MBA. The pandemic has rocked Quebec management schools. By adapting and making Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs more flexible, universities have become even more cosmopolitan, for women and for diversity. They believe that in doing so they will better prepare the cohorts for the new realities of the world of work and create more room for innovation. Offers takes stock.

All Executive MBA students from the University of Quebec’s School of Management Sciences at Montreal (ESG UQAM) are now back at school after being forced to adopt an online formula at the height of the health crisis. “Students prefer face-to-face classes,” notes Kamal Bouzinab, program director. Interactions and exchanges are an important part. Many hands-on workshops are also better in person. »

To keep the cohort members connected, the university organized meetings and various events. “This year, for the first time in two years, we received a Mexican delegation for networking activities,” explains the head of the program. However, the director notes that the pandemic has not been without consequences. “It created a certain demotivation. There has been a decline in the number of applications for approval. The participation of students in community life has also decreased. On the way there were also some dropouts, which one has rarely seen before. »

Kamal Bouzinab believes that the crisis has nevertheless allowed the university and faculty to be more agile when extraordinary events occur.

Different formulas

The diverse teaching methods are not new at the Université Laval. “In 2019 we already offered a good proportion of distance courses, around 20%,” recalls the director of MBA programs Serge Kablan. The pandemic has shown us that we are quite advanced in terms of technology and pedagogy. »

Since last autumn, the Faculty of Business Administration has been in a state of upheaval. Distance learning reached slightly fewer students, while co-modal mode, offered remotely and in the classroom, grew in popularity. “For this session, 39% of the registrations came from the Capitale-Nationale. The rest came from other regions of Quebec (46%), other places in Canada (2%) and internationally (13%),” says Serge Kablan.

In this context, the professor believes that the various remote and hybrid modes are preferable. In 2022, more than half of MBA students had never set foot on the Université Laval campus.

Choose the hybrid that stands out

For its part, HEC Montréal has decided to consider the new teaching methods developed in times of crisis as an enrichment. “We’ve made that a strength,” says MBA program director Kevin J. Johnson.

While students are once again filling classrooms at most educational institutions, the Montreal institution still relies on hybrid mode to differentiate itself. “The formula is unique to HEC. Our program is taught in person or remotely on Monday and Thursday evenings. Currently, an average of 50% of the students per class are on site.

The entire cohort also meets on one Saturday a month for a purely face-to-face event as well as for evaluations and oral presentations.

The institution has invested in renovating its classrooms and reviewing its pedagogy. “We have had to rapidly develop our ability to develop appropriate teaching and course offerings for the hybrid over the past two years. We also implemented the right technologies to make it work,” says Kevin J. Johnson. For example, the room has 12 to 18 screens and the ceiling acts as a microphone. Far from the simple Zoom call, this new set of equipment allows students to feel connected to their peers, whether in class or remotely.

In a world where flexibility is increasingly valued, Kevin J. Johnson believes HEC is making the right choice by offering flexibility in teaching methods, not class schedules. “With an MBA program, flexibility in timing can dilute the creation of a strong professional network. Here the students complete all their courses with the same people for two years. In the end, they know each other and then stick together for decades,” he assures.

Regardless of the formula chosen, the program directors emphasize the importance of addressing current and future challenges for future leaders. In this way, they become responsible and effective leaders who are ready to face the next turbulence.