[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/mba games.jpg” caption=”Last year’s championship team from the 2007 MBA Games: Kate Pelton, Anita Chetan, dean Paul Bates, Alok Ghai and Melissa Coulson. Photo by Susan Bubak.”]More than 400 of Canada's best and brightest MBA students will converge on the DeGroote School of Business today for the 2008 MBA Games. This annual national student competition will draw teams from 14 schools from across the country to compete in challenges that will test students' academic knowledge, athletic prowess and school spirit.

Over the course of three days, students participate in a variety of events. This year, the academic events will include two live cases — one with a focus on business strategy and one with a focus on marketing — a negotiation challenge and a simulated stock challenge.

DeGroote's Games will focus on Canadian contributions to international development, encouraging MBAs to apply innovative business solutions to international development issues. In keeping with this theme, MBA Games 2008 has partnered with MBAs Without Borders, a not-for-profit organization that sends MBAs overseas to work with developing countries.

“It is becoming more and more widely recognized that business leaders have to be accountable not only to their shareholders, but also to their communities and the global environment,” says co-chair Talia Dabby. “Organizing the Games around the theme of international development gives us the opportunity to promote ethical practices, charitable donations and environmental responsibility among the next generation of business leaders.”

The School was awarded the opportunity to host the next MBA Games after DeGroote students won the 2007 Games.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the excellence of our MBA program here at McMaster,” says Paul Bates, dean of the DeGroote School of Business. “We are extremely proud of our students both for their victory in the 2007 MBA Games and also for the leadership they have demonstrated in hosting the 2008 MBA Games.”

The Games are sponsored by Mackenzie Investments and Fidelity Investments and run from today (Thursday) through Saturday, Jan. 5.