On the first day of the program, participants of the EMBA McGill-HEC Montréal are paired with a graduate. This is what we call the “buddy system”, which we started two years ago. The buddy plays the role of guide and advisor throughout the EMBA experience. He or she helps in the participant’s integration, but also answers questions about the program and establishes links with other graduates. The buddy’s advice can be very useful, for example, in how to choose the most useful topics for their papers, or in helping to plan the “post-EMBA” transition. Since its launch in 2008, the EMBA McGill-HEC Montréal has built a great alumni network of outstanding women and men.

The 15-month program helps build the foundation of this network for the participants, but we also work to bring the different cohorts of the program together to build the relationship between the 250 members of the EMBA family. The buddy system is an example of our efforts to extend the EMBA experience after the completion of the program.

Amir Arajdal, a recent graduate of the EMBA McGill-HEC Montréal, greatly benefited from the advice of his buddy, Bernard Truong (EMBA 2013) from the beginning of his EMBA journey. Bernard helped him plan his different papers in order to get valuable results. Bernard also strongly advised Amir to involve his vice president in the program in order for him to benefit from Amir’s EMBA learnings. Based on his own experience, Bernard advised Amir to apply the classroom learning in his daily workplace responsibilities. Beyond these tips, Amir and Bernard have really developed a supportive relationship that was very favorable for Amir during the first eleven months of the program. Today, as a graduate of the program, Amir affirms “I count on maintaining this relationship with Bernard even though the EMBA program has come to an end.”

The “buddy” system also enables alumni to keep expanding their EMBA network, and to continue to learn by interacting with their “buddy”. Indeed, Nadège Lenormand Dauvergne (EMBA 2014), says she greatly appreciates her frequent meetings with Gelin Zhang, a current participant of the program. According to Nadège “This buddy system is a great opportunity to extend the EMBA experience and share our respective experiences.”