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Corporate Residency program recognized at 2011 MBA Roundtable Innovator Awards

One of five finalists in the inaugural competition

- November 18, 2011

Program Director Scott Comber (centre) with 2011 MBA grads (left to right) Randel Madell, Chris Hall and Joanne Yeung. (Danny Abriel photo)
Program Director Scott Comber (centre) with 2011 MBA grads (left to right) Randel Madell, Chris Hall and Joanne Yeung. (Danny Abriel photo)

Dalhousieā€™s Corporate Residency MBA program was celebrated for its innovative approach to business education at Thursday nightā€™s 2011 MBA Roundtable Innovator Awards in Seattle.

Though the grand prize ultimately went to the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis, Dalā€™s program was one of five finalists selected from across North America.

ā€œItā€™s an incredible honour,ā€ said Scott Comber, the Corporate Residency MBA programā€™s director, who was in Seattle for the announcement, which was part of the MBA Roundtable 2011 Curricular Innovation Symposium. ā€œWe were the only Canadian school selected as a finalist, and itā€™s a prestigious group to be up against. Itā€™s a set of finalists who are all being truly innovative in their programs.ā€

Along with Dal and the Olin School of Business, the other finalists were:

  • Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania
  • Babson College
  • Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

ā€œThis contest is really about identifying ā€˜disruptive innovationsā€™: those innovations that change the frames of reference, that shift thinking in how programs are run,ā€ said Mr. Comber. ā€œThe fact that our Corporate Residency program is direct entryā€”which is not the normā€”and builds leadership with the Personal and Professional Effectiveness curriculum gives us a unique approach.ā€

The Corporate Residency program, which was introduced three years ago, is also the only MBA program in Canada with an eight-month paid internship, which begins in the January after students start the program. The programā€™s support for direct entryā€”not the norm at most schoolsā€”and its Personal and Professional Effectiveness curriculum add to its innovative approach.

ā€œWith older generations starting to move on from the workforce, thereā€™s a need for younger employees to have the skills to quickly move through the ranks and take on leadership roles,ā€ adds Mr. Comber. ā€œWeā€™re really focused on helping high-caliber students to go further, faster.ā€