By Jennifer Lewington
The Chronicle of Higher Education
April 1, 2012 

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Experiential Learning

At English-speaking McGill University, with its business school one-fifth the total enrollment size of HEC Montréal, delivering an international experience is central to branding efforts by the Desautels Faculty of Management.

Every year, about 30 handpicked undergraduate and graduate business students head off for a 10-day “hot cities tour”—this year to South Africa—to meet top government officials and business leaders. For a major in international management, introduced in 2009, undergraduates must pursue some kind of experiential learning in the form of an international exchange or internship, or study of foreign language.

Rated No. 1 in Canada (and 13th in the world) by the Financial Times for the percentage of international faculty (81 percent), Desautels also attracts a strong contingent of students from abroad: 40 to 60 percent of graduate business enrollment and 35 percent of undergraduates.

In 2010, Desautels created a storm when it hiked tuition for its two-year graduate business program. Canadian residents had to pay $29,551 a year, the same fee as international students. Previously, the tuition was $2,072 for those living in Quebec. The move sparked a yearlong battle with the provincial government, which controls tuition.

The standoff ended in August 2011 with McGill paying a fine and the government recognizing the high international content of all aspects of Desautels’ graduate program relative to other Quebec institutions. This fall, for example, students must spend a week to 10 days overseas in a major international city to learn how business works on the ground.

“Because of the globalization of business—and that is only going to continue—this is an area to differentiate yourself academically,” says Don Melville, director of M.B.A. and master’s programs at Desautels.

Even with higher tuition—now $69,160 over two years—Desautels is below the $98,689 rate for international students at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, and it’s cheaper than top schools in the United States.

The price tag and the length of the program at Desautels were both factors in the decision by Soeren Klatt, a 29-year-old from Hamburg, Germany, to come to Montreal for his master of business administration.

“In Canada and Montreal, it is a good program for a good price compared to U.S. universities,” he says, with the added bonus of Montreal as a bilingual city in an immigrant-friendly country.

Mr. Klatt says he is already getting a jump-start on his future business career because of the international profile of his class of 58 students.

He recalls working on a case study with a country-music singer from Canada and a former dental-company employee from Iran. “They showed me there are different ways to approach a problem,” he said.

“I am constantly interacting with a person from another country,” he adds. “It is like a primer for my future employment.”

The success of Canadian business schools in raising their international profile has not gone unnoticed by many campuses.

…

http://chronicle.com/article/In-Canada-Business-Schools/131388/?key=TT4iIFFtb3lNZHtgZz9LYGxVbHFpOB8kan9POnlxbl1WFw%3D%3D

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LAUREN ANNE MERKEL
Special to the Press-Republican

http://pressrepublican.com/new_today/x1361426329/South-Africa-a-country-of-contrasts

I remember the first time I saw the film “Out of Africa”; it was not that long ago.

I couldn’t wait until for the opportunity to travel to Africa, in the hopes that I, too, would find my very own Robert Redford.

But in all seriousness, the opportunity to travel to South Africa came last month through the MBA program at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management, where I am in my first year.

In South Africa, I imagined lions, savannah grasslands, bonfires and tribal drumbeats. I imagined an idyllic place where life was much simpler than what we know here, where we are free from our cellphones and diminishing attention spans.

UNEXPECTED

Upon landing, Africa looked only slightly different from places I had visited before.

The airport, like many other structures in South Africa, had been renovated for the World Cup.

At first glance, Johannesburg looked like any other developed metropolis. Economic growth has enabled South Africa to be viewed with a new set of lenses. No longer are the emerging economies only existent in the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) acronym; today, we see BRICS, with the “S” standing for South Africa.

SERVICE COMPONENT

The Hot Cities of the World Tour, started in 2009 by McGill Professor Karl Moore, sets out to teach students about emerging economies and best international business practices. Past countries visited have included Israel, United Arab Emirates and India.

This 10-day trip allows students and alumni to meet with CEOs and other senior executives at leading industries, as well as support a philanthropic cause chosen by the trip leaders.

This year, we supported the Ubuntu Education Fund, an incredible nonprofit organization that takes HIV-infected and -affected children from “cradle to career.”

