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July 28, 2017 - 9:35 AM
Professional graduate education is being reimagined right now at UBC’s Okanagan campus.
The Faculty of Management welcomed its first cohort of students into its Master of Management (MM) program this week. The 25-month, part-time program is designed to be accessible for working professionals from any sector worldwide, and is delivered through a blend of online and in-person learning.
“The Master of Management is unique in its emphasis on problem-based learning where students are engaged directly with the many types of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, confronting contemporary challenges associated with economic and social development,” said Mike Chiasson, curriculum lead for the Master of Management. “By exploring multiple perspectives through open inquiry, students are learning a way of thinking that will help them lead these organizations through important economic and social development challenges in the future.”
The program launched in June with initial readings and online discussions around topics such as leadership, sustainability, globalization, competitiveness, and problem-based learning, building up to the first “intensive in-residence” session. The first intensive in-residence session has included field studies with organizations throughout the Okanagan, involved in wine, research and development, health, technology, forestry, government, First Nations, and the food and beverage industry.
Students come from a variety of regions including: Japan, Pakistan, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. Their professional backgrounds include areas such as engineering, education, entrepreneurship, technology, health, finance, tourism and operations.
“We have a fantastic cohort of people, and we’re already forming a bond. That’s what I was really hoping for,” said Roger Bizzotto, one of the Master of Management students. “We have been visiting local partners and listening to what their challenges are. When we ask questions, and discuss it as a group, that brings out new ideas and perspectives you hadn’t considered before. That’s when you can see how this local situation is actually global. It puts the learning into context, and it helps you absorb it that much more.”
Instructors also bring a diverse range of expertise to the program, coming from UBC’s Faculty of Management, Faculty of Education and Department of Psychology, as well as international partners at the KEDGE Business School in Bordeaux, France, and Orkestra-Basque Institute of Competitiveness in San Sebastián, Spain.
To learn more about the program, visit http://mm.ok.ubc.ca.
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