With applications opening on October 1 for the next cohort of the Dual Master’s in Green Business, members of UBC’s Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship travelled to Finland to meet with their counterparts at the University of Helsinki. As the first intake of students began their studies at UBC, the visit provided an opportunity for both institutions to align the curriculum and strengthen their international partnership.
The Dual Master’s in Green Business is a unique dual degree program that offers qualified students the opportunity to earn a Master of Forestry degree from UBC and a MSc. in Agriculture and Forestry from the University of Helsinki in two years.
We spoke with Dr. Hamish van der Ven, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Business Management of Natural Resources at UBC’s Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship, about the significance of the visit.
Why did faculty members visit the University of Helsinki?
With the inaugural cohort of students now at UBC, we felt it was important to liaise with our Helsinki counterparts, ensure the consistency of the curriculum across both universities, and deepen the connections between our two institutions.
Why is the partnership with the University of Helsinki so important?
The University of Helsinki has one of the top forestry programs in the world and Finland is a global leader in pivoting towards a sustainable, circular bioeconomy. Our teaching strengths complement each other very well, so our students will be exposed to a wide range of ideas.
UBC and Helsinki have a long history of scholarly exchange. We see this program as a continuation and deepening of that relationship. One that expands UBCs footprint in Europe provides a unique opportunity to collaborate closely with our Finnish colleagues.
How does the international structure of the program benefit students?
Students in the program will get a one-of-a-kind experience in two of the world’s great cities. This is a unique opportunity to see how natural resources are managed in two very different contexts. Students in this program will gain not one, but two, masters degrees from elite universities in only two years. We expect our students to emerge as global leaders in the transition to a more sustainable economy.
How does the program integrate business and natural resource innovation?
Both in Vancouver and Helsinki, students will engage with industry-leading practitioners to gain an understanding of what it takes to succeed in this field. Our courses blend core business skills with more practical and applied work relevant to green business in the natural resources sector.
About the Dual Master’s in Green Business
The focus of the Green Business program concentrates on the global and local development of natural resource-based products and services along a structural redevelopment into the bioeconomy. The program aims at combining a combination of functional focus in green business practices with substance and industry expertise on the technological processes that make the products and services possible.
Taken separately, both degrees would take three years to complete. The dual degree program option makes it possible to earn both degrees in two years of study by allowing students to apply 30 credits earned as part of the UBC MF degree towards the University of Helsinki degree. In order to receive both degrees students must fulfill the individual program requirements for both institution’s degree.
Applications for the Dual Master’s in Green Business open October 1.
To learn more about the program, visit this link.