• IMBA

    Winding Down Schulich’s IMBA Program

    When the International MBA (IMBA) Program was launched in 1990, it was one of the first of its kind in the world. The ground-breaking degree was designed to prepare graduates for management careers in the rapidly emerging world of global business. In the years that followed, many of the Program’s alumni went on to enjoy successful careers both here in Canada and around the world. The IMBA became the catalyst for the internationalization of the School and set Schulich on a course of becoming a truly global business school.

    Over the past thirty years, global business has increasingly become a core element of management education generally, and an integral part of our MBA program. Business schools have adapted to this change by offering more experiential international business specializations as an option in their MBA programs rather than offering international business degrees. In addition, the ongoing pandemic has resulted in travel restrictions, lockdowns and job uncertainty, severely limiting our ability to deliver some of the key elements of the IMBA program. As a result, we have decided to suspend admissions for Fall Semester 2021 as a first step in our intention to wind down the IMBA Program by June 2022.

    The 1st and 2nd year students who are currently enrolled in the IMBA program will continue toward degree completion. All of the Programs’ courses will continue to be offered, as will other features. Winding down the IMBA does not mean that we will lose the purpose and spirit of the program. Schulich’s MBA program already contains a specialization in International Business and we will take this opportunity to re-think what elements of the IMBA program might be incorporated into a stronger International Business specialization for our School’s MBA Program in the future.

    The IMBA has a long and proud tradition. Its graduates are among the School’s most successful alumni and strongest ambassadors. The role of the Program in shaping our School’s success as well as launching the business careers for hundreds of our graduates will remain a permanent part of Schulich’s history. We are proud that the IMBA fulfilled its mandate of making Schulich a truly international business school. It helped us build an academic exchange network that is second to none, create linkages to businesses around the world, and expand our global footprint. The Program may be winding down, but the spirit of the IMBA will carry on at Schulich.