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Why Vancouver?

March 3, 2020
UBC MEL MHLP Why Vancouver

Why Vancouver?

Where you choose to pursue your postgraduate degree is an important decision – not just for your learning experience, but for the network you’ll build and the potential local job opportunities that may come your way 12 months later as you re-enter the workforce with new credentials.

UBC – A top globally ranked university

UBC’s reputation speaks for itself. The university is consistently at the top of the list in global higher education rankings, and the Faculty of Applied Science is home to internationally recognized engineering and nursing schools. In 2019, the World University Rankings placed UBC 65th in the world for engineering and technology and 30th in the world for clinical, preclinical and health. Professors and instructors at UBC Sauder’s Robert H. Lee Graduate School were ranked 20th worldwide by the Financial Times for their business research and industry leadership roles.

These rankings reflect the unparalleled learning experience at UBC. It’s a dynamic and exciting place to study, and a big part of that comes from its location in Vancouver, a vibrant hub of innovation in multiple industry sectors – from clean tech and high tech to life sciences and health care.

Research partnerships, company spin-offs, accelerator programs, entrepreneurial incubator programs and more are just some of the ways that collaboration happens between the university and leading public- and private-sector organizations. The result? A rich ecosystem that allows both startups and established organizations to thrive and that offers unparalleled opportunities for professionals with a desire to work at the forefront of their industries.

Vancouver is a hub of innovation

Innovation is found across many industries, as is evidenced by the following:

  • Seven of BC’s clean tech businesses made the 2019 Global Cleantech 100 list – a list of the world’s most innovative companies in the field – and more than one-quarter of Canada’s clean-tech companies are based in BC.
  • BC is home to one of five national superclusters eligible to receive $153 million in federal funding over five years. The Digital Technology Supercluster is a consortium of post-secondary institutions (including UBC) and industry leaders pursuing projects in natural resources, health care, telecommunications, computing and transportation.
  • Vancouver is a centre of marine engineering activity, with Seaspan Shipyards named in 2011 as one of two successful proponents for the Canadian government’s $33-billion National Shipbuilding Strategy. In 2018, Seaspan was one of three shipyards that received $7-billion in contracts to maintain and repair Royal Canadian Navy frigates.
  • In 2018, BC’s manufacturing sector accounted for 61% of all provincial exports to international destinations and was the third-largest contributor to the economy after real estate and construction.
  • Vancouver is consistently ranked one of the most liveable cities in the world, reflecting the city’s commitment to thoughtful investments in development, transportation networks, infrastructure and more. (Mercer’s 2019 Quality of Living Ranking rated Vancouver as the top city in North America and number three in the world.[2] And the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index for 2019 ranked Vancouver sixth out of 140 cities.[3])
  • Vancouver’s Greenest City Action Plan and work being done at the provincial level support and promote innovative approaches to sustainable building design.
  • In the 2019 Global Startup Ecosystem Ranking, Vancouver was named one of the top 25 cities in the world for startups[4], and it was at the top of CBRE’s 2019 Tech-30 list of cities for high-tech job growth.[5]
  • BC is taking a leading role in moving to patient-centric health care, and embracing advances in telemedicine, virtual health and home-based care. There are opportunities to be part of an exciting shift in practice and developing new patient-centred models of care.

Leaders needed

This dynamic environment offers exciting opportunities for professionals whose technical knowledge is complemented by an understanding of business fundamentals, thoughtful leadership and the ability to advise on business strategy.

The Master of Engineering Leadership (MEL) and Master of Health Leadership and Policy (MHLP) degrees address this need and leverage Vancouver’s proven strengths in each of the cross-curricular program streams. All programs have an industry advisory panel made up of leaders in the field who ensure the programs continue to meet the needs of public and private sector employers. Instructors are recognized experts in their fields and include UBC professors as well as industry professionals.

Ready to join a culture of innovation?

The experience of our alumni confirms that when you graduate from the 12-month MEL or MHLP professional master’s degree, you’ll be positioned to take on positions of greater responsibility, start a new venture or be a leading innovator in your field in one of the world’s most interesting and innovative cities to live and work.

 

[1] https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/employment-business-and-economic-development/economic-development/develop-economic-sectors/manufacturing/manufacturingbrochure_28june19_final.pdf

[2] https://www.mercer.us/newsroom/mercer-2019-quality-of-living-survey-san-francisco-ranks-highest-amongst-us-cites.html

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Liveability_Ranking#2019_results

[4] This article provides the stat: https://globalnews.ca/news/5258404/vancouver-slides-startup-report/

[5] CBRE Research, 2019 Tech-30: Measuring Tech Industry Impact on North American Office Markets, 2019.

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