In an evolving global marketplace, the demands on business leaders are increasing due to rapid technological changes, shifting consumer expectations, and a push for sustainability. To prepare the next generation of business leaders for these complexities, business schools must continually innovate, adapting their programs to foster creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. 

Darren Dahl, dean of the UBC Sauder School of Business, explains how the business school helps prepare students for the modern world:

“At UBC Sauder, we focus on teaching responsible business, ensuring our students learn to approach the world's biggest challenges unconventionally, creatively and ethically. Our goal is to help them become a positive force for change, ensuring that business is not only profitable but also a driver for good."

But what does this mean for students, and how does the school’s emphasis on technology, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary learning drive future business leaders' success?

Importance of hands-on learning: Fostering independent thinkers

Practical-based learning is one of the main advantages of business school. Integrating experiential learning differentiates the experience from traditional education and prepares students for the real world of business.

UBC Sauder, ranked first in Canada by Maclean’s, and second in Canada and 35th in the world by Times Higher Education, applies this approach across various stages of the student journey.

Elicia Salzberg, (pictured) senior associate dean, with extensive experience in corporate technology, explains how UBC Sauder's approach immerses students in real-world challenges from the start.

“We put a huge emphasis on hands-on learning, and many schools use that word, but we’re quite deliberate. We want our students to be independent thinkers, deal with ambiguity, have agency, so there’s no one answer. When they propose a solution, they need to communicate why their solution is the way it is,” Elicia notes.

This approach is not limited to short-term projects. Students engage with real clients, receiving continual feedback throughout the process. One notable example is the Community Business Project, where UBC Master of Management students act as consultants, gaining practical exposure to business challenges.

“We really thread it through the whole first semester. So, they're working with a client repeatedly, getting iterative feedback and having to make real world decisions. We're trying to teach frameworks and not recitation or memorization,” Elicia says. 

Another example is the Global Immersion Experience, where UBC MBA students go abroad for two weeks and consult for an overseas company on a real world business challenge. UBC MBA students have traveled to places such as Chile and South Africa to help a local companies solve unique business problems.

Darren highlights the role of interactive learning in preparing students for the modern business world: “We prioritize experiential learning, ensuring students encounter authentic problems. We create ‘wow moments’ and ‘wow classes’ that inspire students to think outside the box and apply creative problem-solving skills."

Integrating modern concepts: Preparing students for future challenges

In addition to interactive learning, UBC Sauder incorporates modern concepts into its curriculum, including technological advancements, climate change, and inequality. 

“From case studies that highlight social entrepreneurship to hands-on projects that focus on sustainability, we ensure that students not only learn about these issues but also actively engage in solving them,” Darren (pictured) explains. 

Elicia emphasizes that UBC Sauder equips students with skills to prepare them for a rapidly changing technological landscape. With the increase in use of generative AI and rapid tech adoption, business leaders of tomorrow must move beyond simple process-driven methods.

“You can’t teach the process or procedure of how to get deliverables done anymore. It’s a framework of thinking—how do I interrogate what I’m doing, why I’m doing it, and how I’m doing it?” 

Alongside technological advancements, UBC Sauder aims to integrate sustainability, ethical practices, and diverse perspectives into its curriculum, encouraging students to tackle the pressing challenges of today’s world. 

Darren explains how UBC Sauder introduces students to these concepts through various methods including harnessing the business school's research centers, which develops their forward-thinking approach: "Our climate labs provide hands-on training for students to measure ESG [Environmental, Social, and Governance] metrics, while our partnerships with companies allow students to apply their knowledge directly, helping businesses become more sustainable and responsible."

Students are further prepared to tackle the challenges of modern society through the school's partnerships. For example, in the community projects students focus on economic inequality by collaborating with local organizations to "develop innovative, sustainable solutions that drive social impact."

Developing essential skills for future business leaders

UBC Sauder places a strong emphasis on developing critical communication and decision-making skills that help them address modern-day challenges. According to Elicia, these are the “killer apps”, or highly competitive skills, for career success today. 

“We're moving from knowledge to wisdom,” Elicia explains. “Your ability to compute is no longer your competitive advantage as an individual. You must be able to communicate what it means.” 

This focus on developing strong communicators is key to UBC Sauder’s mission of preparing students for leadership roles. Elicia explains that these critical skills allow students to navigate a world increasingly driven by data and AI, where translating insights into real-world action is essential.

Elicia and Darren emphasize that UBC Sauder aims to prepare student for complex and evolving global challenges so they can navigate the modern business world and eventually become leaders in it.   

As Darren explains, "Businesses must think differently to solve the complex issues we face today. We encourage our students to push the boundaries of traditional thinking to discover innovative solutions that can drive both economic and social progress. By empowering students to think creatively, we prepare them to address global challenges in ways that move society forward."