Richard Buttimer, Dean, Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte

In an interview with Invest:, Dean Richard Buttimer of Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte highlighted the college’s record-breaking enrollment of almost 5,300 students, ongoing innovations in research and academic programs, and its pivotal role in Charlotte’s entrepreneurship and business community.

What were the significant milestones or achievements for Belk College of Business over the last year or since you stepped into your role in July?

I think the biggest thing is that we’re at record enrollment. We have more than 4,600 undergraduate students and more than 600 graduate students. We operate at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels across multiple disciplines, as we lead business innovation and develop talent in the Charlotte region.

We’ve reached a size and breadth of programs that we’ve been building toward for a long time. This is the culmination of a very methodical and thoughtful process that started 15 to 20 years ago. We are now by far the largest business school in the region. As of this fall, we are the second largest business school in the UNC System, which is one marker of our effectiveness in serving the rapidly evolving needs of our students and of our partners.

We are the leading producer of talent for the Charlotte metro area, and our influence extends into South Carolina and throughout North Carolina. We are the first stop for talent from a variety of business sectors.

UNC Charlotte is poised to reach R1 status in 2025. How do you see this impacting the college?

The drive to achieve R1 status has been a long-term goal for the university, and it takes a lot of investment to get there. Belk College has been a key component of that push. We’ve placed a strong emphasis on graduate and doctoral education and on research, fully participating in the activities required for the university to reach R1 status.

Once we achieve R1 status, it brings several benefits. First, it makes it easier to attract and retain top talent — both students and faculty. Some students, especially at the graduate level, specifically seek out R1 universities for their degrees, so reaching that status will help us recruit those students. It will also make it easier to retain and attract top-tier faculty.

To be clear, we already have excellent faculty, but R1 status will give us an additional advantage in recruiting and retaining them. We’re very excited about this, as it brings a level of prestige and access to additional resources.

How is Belk College adapting its academic programs to meet the needs of Charlotte’s rapidly growing business community?

One of the defining characteristics of this business school is our constant innovation and adaptation. I’ve been with the institution for a long time, from 2002 until 2020, before being recruited back as dean from University of North Florida, where I was dean of the Coggin College of Business. Over the years, we at the Belk College have continuously evolved to meet the needs of the business community, particularly in Charlotte, which is a major financial services city and also is expanding its focus on other employment sectors.

For example, we developed our Master of Science in Mathematical Finance specifically to address the needs of the banking and financial services sectors, and that program is now ranked No. 10 in the nation by TFE Times. We continue to evolve programs that meet industry needs. Similarly, we created our Doctorate in Business Administration — the first DBA program in the Carolinas — to build the next generation of C-Suite leaders. Right now, there’s a big push for more entrepreneurship in Charlotte, so we’re developing academic programs to support that need.

In the last five or six years, we’ve added programs like our Master of Science in Data Science and Business Analytics, which is large-scale and designed to train students in the analytics skills needed in today’s industries.

We are also innovating in how we deliver our courses. We have traditional in-person classes, and we also offer an online MBA. Starting in the spring, we’ll launch an online Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program, allowing undergraduates to earn their degrees online.

As Charlotte becomes a hub for innovation, what role is Belk College playing in fostering entrepreneurship and startup growth in the region?

We are leading the effort to foster entrepreneurship in Charlotte, particularly through the North Tryon Tech Hub in the center city of Charlotte, which is focused on innovation in technology, fintech, and artificial intelligence. UNC Charlotte is the academic and research anchor of this development, with Belk College playing a critical role in all these areas, including AI.

Our downtown facility, The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City, has offered academic, research and community engagement programs for a decade, and now we’re expanding. We’ve leased a building across the street from The Dubois Center to launch CO-LAB, an incubator and innovation hub. This space will bring entrepreneurs into our environment to collaborate with our students and our faculty researchers. We’ll also provide support services, including housing the Small Business and Technology Development Center, making it the academic and research nucleus for the Tech Hub’s growth.

Our Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has a dual role: engaging students in entrepreneurial thinking and bringing startups into CO-LAB to help develop their businesses. The center supports both students and the community, with the goal of growing successful companies. We’re making significant investments in entrepreneurship, through physical space and by providing access to the center. We are also exploring master’s level degree programs in entrepreneurship, building on the success of our undergraduate and graduate certificates.

We also are excited that our Center for Leadership Science is located in the Dubois Center and is taking an interdisciplinary, scientifically-informed approach to redefining how businesses and organizations develop leaders.

Can you discuss the role of global education at Belk College and the partnerships you’ve established?

Global education has long been a strong focus at Belk College. We’ve been a leader within the UNC Charlotte campus and the UNC System in building international partnerships. Today, we offer dual degree programs with universities in Milan, Italy; Regensburg, Germany; and Shanghai, China; and we’re finalizing agreements with universities in Taiwan.

In these programs, students spend a year at each institution, earning a master’s degree from both. At the undergraduate level, students typically spend a semester abroad. We maintain relationships with about 20 partner universities globally, alongside the broader university’s connections. These partnerships are critical to preparing emerging leaders in the Charlotte region and other areas to thrive in a global society.

What are some of the emerging trends in business education that you’re most excited about, and how is the college integrating these into its offerings?

One of the biggest trends, especially at the undergraduate level, is the growing importance of experiential learning. While we deliver excellent classroom content, higher education recognizes that hands-on experience is essential for well-rounded graduates.

At Belk College, we prioritize internships, co-ops, and study abroad programs. We view Charlotte, a top business hub, as a living learning lab for students. I tell incoming students they have four years to build a résumé that will impress employers, and the best way is through internships, leadership roles, and proactive engagement with the business world. We work closely with companies, bring in external speakers, and engage with the college Board of Advisors and other college advisory boards to create these opportunities.

Another major trend is the shift toward online learning. The COVID-19 pandemic taught us there are effective and less effective ways to deliver online education. We’re investing to ensure our students taking online and in-person courses have access to the same resources, faculty and networking opportunities, helping them build professional connections while still in school.

Looking ahead, what are your top priorities and goals for Belk College?

Our primary focus is maintaining the momentum we’ve built. We’ve seen significant growth, and a key priority is to keep expanding our entrepreneurship programs and also our research efforts that are leading business innovations. Charlotte has a strong entrepreneurial drive, and we need to lead that movement. We’ll continue to develop academic programs and professional connections in the city, particularly through initiatives like the North Tryon Tech Hub.

We also want to continue strengthening areas where we already excel, such as in finance, real estate, risk management, and insurance, where we have deep connections in the city and the region. Our professional Doctor of Business Administration program is thriving, and we aim to ensure its continued success in Charlotte, as our graduates take on more significant leadership roles in their organizations.

As Charlotte grows and evolves, we’re committed to leading that charge by providing the right education and resources to grow and sustain the talent that Charlotte’s business community needs. Our goal is to build a world-class business school that supports a world-class city.

Belk College of Business is the only institution in the region offering comprehensive business education at all levels. Having all our faculty based here — working here and also living here — means we are all invested in delivering top-tier programs and applying faculty expertise to solve real-world business challenges in our great city. We aim to be recognized as both a primary source of talent and as a partner dedicated to providing solutions.