AU’s online MBA added to Financial Times’ list of top EMBAs
by CIM staff
CIM Executive Director, Dr. Peter Carr (right) was at Convocation June 13 to watch students graduate from one of the world’s top 75 EMBA programs, according to the Financial Times of London.
Athabasca University’s (AU) Executive MBA has been included on the prestigious list of the world’s top 75 EMBA programs by the Financial Times (FT) of London, England.
The annual Financial Times rankings are based on responses to two questionnaires: one for the business school and the second for alumni who graduated in 2000. Many factors contribute to the overall rankings including: alumni career progression; percentage of alumni salary increases; percentage of international faculty, board members, and students; percentage of faculty with doctorate degrees, and the quality of faculty research.
“As part of our strategic mission to become the world’s best online graduate business school, we must compete with the world’s best EMBA programs, many of which are delivered in highly traditional formats,” says Dr. Peter Carr, Executive Director at CIM. “Our application of technology to graduate management education has not only provided a higher level of student to student interaction, but has also given our students the flexibility to complete a rigorous, high quality program of management studies while maintaining commitments to work and family.”
Five Canadian business schools made this year’s FT list, with Athabasca University’s Centre for Innovative Management being the only Canadian business school west of Ontario to appear in this year’s rankings.
“We’ve achieved great success across Canada in a relatively short period of time,” Carr notes. “We must now continue our drive to improve all areas of our school – by increasing our faculty, enhancing our research, expanding our international reach and by launching a doctoral-level program. We look forward to the work ahead, knowing that the AU MBA is the world’s leading online MBA program.”
Launched as the world’s first online MBA in 1994, AU’s program is the only fully online Executive MBA to be included in this year’s list. The FT ranking brings new international recognition to the Alberta-based business school that now offers Canada’s largest Executive MBA program.
Library FAQ’s continued
Q: I often have questions from students about the best way to contact the library. Is there a preferred method?
A: We’re happy to receive questions from students via e-mail or telephone. We also have web forms available at http://library.athabascau.ca/contacts/index.html that students can fill out and submit to us. When a student is interested in obtaining a large number of items from us, we prefer the request to be made by e-mail or in a web form instead of by telephone as it saves us the time of writing all the sources down. Our e-mail address is library@athabascau.ca and our telephone number 1-800-788-9041, ext. 6254 (within North America) or 780-675-6254 outside of North America.
Q: Is there a way to search the entire library Web site?
A: Yes. Our search function has recently been changed to a Google search. It searches all the content on the AU Library website.
AU SPIRIT fills holiday calendar
These helpful elves demonstrate where people should place
their Christmas donations.
The newly revamped Athabasca University SPIRIT committee has created a long list of Christmassy events to make this season cheerful and bright for AU staff.
Twenty-three people have booked tables at the annual AU Arts and Crafts Fair, scheduled this year for 3-8 p.m., Nov. 28 at AU Central. “A” Cafe is staying open late that day to serve a special dinner and goodies. The young and young-at-heart are invited to join Santa for pizza crafts, games and entertainment at a Children’s Christmas Party, Dec. 14, to be held at the Athabasca Community Centre from noon to 3 p.m. AU staff are also invited to partake in appetizers and socializing at a Christmas Fete, scheduled for Dec. 17 in the Governing Council Chamber.
For those who want to get in on some Christmas giving, the SPIRIT committee has set out three boxes near the entrance of AU Central. Those interested in exercising the “true meaning of Christmas,” can drop warm winter wear in a box headed for the Athabasca Native Friendship Centre; non-perishable food items in a box designated for the local Food Bank and; new toys in a box that will be picked up by the local Santa’s Anonymous effort.
According to SPIRIT committee member, Cathy Haub, contributing to these causes is a good way to celebrate the season. “It’s nice,” she said. “And it makes you feel good.”
She added that planning events for fellow staff members is a great way to make things better for everyone who works at AU. The SPIRIT Committee is always looking for new members.
“I just joined because I’m a sociable person,” she explained. “I love doing stuff like this, and it’s fun to get together with people from other departments.”
It’s not difficult, either, Haub noted. “We just had our first meeting in October. Within the first week, we had everything done and rolling. You just have to balance it with your workload.”
For more information on the Christmas Craft Sale, contact Marcia at marciaw@athabascau.ca or Cheryl at cfreh@athabascau.ca. Those who wish to attend the Children’s Christmas Party should RSVP to Julia McDonald at juliam@athabascau.ca or call extension 6736, indicating number of adults, number of kids, kids’ ages and gender.