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M B A / 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 model in which students obtain their degree one weekend per month over two years, working exibly with their team and professors between weekends. Because students are experienced professionals and work on projects between classes, the program is both demanding and reward- ing, as much so as any full-time MBA." While universities that operate strictly online are a popular solution for many professionals, a school such as Gustavson at UVic "gives you unparalleled access to faculty and a mentorship program that helps you build skills and important career connections," says Dunne. Plus, "in a small school such as Gustavson, professors are accessible and supportive." The UVic Weekend MBAƒopens with a one-week introductory module in which students work closely with cohorts, reect on their own leadership style, and begin to wrestle with the complexity of business decisions in B.C. and the world. "Busi- nesses do not operate in isolation," says Dunne. "They need to take account of local communities and wider society, interest groups, government, competitors and potential allies." Every term in the Weekend MBA program includes an applied project that is team-based and grounded in real-world problem solving, with students working with a client organization that has brought a current business problem or issue into the classroom. In the second year of the program, students participate in a one-week International Applied Project that takes place overseas. UVic constantly strives to adopt online learning in ways that allow for personal interaction, in order not only to provide the fullest possible educational experience but also avoid what Dunne views as the biggest pitfall of pure online courses: a dropout rate of close to 90 per cent and no in-person interaction with the professor or fellow students. "For example, we are increasingly using ipped classrooms in our courses to maximize the value of in-class time for deeper discussion and reective learning." In the ipped-classroom model, professors put all lecture material online in video or audio form and use class time for discus- sion, hands-on work and reection. Of UVic's MBA program overall, Dunne says it is "very much about responsible management: the idea that businesses need to take into account the interests of communities, First Nations, the environ- ment and other factors, as well as those of shareholders." Simon Fraser University's Beedie School of Business laid claim in 1968 to o–er the very —rst executive MBA in Canada. Approaching its 50th year in MBA education, the school has generated more than 1,600 outstanding alumni and earned a reputation for being one of the country's best programs. Part of the MBA's success is that its educational experience is unusually thorough. Before the start of the —rst semester, incoming students complete refresher courses in Excel and —nancial accounting. To obtain their degree, they must spend four months doing post-gradu- ation work in a permanent position, paid internship, or creating a new venture, and then write a report on their progress. The school's cohort model ensures MBA candidates study alongside the same classmates throughout the program, to encourage networking and teamwork. Beedie is a strong advocate of mixing brick-and-mortar learning with online education and other components. "Our calling is to develop innovative students who are socially responsible and globally aware, and to that end we appreciate that three-hour lectures in classrooms just don't cut it anymore," says Andrew Gemino, associate dean, graduate programs. "That's why our MBA has so many components—with a particular Thompson Rivers University has always been forward thinking — and now has 50 per cent of its business students coming from other countries COUR T ESY OF T HOMP SON RI V ERS UNI V ERSIT Y

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