I met with one student who told me that, had Ubuntu not taken him in, he would have resorted to theft and violence, as his best friends from childhood have done. Instead, he has been accepted to top schools in the United Kingdom and United States and plans to enroll in the fall.

As a tear formed in his eye, I realized how incredibly lucky I have been in my life — how incredibly lucky so many of us are to have grown up in America, where there is a net to catch us when we fall.

HARDSHIPS

The township in Port Elizabeth, where Ubuntu is located, is one of the poorest areas in all of Africa. Outside the Ubuntu facility, goats and people pick through burning trash and walk home barefoot to continue their daily activities.

Ubuntu is helping children and adults exceed their own expectations and gain a fighting chance in this world.

It began as a computer lab, but the organizers soon learned that a child cannot be educated when he or she is hungry and ill. Ubuntu expanded and now focuses not only on education but also health care and mental well-being.

CORRUPTION

I write of poverty, but I must also write of opulence. The income inequality and economic disparity is alive and well.

South Africa is a first-world country with third-world undertones. Government corruption runs rampant and is a fact of life if one wants to “open shop” in this country. Businesses struggle to operate with new restrictions imposed upon them since the end of apartheid in 1994. Unemployment is around 40 percent.

OPPORTUNITY

Yet, all is not grim. South Africa is full of energy, creativity and entrepreneurial minds. It is a hub of innovation and a manufacturing powerhouse.

After speaking with locals, I heard and felt a bubbling sense of optimism. I even heard it said: “Why would I go to the U.S. or Canada? The opportunity is here.”

And it is.

EXPERIENCE

What do I really want to say about this experience? Go out and see the world for yourself. Save up and take a trip, somewhere you have never been. It can even be in America.

The word Ubuntu means “I am because you are.” We are because they are. We are all connected, and we need to work hard to understand people from different backgrounds and cultures.

Life is a struggle — for everyone. Open your eyes and your hands. Allow yourself to be moved.

 - Lauren Merkel is a Plattsburgh native now studying at McGill University in Montreal. She is a former intern with the Press-Republican newsroom.

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McGill Reporter published Notes from the Field on the Hot Cities South Africa experience.

By Lauren Merkel, Samuel Waserman & Melanie Walsh
Photographer: Robert Brockman 

[Jean-Philip Provencher, MBA student, shares a laugh with a child supported by the Ubuntu Education Fund. / Photo by of Robert Brockman]

http://publications.mcgill.ca/reporter/2012/03/south-africa-bridging-the-gap-between-disparity-and-progress/

In February 2012, 37 students from the Desautels Faculty of Management travelled to South Africa to learn about business in the country. Not only did the group meet with executives and business leaders, but they also gave back to the community by partnering with the Ubuntu Education Fund in Port Elizabeth, an organization that provides world-class health and educational support to orphaned and vulnerable children, to ensure their access to higher education and employment. This is the last week of a fund-raising campaign looking to raise $20,000 for the Ubuntu Educational Fund. Visit the official websitehttp://payitforward.mcgill.ca to donate to this worthy cause.

5:00 a.m. – Wake-up call. It is still dark outside. Our eyes heavy from lack of sleep, we escape the cool air-conditioning into a steamy shower in an attempt to wake up. By 5:45 a.m., we are in the lobby of our upscale, downtown Cape Town hotel enjoying our complimentary morning espresso, chocolate croissant, fresh fruit and eggs. Around the corner from our hotel, down a narrow, cobblestone street, we board our luxury bus and greet Faisal, our smiling driver.

“One, two, three, four…” We count to 38 to make sure all are on board, and drive to the Cape Town airport to take a one hour flight to Port Elizabeth.

9:00 a.m. – Touch down: Port Elizabeth. We are greeted by the directors of Ubuntu Education Fund, pile into two vans and head to their facility in the Ibhayi Township.

9:30 a.m. – Our van driver chooses a CD he knows by heart, and we do, too. We sing Barry White while looking out the window, and as the song fades away, so do our voices. Outside, we begin to see a very different portrait; “the Detroit of South Africa.” Car manufacturers line the highway, the likes of Mercedes, GM and Toyota.

