The School of Environment, Enterprise and Development is excited to announce the relaunch of the Master of Applied Environmental Studies (MAES) in Local Economic Development to the Master of Economic Development and Innovation (MEDI).
Dr. Neil Craik, Director of SEED, spoke of the alignment of the MEDI program with the University of Waterloo's spirit of innovation. "With a greater emphasis on the role of innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity in building stronger and more resilient economic opportunities for Ontario and Canada, [MEDI] provides students with tremendous professional and academic opportunities in this evolving and increasingly critical field."
The relaunch, which will become effective January 2017, will ensure that this program remains at the forefront of economic development education in Canada.
Program changes
"We are really excited about the program changes" say Dr. Tara Vinodrai, MEDI Program Director. "They are designed to better reflect contemporary theoretical perspectives on economic development and aligns our program more closely with the jobs, organizations and agencies involved in economic development policymaking and practice". Some of the changes include:
A degree and program name change. The shorter name aligns with the other masters programs in our department and faculty and the University of Waterloo's reputation in innovation.
Better, stronger, more innovative courses. Streamlined and focused suite of courses emphasizing innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development that betteraddress the challenges and opportunities faced by cities and communities across Canada, and the skills needed to find solutions.
A capstone project focused on experiential learning. Students will be required to choose between three capstone options which take four months to complete. This ensures full-time students graduate within one year to launch their careers in the field.
The future of Economic Development
"For almost 30 years we have developed a relationship with the economic development profession" says Vinodrai. "MEDI can push the frontiers of the discipline at a time when the need for solutions to achieve long term prosperity, sustainability and inclusive growth in our cities and communities is most pressing". The first class of MEDI students will begin in Fall 2017. For more information, visit the MEDI program page.
Celebrating the relaunch
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of teaching Economic Development at a master's level at the University of Waterloo, an event will be scheduled in 2017. This will also be when the details of the MEDI program will be outlined. Keep an eye out on the SEED website for details!
For an even greater look at the newly-launched MEDI program, check out this blog post at economicdevelopment.org.