University Canada West makes history winning BC and national MBA games competitions
UCW bests 15 of the top business schools in Canada to take national title
University Canada West (UCW), a business and tech-focused institution in Vancouver, recently made history by becoming the first university to hold both the national MBA Games and BC MBA Games trophies at the same time. The national competition, hosted by Brock University in Niagara Falls from January 5 to 7, is considered the largest Master of Business Administration (MBA) competition in Canada and brings together the best of academia, industry and community. Throughout the weekend, students engaged in a dynamic blend of academic, athletic and spirit challenges aimed at pushing boundaries and establishing new benchmarks to reshape the future of business and society. UCW’S MBA team competed fiercely, securing the top position in sports and an impressive second overall in spirit. “As a coach, I could not be prouder,” said MBA Games team head coach and UCW faculty Urvish Subodh.“our diverse team represented their cultures, languages and the values we stand for at UCW on the national stage.” UCW MBA team co-captain Jim Isaac echoed these sentiments.“our team has won a competition that brought together many of the top business schools in Canada that, on average, have existed for over 50 years,” he said.“it’s no ordinary feat, and it’s a testament to the role that UCW will play in shaping the business world in Canada and internationally.” Other competing schools were host Brock University, University of Alberta, Simon Fraser University, Mcmaster University, University of Manitoba, York University, Toronto Metropolitan University, Dalhousie University, HEC Montreal, University of Ottawa, Carleton University, University of Calgary, Mcgill University, Western University and Université Laval. In an equally remarkable accomplishment, UCW’S MBA team clinched victory at the 2023 BC MBA Games in December. The competition brought together leading business schools from across British Columbia, including last year’s winning school, Simon Fraser University. UCW’S MBA team showcased unparalleled performance, securing the top position in all three categories—sports, Spirit and Case. Additionally, their commitment to community impact was evident as they raised over $13,000 for the WISH Drop-in Centre Society, surpassing the fundraising achievements of all six participating teams. “Their victories at the recent BC and national MBA Games competitions not only showcase their remarkable talents but also underscore the strength of our academic programs,” said Dr. Bashir Makhoul, UCW’S president and vice-chancellor. University Canada West’s MBA program, accredited by ACBSP and NCMA, positions graduates for success on a global level. The program is available both online and in-person, reflecting UCW’S dedication to providing accessibility for all students. Empowered by the exceptional quality of the program and its inherent flexibility, UCW alumni have excelled and gained employment at prestigious organizations like Apple, Nestle, Scotiabank, Telus, RBC and SAP.
registered nurses and nurse practitioners be able to do a complete sexual assault examination,” explains Jennifer Talman, BCIT'S associate dean, school of computing and academic studies.
Unfortunately, some people are unable to get the help they need at the emergency room because hospitals are short on medical workers who have added that skillset. “There is a push in B.C. to get more forensic nurses trained, to be able to provide those forensic services to those who wish to have them,” Talman says. “We do a lot of that training at BCIT.”
Thankfully, students don't need to undergo a time-consuming application process to enrol in these micro-credentials
“There is a push in B.C. to get more forensic nurses trained, to be able to provide those forensic services to those who wish to have them. We do a lot of that training at BCIT.” —Jennifer Talman, associate dean, school of computing and academic studies, BCIT
or the individual courses that comprise them—like they would if they were starting a degree or diploma. “People who want to take courses can just go to the website, sign up for a student number and register for the course,” Talman points out.
TAILOR MADE
Most B.C. institutions have streamlined their enrolment procedures for microcredentials and other non-credit programs in a similar fashion, making this type of in-demand post-secondary course more accessible for prospective students.
And educators can be more agile when designing them, because they don't need to pass the same provincial regulatory hurdles as they would when creating new degrees. University Canada West offers micro-credentials in quickly moving business and technology fields like digital marketing and e-commerce. Its vice-president of academics, Maureen Mancuso, says her school is always looking to identify new areas and specializations where its faculty members' expertise is needed: “We assess the market to identify in-demand skills and competencies, analyzing industry trends and employer feedback to find gaps the university can address.”
Of course, students don't leave noncredit classrooms with the same recognition a degree or diploma confers. But these programs are meant to prioritize learning over earning credentials. “People do these for themselves, to create an impact for themselves and their organization,” explains Priya Mistry, Sauder's director of open and executive programs. “There isn't an exam at the end of it. You're doing it to essentially plug that gap in your knowledge that you currently have.”
Reuhman, the triple graduate, concurs: “I didn't want exams. I've done seven or
“We assess the market to identify in-demand skills and competencies, analyzing industry trends and employer feedback to find gaps the university can address.” —Maureen Mancuso, vice-president of academics, University Canada West “People do these for themselves, to create an impact for themselves and their organization. There isn’t an exam at the end of it. You’re doing it to essentially plug that gap in your knowledge that you currently have.” —Priya Mistry, director of open and executive programs, UBC Sauder School of Business
eight years of exams. I'd rather learn the content.” And he wanted content that was more advanced and finely focused than what they were teaching him in grad school.
His master's degree touched on some of the same topics as his Sauder strategy excellence certificate—leading high-performance teams, for example. “I did a course in HR as part of my MBA. It might have been in one lecture or something,” Reuhman says. He contrasts that fading recollection with the two-day immersion he spent with Sauder: “You're focused on this one narrow thing and you're going really deep.”
GETTING SPECIFIC
Diving deep into specialized topics is exactly what professionals at the top of their game need to do in order to get another step higher. But no institution has enough experts or programs to be a onestop shop for every career builder and lifelong learner. Even for broader topics like leadership skills, different educators present different schools of thought. And for working professionals, how the courses are delivered—the where, when and who's minding their kids—can be the factors that lead them to choose one program over another.
Those logistical questions played on Erin Cherban's mind when she was weighing where to go to school. She's the chief clinical research officer for the Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes/cihr Canadian HIV Trial Network. She rose to leadership roles through her career in clinical trials research.
Cherban considered an MBA, because she had no business education. “I thought it was time to have some formal training in leading an organization,” she recalls. “Mostly just to make sure that I was doing a good job.”
However, her two school-aged children were more important to her than a degree.
“I thought it was time to have some formal training in leading an organization. Mostly just to make sure that I was doing a good job.” —ERIN CHERBAN, chief clinical research officer, Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes/cihr Canadian HIV Trial Network