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E X E C U T I V E E D U C A T I O N S p e c i a l F e a t u r e spend about 20 to 25 hours a week on their coursework. "We believe that it's actually the most academically rigorous program in the country," says Dr. Hurst. Within small groups led by a professor, students communicate in online forums and can use collaboration tools such as instant messaging and conferencing. People tend to think of online learning as a solitary experience, but Dr. Hurst points out that the small groups become a com- munity. Students are able to be open and honest about issues in their workplace, and they often form strong bonds. Also, the online experience closely replicates the kind of communication that takes place in many organizations. "So much of the way business works these days is distributed," she says. "You're not usually able to pull everyone into the boardroom and talk about strate•y. People are work- ing in di…erent cities and across time zones. A standard MBA doesn't teach you how to be an e…ective manager in that type of setting. Ours does." After students have completed the required coursework, they choose six elec- tives. At least one of these has to contain a residential requirement, so students attend classes for ˆve days at locations across the country and around the world. One course on innovation and design recently took students to the Silicon Valley. Another on international legal risk management, was held in Washington, D.C. Athabasca University recently part- nered with the Business of Hockey Institute, a not-for-proˆt think-tank created to advance the business side of the game. Together they created a series of six elec- tive courses, and students that complete these can earn certiˆcation as a hockey professional ( CHP) along with their MBA. Athabasca University also recently introduced a pilot program aimed at developing managers in the manufactur- ing industry within its post-baccalaureate diploma in leadership and management development program. This program was designed in partnership with the Cana- dian Manufacturers and Exporters ( CME). The CME commissioned a large study identifying management development as a key issue for the industry's future—the program will meet that need. In the spring of 2016, Athabasca University plans to roll out the program nationally. "As a university, we're di…erent from everyone else," says Dr. Hurst. "Even at the undergraduate level, our students are mostly adults with careers, families and signiˆcant responsibilities. We're more focused on helping students advance in their career rather than start one." Innovative Global Leadership Program Building on its successful Master of Arts in Leadership degree, Royal Roads University is now o…ering a Master of Arts in Global Leadership (MAGL). "Over the years, we've increasingly seen more international students or students who work in a global context," says Wendy Rowe, program head of the MAGL. "They told us they enjoyed the MA in Leadership program but they wanted a program that could address the broader complexity of global issues a…ecting people and organizations across diverse cultural settings. So we took a look More MBA programs are encouraging interaction between students

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