Ninety students from across the globe have begun a dual degree masters in business administration program at Vancouver Island University.
The degrees are awarded through a partnership between Vancouver Island University’s masters in business administration program and the University of Hertfordshire’s masters of science in international business in England.
The students are eager to begin their new lives and the program, including Vijay Bollini from India, who has launched a “green” lithium battery manufacturing business in his home country with his brother. He plans to return upon completion of the program.
“It will be a great opportunity to learn some skills in business,” Bollini said. “This will be a great opportunity to help us as we grow our company.”
Students of the university’s masters in business administration program not only hail from India but also Spain, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, China, Mexico, Russia, the Philippines and Rwanda.
The students began classes on Sept. 3 and are scheduled to graduate in January of 2015.
Also beginning classes at the university are 300 international students, who are taking English as a second language and academic courses or are taking part in the study abroad program.
The university said that for the first time, nine German students will be partaking in the study abroad program for a semester, including Sonya Schlomach, who is studying supply chain management and human resources at the University of Hamburg.
“I chose this program because I wanted to do one semester abroad, improve my English and gain some experience,” she said.
“The international connections for masters of business administration students at Vancouver Island University and in the study abroad program are invaluable,” said Brock Dykeman, MBA program director. “Not only do our students find themselves part of a global community represented here on campus, they also network and learn from many different perspectives.”