Phani Radhakrishnan, Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour, Teaching Stream in the Department of Management at the University of Toronto Scarborough, has earned the University of Toronto Global Educator Award for 2024.
Given annually to faculty members who embody U of T’s global mission, vision, and the ability to successfully operate and communicate across cultural contexts, Professor Radhakrishnan was named the 2024 honouree in recognition of her partnership-driven Work-Integrated Learning approach spanning global classrooms.
“Professor Phani Radhakrishnan displays an ongoing practice of weaving interactional diversity and inclusivity in her pedagogy for over 20 years at the University of Toronto,” said Alexie Tcheuyap, U of T Associate Vice-President and Vice-Provost, International Student Experience.
“Phani has created global learning opportunities for students that are supported through localized and lived experiences.”
Professor Radhakrishnan’s teaching and research highlight the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, experiential learning, and engagement with diverse communities to address complex global challenges. Her innovative curricula include analyzing community policing in response to the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, where students were tasked with designing leadership training and reform efforts for police officers in cities worldwide such as Shanghai, Hyderabad, India and Baltimore. In response to the food insecurity crisis and to learn about sustainable farming practices, her students collaborated with faculty and student partners in Sri Lanka and professionals from the local Ghanian diaspora to investigate the challenges faced by farmers in Sri Lanka and Ghana and propose innovative solutions, such as green nanotechnology and community empowerment initiatives, to advance United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Professor Radhakrishnan not only motivates students to pursue global and intercultural fluency but also equips them with essential HR and leadership skills to serve as valuable contributors within organizations and their communities,” said Professor Jean de Bettignies, Acting Chair of Management, University of Toronto Scarborough.
“Through Work-Integrated Learning, students in Professor Radhakrishnan’s classroom not only gain theoretical understanding but also develop the practical skills necessary for success in today’s dynamic and interconnected world.”
In 2024, Professor Radhakrishnan will seek funding to engage over 500 University of Toronto Scarborough Management and STEM students and faculty, along with global university partners in Ghana (KNUST) and Sri Lanka (Eastern University), in international and interdisciplinary learning opportunities that seek to accelerate achievement of SDGs.
“Professor Radhakrishnan’s consistent emphasis on collaboration and participation, as well as the diverse perspectives she both directly shares with her class or encourages them to discover on their own, fosters a learning environment that enables her students to gain richer insights beyond the class material and make an impact outside the classroom and outside their cultural bubbles,” said Brian Cotaoco, University of Toronto Scarborough Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) graduate.
Professor Radhakrishnan is the second University of Toronto Scarborough faculty member to receive the U of T Global Educator Award following inaugural recipient Obidimma Ezezika in 2021. Professor Radhakrishnan will be honoured at the University’s annual Excellence in Teaching Reception in the fall.