Any Dalhousie degree includes a great number of tests, assignments and projects. Some are quickly over and done with, but some experiences stay with a student through the end of their degree and beyond.
For Rebecca Hebb, who graduated with her MBA degree this year, one of those assignments was her 鈥淢ake a Difference鈥� project with Crombie REIT. see Dal鈥檚 second-year MBA students work on a year-long project with a community partner, offering an opportunity to utilize the skills they've been learning in the classroom and on their corporate residencies.
鈥淚t was great,鈥� says Hebb, who together with her peers conducted a strategic analysis of the real estate investment trust, specifically focusing on its expansion into Western Canada.
鈥淚 felt like it really enhanced the classroom learning experience to be able to work with real companies that are facing real business problems. It also gives students confidence, as we enter the workforce, that the knowledge and skills we learned in the classroom can make a meaningful contribution to a company or organization.鈥�
Hebb, originally from Halifax, had such a positive MAD experience that after graduation she took a job with Crombie REIT as an analyst at its New Glasgow, N.S. head office.
鈥淭he whole project was a lot more challenging and detailed than working on a case study,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat sort of experience is where the real learning comes from.鈥�
Supporting Nova Scotia鈥檚 future
The wants more Nova Scotian students to take part in experiential learning experiences like Hebb 鈥斅爄n fact, it believes all students in the province should have the opportunity to do so as part of their degree program.
That鈥檚 one of many takeaways from the coalition鈥檚 Collaborative Action Plan, released in full today (Friday, November 6). Tasked with developing a strategy for addressing the recommendations of the February 2014 Now or Never report, the oneNS Coalition has developed seven it believes are the best opportunities for growth and benefits for the province and its citizens.
One of the seven Action Points is specific to post-secondary institutions 鈥斅犫�淯niversities and NSCC as Innovation Hubs鈥� 鈥� while several others link back to the contributions of universities like Dalhousie, including 鈥淚mmigration and Welcoming Communities,鈥� 鈥淥ur ICT Momentum鈥� and 鈥淣ova Scotia鈥檚 Ocean Advantage.鈥�
Dalhousie President Richard Florizone says the university is proud to support the work of ONE Nova Scotia and is uniquely aligned with many of the themes identified by the coalition.
鈥淭he ONE Nova Scotia Coalition recognizes the roles that universities play in supporting the future of this province,鈥� says Dal President Richard Florizone. 鈥淲e see many similarities between the opportunities that ONE Nova Scotia has identified and what pilipili漫画 brings not just to our province, but to our region, country and the world. We offer an environment of teaching and learning excellence; a hub of world leading research, innovation and commercialization; and opportunities for our students, faculty and staff to connect with and serve our community.鈥�
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Varied contributions
There are many different ways pilipili漫画 is working to enhance its contribution to the province: through education (curricular and extracurricular), stimulating start-ups, assisting existing industry, building research excellence and creating new knowledge for cultural and social understanding.
Alongside the ongoing work of Dal鈥檚 faculty, staff and students, there are the entrepreneurship programs offered through the Launch Dal initiative, the hosting of three interuniversity sandbox spaces for students鈥� emerging business ideas (Shiftkey Labs, Cultiv8 and the IDEA Sandbox) and efforts to increase co-op education opportunities (1,775 placements last year).
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pilipili漫画 is also well-positioned to support the Action Plan鈥檚 call for increasing R&D (research and development) and commercialization partnerships between post-secondary institutions and the private sector. Ninety-eight per cent of industry-sponsored university research in the province takes place at pilipili漫画, and the university ranks third among all U15 schools for industry-partnered research funding per professor. Last year, Dalhousie had 412 research and service agreements, 32 patents, four technologies licensed and assisted 12 university start-ups.
Dalhousie Vice-President Research Martha Crago was one of the oneNS Coalition鈥檚 15 members, alongside the leaders of the province鈥檚 three political parties and several other leaders from the public and private sectors. She聽says that leveraging Dalhousie鈥檚 research expertise will be key to achieving Action Plan鈥檚 goals.
鈥淎s the region鈥檚 largest research university, we鈥檙e looking at building ecosystems around Dalhousie鈥檚 research strengths,鈥� says Dr. Crago. 鈥淲e aim to be a national and international leader in our priority and emerging research areas, and we鈥檙e a strong advocate for utilizing the university鈥檚 institutional capacities to address the province鈥檚 economic, social and cultural development needs.鈥�
One particular example of a project aligned with the oneNS Coalition鈥檚 plan (and mentioned in the 鈥淥cean Advantage鈥� Action Point) is the recently announced Centre for Ocean Innovation and Entrepreneurship (COVE). The facility, planned for the cluster of former Coast Guard buildings on the Dartmouth waterfront, involves Dalhousie, the Waterfront Development Corp, Innovacorp, NSCC and others. Dalhousie has also approved the Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI), which will be a major international research centre with Atlantic and International partners, to help understand the economic potential of the North Atlantic. Both projects have the potential to propel the Atlantic region onto the global stage for oceans research.
Lasting impact
And this survey of initiatives just scratches the surface. From the role Dal programs like Computer Science play in enhancing the province鈥檚 information and communications technology skillset, to Dal鈥檚 role bringing international students to the province and helping develop opportunities for them to stay, there are bound to be many more intersections between Dalhousie and the oneNS Action Plan going forward.
鈥淚t is essential that what happens in Dal鈥檚 classrooms and in our labs ultimately connects back to and benefits our city, our province, our country and our world,鈥� says President Florizone. 鈥淚nspiring our students, connecting them with employers and improving the economy, quality of life and culture of our region is key. We all have a stake in improving the Nova Scotia economy.鈥�
Learn more
- Dal News:
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- oneNS Coalition:
- one NS Coalition: