Canadian Business Schools Focus on Female Applicants

Source: Globe and Mail via Academica | May 23, 2014

Several Canadian business schools have developed recruitment strategies designed to attract a demographic that has been historically underrepresented in MBA programs: women. Queen’s University, Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business [CIEC Academic Member], and the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business are among those who have made female students a priority. Sauder says that it wants to lead “Canada’s globally ranked business schools in female MBA enrolment within 5 years.” Dean Robert Helsley said, “There is no sense in which this is affirmative action. We are just trying to make sure that qualified applicants from all populations want to come here and have the opportunities we can provide them to be successful.” To encourage female applicants, business schools are collaborating with female leadership organizations as well as offering scholarships and one-on-one recruitment sessions. Jennifer Berdahl, an incoming professor at Sauder, says that while there is much more work to be done, such efforts stand to benefit male as well as female students.

TCS Insights: Canada represents a welcome home for female students working towads earning their MBA. Numerous Canadian institutions are working to further this reputation and provide a worthwhile academic experience for students, regardless of gender.