This classroom has Fancy Furniture, Decadent Décor, and Foodie Finds

In addition to the above, did you know our classrooms also have access to real-time human centred research, rich micro-economic case study material, professional industry experts, and top of the line communications resources?

Professor Zainub Ibrahim is embodying our Academic Plan priorities, specifically: creating programming that reflects elements of an experiential polytechnic education. Professor Ibrahim collaborated with Raymundo Patino, General Manager, and Tsvetan Stanchulov, Assistant Property Manager (a BHTM grad!) of Les Promenades Gatineau mall to develop in-class research activities and projects using current issues, challenges and opportunities faced by the organization.

On site, students actively engaged by recognizing key points discussed in the initial meeting with their ‘clients’, asking relevant questions specific to their research topics, and making observations about the mall’s operations in relation to their research problems.

The students will be presenting their final projects next week at Applied Research Day on December 3rd.

Building on this momentum, the Faculty-Industry Co-Mentorship Academic Plan Project seeks to partner School of Business & Hospitality faculty with Program Advisory Council (PAC) members and industry partners to develop experiential learning opportunities for students this winter.

We asked Professor Ibrahim to give us insight on how she draws on her relationships to create real world assessments for students.

1. Which specific course in BHTM is related to your visit to Les Promenades Gatineau?

The course related to the visit is QUA6127: Applied Research Methods. This is a 4th-year course that builds on the concepts taught in QUA0005: Introduction to Research Methods. The entire course is dedicated to conducting a real-time research project for an industry client.

Course Description:
Applied research studies are used to analyze real-world problems and support decision-making. In this course, students work in teams to develop and execute a comprehensive research study for an industry client. They design research proposals, collect primary data, and analyze secondary data using industry-standard software. Through collaboration with industry partners, students experience how research can be applied to solve business challenges and inform decision-making processes.

2. What professional skills did your learners demonstrate during the site visit, and how were they prepared in class?

In Winter 2024, I met with the Assistant Property Manager and the General Manager of Les Promenades Gatineau to define key research priorities. I then communicated these priorities to the students in QUA0005, the prerequisite course for QUA6127, ensuring they were well-prepared for the Fall 2024 semester.

Preparation Before the Visit:

We had a class visit from Dr. Elizabeth Pena, the in-class projects coordinator from the Office of Applied Research, who explained the concept of applied research and its significance.

We held a Zoom meeting with the General Manager of Les Promenades, who provided insights into the research priorities, challenges, and opportunities faced by the mall. Each team chose a topic of interest and began conducting background research.

Students completed TCP 2: CORE-2022 Course on Research Ethics.

All students signed a non-disclosure agreement to ensure confidentiality.

During the Visit:

Students actively engaged by recognizing key points discussed in the meeting, asking relevant questions specific to their research topics, and making observations about the mall’s operations in relation to their research problems.

After the Visit:

Student groups expressed their gratitude by emailing the client, including each team member’s biography and photo.

Each student submitted an assignment discussing the client’s primary issue, performing secondary research, and formulating potential hypotheses to address the problem.

3. What changes to the curriculum have you made or will you make as a result of the visit?

This semester, we are fortunate to work with a highly engaged client who understands the course structure and expectations (the Assistant Property Manager is an alumnus of our program). This collaboration highlights the importance of effective planning and managing expectations with clients for successful experiential learning. In the future, I will continue to emphasize early client engagement, clear communication of expectations, and ensuring that students are fully prepared for real-world applications of their research.