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Carleton University launches first Canadian MBA in Colombia

Photo of José Manuel Restrepo Abondano, president of CESA.
José Manuel Restrepo Abondano, president of CESA.

Ottawa, ON — Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business announced today it is offering an MBA program in Bogotá, Colombia, delivered in partnership with Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administración (CESA).

“Carleton University is proud to be the first Canadian university to offer an MBA in Colombia,” said Roseann O’Reilly Runte, president and vice-chancellor of Carleton University. “Our partnership with CESA combines the experience and expertise of two leading institutions to deliver a world-class, truly international business education.”

“This partnership is a demonstration of how two universities can unite their efforts to develop programs of educational excellence,” said José Manuel Restrepo Abondano, president of CESA. “The Sprott MBA allows us to train the global leaders and entrepreneurs that Colombia needs.”

At the launch event hosted by the Sprott School of Business, presidents of both universities signed the partnership agreement. The Colombian Ambassador to Canada, Nicolas Lloreda, also attended.

The first class of the Sprott MBA in Bogotá begins in April. Delivered part-time on weekends, the program provides professionals in Colombia with the opportunity to complete an MBA from an internationally accredited Canadian university, while working and living in the country’s capital of Bogotá.

In addition to the Sprott MBA curriculum, students will also take courses developed by CESA – making them eligible for an additional CESA qualification.  The program also provides a bilingual learning experience as two-thirds of the content will be delivered in English and one-third in Spanish.

“We look forward to working with CESA to deliver the Sprott MBA in Colombia,” said Jerry Tomberlin, dean of the Sprott School of Business. “As an internationally-focused business school, launching the MBA in Latin America makes perfect sense and complements our MBA offerings in Asia and Canada.”

The partnership with CESA for the MBA strengthens the Sprott School’s link to Latin America. Sprott’s Bachelor of International Business program offers Spanish and Portuguese as options for the mandatory language training requirement, as well as exchange opportunities in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru.

Sprott also delivers its MBA in Shanghai in collaboration with Donghua University. Launched in 2005, more than 120 students have graduated from the program.

Group photo
Pictured from left to right are: CESA Director: José Luis Sandoval Duque, Sprott Dean Jerry Tomberlin, Carleton Provost and VP (Academic) Peter Ricketts, Sprott Associate Dean (MBA) Lorraine Dyke, CESA President José Manuel Restrepo Abondano, Columbian Ambassador to Canada Nicolas Lloreda, and Sprott professor José Rojas-Méndez