10:00 a.m. – Entering the Township, we notice a dramatic change in the quality of housing and immediate surroundings. Pregnant, yet emaciated, dogs roam the dirt roads and children play barefoot. As we pull up to Ubuntu, we notice a burning pile of garbage being picked through by goats, situated next to a large, yellow and white circus tent (which we later learn is the local church).

10:15 a.m. – The hot sun beats down on the angled, modern structure of the multi-million dollar Ubuntu facility. Locals stare at the strange crowd of newcomers as we make our way into the building.

“So what do you think of when you hear the words South Africa?” asks Jordan Levy, managing director of Ubuntu. Answers of “soccer,” “lions,” and “hope” ring through the room.

After a short briefing, we are assigned official Ubuntu passports identical to those given to new clients. We are taken through the facility following the footsteps of hypothetical family that includes an HIV positive, five-month-pregnant widow; a daughter who has just been raped; a son with vision issues who is being bullied and failing in school; and another son who has not yet been tested for HIV and has missed numerous vaccinations. This case is typical for Ubuntu.

We are introduced to the many services Ubuntu would offer this family upon being accepted into the program: family planner, nurse, doctor, pharmacist, psychologist, educator, nutritionist and specialized social worker.

Ubuntu is redefining non-profit work through its own comprehensive and in-depth model. Its goal is to take a child from “cradle to career,” ensuring this child has every possible opportunity at successful, gainful employment.

Education is obviously a critical component along this pathway. However, Ubuntu officials have realized that in order to do well in school, one also needs the environment in which to learn and thrive. Therefore, when Ubuntu takes on a new client, it also takes on his or her entire family, offering equal comprehensive, long-term support. In addition to its expert staff, Ubuntu succeeds by being resourceful and using everything it has.

2:30 p.m. – We reassemble for lunch in a common area, which five minutes before was being used as a classroom. With a plate of food on our laps, we sit in circles with Ubuntu clients to exchange experiences and life stories.

“Are you enjoying your time with Ubuntu?”

“Yes. When Ubuntu found me, I was a victim,” says one 18-year-old woman. “I had no confidence and was going nowhere. Because of my time here, now I am a strong, confident girl. I love public speaking and I want to go into international law or motivational speaking so I can give the support back to others.”

And she is not alone. The second client we speak with tells us of his two offers of college admission, one in the U.K. and one in the U.S. He has been with Ubuntu since its inception, when it was just a computer education facility. Now, at 21, he tells us that had he not been taken in by Ubuntu, he would have resorted to theft and violence as his childhood friends have done. His eyes fill with tears as he tells us how thankful he is for the change Ubuntu has made in his life.

4:30 p.m. – Filled by emotion, we head back to the airport and our comfortable hotel. It will take several days to fully internalize the value of our experience.

So what do you think of when you hear the words South Africa? Be it the World Cup, be it breathtaking wilderness, or be it hope…South Africa is all these things and can be much more. Ubuntu is unleashing the potential. This is your opportunity to be a part of real change. Donate and be the difference.

Melanie Walsh and Lauren Merkel are both MBA students. Sam Waserman is pursing his MD and MBA.

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Directed, filmed and edited by Robert Brockman.
This short clip is an overview of the Ubuntu Education Fund through the eyes of 37 McGill University students. With their comprehensive model, Ubuntu is helping change their community. Meant as a mini documentary on their activities and context, we hope this gives you a better understanding about what Ubuntu is trying to achieve.
This is your opportunity to BE THE DIFFERENCE and contribute to real change. Donate to the Ubuntu Education Fund!

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Hot Cities team organizer, Melanie Walsh, writes about her experiences in South Africa for the Economist!
http://www.economist.com/whichmba/mba-diary-switching-accelerator-sustain-pedal

Last month students at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management in Canada travelled to South Africa to experience the country’s business environment and discover its intricacies. Melanie Walsh reports on what they found

TO BEST explain my South African experience I must start at the end. It wasn’t until five days into our eight day trip, while sitting down to dinner in one of the harbours of Cape Town, it finally sank in that I was in Africa. I suppose seeing a pride of lions on my first day should have done the trick (I blame the jetlag and a hectic schedule), but it was only then that my rhythm slowed to an even, relaxed pace that matched the temperament of my environment. Then, I think, I began to get it.

