Scientists mean business in the lab

An agreement was signed today between the John Molson School of Business (JMSB) at Concordia University and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) to establish a program that will provide business training to their science graduate students and researchers. This new initiative – a first of its kind in North America – will open new doors for science graduates and represents an exciting new collaboration between the two institutions.

“In this day and age, science graduates with business knowledge can gain a competitive advantage,” said Dr. Miguel Burnier, Associate Director, Clinical Research and Training, RI-MUHC. “Whether their career path leads them to a job in academia, industry or government, basic business competencies are a valuable asset to complement scientific training.”

The business certificate, officially called the GDBA/GCBA (Graduate Diploma/Certificate in Business Administration) program, was custom-designed to incorporate aspects of marketing, finance and management of human resources and intellectual property, to give graduates the skills they need to manage the “business of science”. The program will consist of part-time evening classes that will be taught over a period of one year. Fourteen students are enrolled for the coming year’s program.

"The JMSB learning experience is rich because of the focus on practical and applied learning,” says Alan Hochstein, JMSB Associate Dean of Graduate and Diploma Programs and Director of the Graduate Diploma/Certificate in Business Administration. “The Graduate Diploma/Certificate in Business Administration programs were created to compliment the skills of non-commerce students. The partnership between JMSB and the RI-MUHC reflects that synergy."

"Equipping our trainees and professionals with the tools needed to succeed in today's results-oriented environment is one of our preoccupations as a major research and training institution,” says Dr. Vassilios Papadopoulos, Director of the Research Institute of the MUHC and Associate Executive Director for Research at the MUHC. “We believe that this program will help us achieve our goals." 

The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) is a world-renowned biomedical and health-care hospital research centre. Research is organized by eleven research axes (or programs). Located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the Institute is the research arm of the McGill University Health Centre affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University. The Institute supports over 600 researchers, 1,000 graduate students, post-docs and fellows devoted to a broad spectrum of fundamental and clinical research. Over 1000 clinical research studies are conducted within our hospitals each year. The Research Institute of the MUHC is supported in part by the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (FRSQ). www.muhc.ca/research/

About the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) One of the world’s foremost academic health centres, the MUHC offers exceptional and integrated patient-centric care, research and teaching. Highly committed to the continuum of care in its community and affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine of McGill University, The Montreal Children's Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Hospital, the Montreal Chest Institute and the Lachine Hospital of the MUHC value multidisciplinary service throughout the lifespan, innovative technologies and practices, strategic partnerships and leadership in knowledge transfer. The MUHC is currently carrying out a $2.25-billion Redevelopment Project on three campuses—the Mountain, the Glen and Lachine—designed to provide healthcare professionals with an effective environment in which to ensure patients and their families benefit from The Best Care for Life. The campuses are also anchored in best sustainable-development practices, including LEED® and BOMA BESt guidelines. www.muhc.ca www.muhc.ca/construction

About Concordia University's John Molson School of Business

Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business is among Canada’s largest, English-language business schools in Canada. Its mission is to develop responsible business leaders and global citizens with an ability to manage in future business environments that are global, complex and sustainable. JMSB boasts more than 37,000 alumni worldwide. www.johnmolson.concordia.ca/