The Master of Business Administration in Advancing Reconciliation (MBA AR) is the world’s first MBA program focused on reconciliation. It is a custom program, offered in partnership with the University of Victoria and designed for experienced Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders in the social services non-profit sector.
The program equips students with management tools, strategic frameworks and the capacity to centre Indigenous knowledges in organizational practice. Its goal is to ultimately help create more inclusive, equitable and culturally-safe social services.
The MBA AR challenges conventional business education by centring Indigenous ways of being, knowing, doing, and relating, while responding directly to the priorities of BCAAFC and the Friendship Centre Movement.
BCAAFC originally received funding for the program in 2022 as part of an $8.4 million investment from B.C.’s Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction aimed at creating a framework for meaningfully integrating reconciliation into the community social services sector.
We are also deeply grateful to the Gustavson School of Business at UVic for helping make this incredible program a reality.
BCAAFC is proud to cover the program fees for students taking the MBA AR.
The MBA AR combines core business management education with specialized coursework in decolonization, Indigenization, and reconciliation. While adapted from Gustavson’s MBA in Sustainable Innovation, the MBA AR is uniquely tailored to the social services non-profit sector.
The program aims to build long-term capacity in social services organizations by equipping leaders with strategic, community-based, anti-racist competencies grounded in Indigenous worldviews. The program includes 8 academic blocks and an orientation block that introduces students to local territories, campus resources, team dynamics, and essential tools. Each block begins with a 5-day in-person residency to foster connection and land-based, collective learning. The rest of the course is delivered online.
Sample courses include:
“Trust, Truth & Traditional Justice”
“Accounting & Financial Responsibility”
“Strategic Collaboration & Partnership”
Students are established leaders across a range of organizations, including government agencies, Indigenous, and mainstream social services organizations from across British Columbia. They should have:
All applications are first reviewed by BCAAFC, before a select group are recommended to UVic for review under the university’s admissions process. Recommendation does not guarantee admission.
Please note: Due to the limited cohort sizes, the overall process is competitive, but uses a unique, holistic approach to consider applicants’ qualifications.
Only applicants from agencies approved by BCAAFC will be considered for participation in this program.
Applications for the 3rd cohort beginning Fall 2026 are closed.
Sign up to be notified when applications open for the Fall 2027 cohort.
BCAAFC proudly covers the program fees associated with taking the MBA AR.
We recognize that the application process can be time-intensive, and we are here to help. Support is available for:
If you would like support with your application, please contact Nuha Elgindi at execassist@bcaafc.com.