To me, South Africa is a country with a little bit of everything and a lot of potential. You just need to take the time to understand the intricacies.  In 2010, South Africa joined the BRICS group of fast-developing nations (a political association which is distinct, confusingly, from the original BRICs). I can see why. The infrastructure, built for the World Cup, was fantastic. We took a Bombardier high-speed train that easily matched what I would expect in Europe.

Everyone we met spoke about sustainability, but not in the sense of “environmental friendliness”. Be it leaders in the gold mining industry, eco-tourism, carmaking or banking, all seemed to realise that the word means a lot more. To them it means integrating economics, operational practices and relationships as well as environmental considerations, to build something lasting. And business leaders seem genuine about it; it is not just a public relations exercise.

No island race

The struggle is to integrate sustainability with high -growth. South Africa is well placed to solve this issue. Integration is a concept it lives and breathes every day. Ask about the obvious social disparities and people will be quite frank with you:  yes, they remain, but integration is a process that must be done correctly and cooperatively. A collaborative perspective allows a longer term focus while keeping in touch with the issues at ground level. Marshall Rapiya, the boss of Old Mutual, an insurer, told us about the South African philosophy of Ubuntu: roughly equivalent to John Donne’s “no man is an island”. Even at the highest level collaboration is an ingrained concept in South African business.

Firms which plan to do business in the country need to learn to contribute to society. Indeed, one organisation that was especially impressive was the Ubuntu Education Fund. Based in a township of Port Elizabeth, one of the poorest areas in the country, it is a charity which behaves more like a business. It has established a “cradle to career” business model which has brought employment and hope to those living in its community. Ubuntu believes that to become a contributing member of society, a child needs not only the right opportunity, but also an environment which allows them to grow. Students cannot perform well in school when there is no food, few medical facilities and abuse at home. When a child joins Ubuntu, the organisation takes on their whole family. The commitment is huge, requiring different types of expertise. So Ubuntu offers quality over quantity. By building self-confidence and maintaining a manageable scale, Ubuntu limits dependency and encourages the next generation to give back to their own community. It may take 25 years, but the charity estimates the investment turns people who would typically cost the country $9,000 over their lifetime into ones who will contribute $195,000.

South Africa surely is a gateway to the continent, but the keys are not freely given. Unlike India and China, the newest addition to the BRICS is focusing on sustainable growth rather than speed. Only those who understand this long-term community building approach will have a chance of success in the South African economy.

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We at McGill would like to thank SNC-Lavalin for its contribution to our South Africa campaign!

SNC-Lavalin* is one of the leading engineering and construction groups in the world, and a major player in the ownership of infrastructure and in the provision of operations and maintenance services. SNC-Lavalin companies provide engineering, procurement, construction, project management and project financing services to a variety of industry sectors, including agrifood, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, hydrocarbons & chemicals, environment, heavy construction, mass transit, mining and metallurgy, power and water management.

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The Ubuntu Education Fund is redefining the traditional non-profit business model. Their organization focuses on depth of change rather than reach of impact. The best part is… its working! Their Cradle to Career approach is fostering growth and confidence in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. For every person who is accepted, Ubuntu takes on their entire family and supports them through Health, Security, Socio-Psychological, and Educational programs.

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Our HotCities South Africa project was covered by local news in Port Elizabeth.

R250 000 shot in the arm for Ubuntu Centre
By: Nomzamo Yuku
yukun@avusa.co.za

http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx

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The highlights of our journey to South Africa. The hot cities tour to South Africa has concluded but our efforts to raise money for the Ubuntu Education Fund continues. Please join hands with us in our endeavor to send more students to university in South Africa

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The sobering view from a cell on Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid activists spent decades imprisoned. Imagine this as your primary view for over 18 years. Knowing that the restricted  view is the least painful part of your imprisonment, imagine yourself moving beyond that and to forgiveness.

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