows that an organization can’t have a reputation if they’re not visible. “By sharing our impact broadly and proudly with the world – we’re giving others an opportunity to get to know us, to partner with us and support us.”

U of T appoints Christine Szustaczek vice-president, communications

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 15:23:11 +0000

U of T appoints Christine Szustaczek vice-president, communications

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 04/03/2023 - 11:23

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Christine Szustaczek, an award-winning public relations and communications leader, has been appointed U of T's vice-president, communications for a five-year term (supplied image)

Topic

The ��Ƶ has appointed Christine Szustaczek, an award-winning public relations and communications leader, as vice-president, communications for a five-year term.

Szustaczek’s appointment, which takes effect May 15, 2023 through June 30, 2028, was recently approved by the university’s Governing Council following a comprehensive international search. As head of ��Ƶ Communications (UTC), Szustaczek will be charged with enhancing internal communications and sharing U of T’s story – including the wide-ranging impact of its world-leading research and scholarship – with a global audience.

An alumna and former U of T administrator, Szustaczek currently serves as vice-president, external relations at Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, where she is responsible for strategic communications, public relations, institutional events, marketing, brand strategy, government relations, community engagement, advancement and alumni relations.

“On behalf of the entire ��Ƶ community, I am delighted to welcome Christine Szustaczek to the senior leadership team,” said U of T President Meric Gertler. “As leader of the tri-campus ��Ƶ Communications, Ms. Szustaczek will play a critical role in advancing strategic external and internal communications and public engagement for the university.

“She brings to this important position a communications approach that combines academic rigour with real-world practice – and a remarkable record of leadership and accomplishment in higher education and the broader public sector.”

A trusted adviser to Sheridan’s president and vice-presidential colleagues, board of governors and deans and directors, Szustaczek previously held the position of chief communications officer at the college. During that period, she advanced internal communications, guided the institution through multiple complex issues and oversaw an important rebranding effort. Prior to that, she served as Sheridan’s associate vice-president, communications, public affairs and marketing, where she integrated the three distinct teams to advance institutional objectives. She began her time at Sheridan in the newly created position of director of corporate communications and external relations.

“I’m thrilled to be taking on the role of vice-president, communications at the ��Ƶ, one of the world’s top-ranked public universities,” said Szustaczek. “The opportunity to return to U of T and help lead an institution that fuels individual, economic, and societal transformation is both humbling and exhilarating. I look forward to working across the three campuses to serve our constituents and stakeholders, showcase people’s inspiring and game-changing work, and to explain to the public how U of T continually lives up to its character and delivers on the promise of its Defy Gravity brand.”

Szustaczek is widely regarded as an agile and collaborative leader who is highly skilled in managing relationships and developing people. Her work has been recognized by her peers with more than 50 prestigious awards, including the Heather Pullen Memorial Award for Ethical Public Relations and multiple awards from the Canadian Public Relations Society, the International Association of Business Communicators and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. She has also published in the Journal of Education Advancement and Marketing and the Journal of Professional Communication.

Before joining Sheridan, Szustaczek spent eight years running her own consultancy, helping a range of broader public sector agencies – including many colleges and universities – share their unique stories and communicate their impact.

She also spent six years working at U of T – first as a senior development officer and senior donor relations officer in the division of university relations and the Rotman School of Management, and then as director of communications and associate director of development in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. She also served as U of T Engineering’s acting executive director of advancement.

Szustaczek holds an honours bachelor of arts degree in international relations and a minor in economics from U of T, and a master’s degree in communications management from McMaster University. She is accredited in public relations by the Canadian Public Relations Society and is a member of the board of directors of the Alice and Murray Maitland Foundation and Sheridan College’s Screen Industries Research and Training Centre at Pinewood Studios in Toronto.

President Gertler thanked the advisory committee for its advice and guidance. He also thanked David Palmer, U of T’s vice-president, advancement, who has served so ably as interim vice-president, communications since Oct. 1, 2022.