International Exchange

Study abroad opportunity

There are relatively few opportunities for UBC Wood Products students to study abroad because there are not many similar programs taught in English elsewhere in the world.

However, two opportunities that have been developed are for students to study at École Supérieure du Bois (ESB) in Nantes, France. ESB is a very well-respected engineering school dedicated solely to Wood Science and Technology.

They offer two suitable programs – both of which are taught fully in English.

International Timber Trade (ITT)

The program covers international trade techniques, marketing, logistics, and specialized courses on wood-based products such as marketing wood products and wood logistics. The program can be followed by an internship (similar to a co-op experience) of 4-6 months either in France or abroad.

For more information, please visit the ESB ITT program website.

About the Program

There are two versions of the program.

The first version of the program runs for six months from September to February. It consists of 30 European credits that transfer back here as 15 UBC credits. These credits would count towards WOOD 461 (3) Globalization and Sustainability, WOOD 465 (3) Wood Industry Business Management, and three senior elective courses (3 credits each, which would meet the senior elective requirements of the Wood Products program).  Students taking the internship option could receive credit exemption for a co-op work term.

The second version of the program runs for four months from September to December. It consists of 24 European credits that transfer back here as 12 UBC credits. These credits would count towards WOOD 461 (3) Globalization and Sustainability, WOOD 465 (3) Wood Industry Business Management, and two senior elective courses (3 credits each, which would meet the senior elective requirements of the Wood Products program). Students taking this version of the program would not be eligible for the internship option.

Students completing either version of the program would be registered in UBC EXCH 380 and pay 15 credits of tuition fees to UBC. This would cover the academic portion of the ITT program. Students do not pay any additional ESB tuition fees for the courses. Students taking the internship option would pay ESB fees for that option.

Wood Science and Sustainable Management

ESB has also developed a new program called “Wood science and sustainable management”.

This semester provides students from around the world, with a diverse and multidisciplinary approach about wood science and sustainable management. It enables participants to contribute to a more sustainable world through the use of engineering tools. The course is delivered entirely in English.

Learning by doing is one of the key elements of this semester: workshops, projects and applied research. The student is at the heart of the learning process by experimenting alone, or in a group, under the supervision of professors and experts.

-(From ESB website)

The usual timing required to complete all of this program (February to June) likely does not work for most UBC students interested in a term of study abroad.  Therefore, ESB will permit UBC students to take a sub-section of this new program in order to gain sufficient ECTS (European Credits Transfers) which can transfer to UBC as the nine credits of senior electives required in the Wood Products program.  This special option would run from February to April.

The courses included in this shortened version of the program are:

  • Sustainable management
  • Circular economy – Implementation
  • Electives : Maker playlab + finite elements
  • Electives : Wood based composites + project “défi”
  • Research and Technology Transfer
  • English
  • French for foreigners

Registration

Students completing either of these programs would be registered in UBC EXCH 380 and pay 15 credits of tuition fees to UBC. This would cover the academic portion of the ITT program and the Wood science and sustainable management programs. Students do not pay any additional ESB tuition fees for the courses. Students taking any internship option would pay ESB fees for that option.

How to Apply

Students should initially complete an application to UBC Go Global – they oversee such international partnerships. Once approved by Go Global, students would then proceed with an application to ESB through the ESB online application process.