Frequently Asked Questions
General Course Questions
All Balsillie Executive Institute courses are offered in English, with the potential for a French option in select courses. Please contact us for more details.
As our courses and masterclasses are geared toward executive development for early, mid-, to senior careerists, an undergraduate degree is desirable. Please refer to the course-specific pages for further information on prerequisites and target audiences.
The learning platform access information, the syllabus and agenda, and all required learning materials will be provided the week before the class commences. Any additional handouts developed by the course/masterclass instructor will also be shared through the e-mail provided upon registration.
Yes. Upon completion of the executive course or masterclass learning objectives, participants will receive a BEI certificate.
Courses held at the Balsillie School are delivered as requirements for the completion of graduate degrees in Global Governance and International Public Policy. To learn more about these degree programs, click here.
All course discussions are held under the Chatham House rule, meaning participants are free to use the information received, but do not reveal the identity or affiliation of who said it. This helps to break down barriers and create a collaborative and safe environment that stimulates the generation of ideas.
Yes! BEI's courses are available in bespoke formats, which can be molded to suit the purposes of specific institutions and organizations, and delivered onsite or online. Please fill out the Contact form or email [email protected] for more information.
Executive Courses Questions
A typical day will feature a combination of lectures, reflection exercises, breakout sessions, networking opportunities, sector-based guest speakers, interactive exercises, and group work.
Four-day courses offered in-person occur between 9am and 4pm, with a short morning and afternoon break, and an hour break for lunch. Two-week virtual courses are held between 9am and 12 pm, with a short midmorning wellness break.
You must attend at least 80% of the course and meet the learning objectives to receive a certificate of completion. You are strongly encouraged to attend the entire course by arriving on time and staying until the end of the instruction time. This maximizes your learning and is least disruptive to the instructor and other participants.
Courses are generally offered as four full days or half days over the course of two weeks, making it a great option for busy people and those with full-time jobs. For more information on specific courses, please visit the Courses page.
The learning platform access information, the course syllabus and agenda, and all required learning materials will be provided the week before the class commences. Any additional handouts developed by the course instructor will also be shared throughout the course through the e-mail provided upon registration.
Although not required, all course agendas come with a list of recommended readings selected by the course instructor to deepen your understanding of the course's core topics. An additional time commitment per day to cover those readings averages between 1 and 2 hours.
Masterclasses Questions
A masterclass is a more in-depth educational experience in a specific field or topic led by an expert.
The masterclass format is a concise summary of 4-5 sessions delivered over a 3-hour period, which includes key issues, trends, challenges and possible approaches to addressing those challenges.
The masterclasses also offer topic-specific takeaways and short exercises, modelled to ensure knowledge retention.
You must attend the full 3-hour class and meet the learning objectives to receive a certificate of completion. You are strongly encouraged to arrive on time and stay until the end of the instruction time. This maximizes your learning and is least disruptive to the instructor and other participants.
Masterclasses can be delivered online or in-person, allowing the participants the opportunity to network. For more information, please check the masterclasses individual pages.
A masterclass series is an immersive learning experience in which two or more classes approach related topics and can be taken either individually or consecutively.
Financial Questions
The fee for each executive course and masterclass is listed on the respective course pages. A non-refundable registration fee of $25 is included in the cost of the course to cover administrative costs.
Full payment is due one week prior to the start of the executive course or masterclass.
Under the provisions of the Canadian Income Tax Act, course fees paid for professional development are not tax deductible.
Yes, you will receive a BEI receipt for the full cost of the course.
We accept all major credit cards on the registration page of our website, using a service called Stripe. The charge on your credit card will say "BALSILLIE INSTITUTE". Please email [email protected] for other payment options.
We will refund the full course fee up to five days prior to the start of the course, less the non-refundable registration fee. We do understand unexpected situations may occur that prevent you from joining the course, in which case please contact us via [email protected] as soon as possible and we can discuss if there may be any other option, including a credit for future use, or a partial refund. A decision on refunds requested after the 5-day timeframe will be taken on a case-by-case basis.
The course fee covers all costs related to the teaching and reading materials provided, as well as a course completion certificate issued by the BEI.
A discounted rate is offered to the Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA) alumni network. Please register for our executive courses and masterclasses through the Alumni Registration page to access this special offer.
The BEI also offers a price markdown on the total fee when participants choose to take all masterclasses in a series. Please contact [email protected] for more information on series-specific discounts.
BEI Intranet Questions
The BEI Intranet is an internal, secure platform for Balsillie Executive Institute participants to access content relevant to all BEI courses and masterclasses they have been registered to. It allows participants to conveniently access course summaries, session breakdowns, recommended readings, and links to the MS Teams meetings.
The content is regularly updated, and at the end of the course, participants can access and download their individual certificates.
Access to the BEI Intranet is granted to all participants registered in BEI courses and masterclasses.
You can log into the BEI Intranet using your BEI-issued credentials. The credentials will be sent to your email account after you receive a welcome email for the course you registered for. To log in, visit the BEI Intranet portal link, enter your username and password, and you will be directed to the main dashboard.
If you have forgotten your username or password, please contact [email protected] for assistance.
If you encounter any technical issues, contact [email protected]. Please include a description of the issue and any relevant screenshots to help troubleshoot.
Technology Questions
BEI courses are delivered in either Zoom or MS Teams. We will provide you with access information as well as the syllabus and all learning materials the week before the class commences. Any additional handouts developed by the course instructor will also be shared with you via e-mail.
You will need reliable high-speed internet, a microphone, and a web camera. If the course/masterclass is run via Zoom, you will also need a Zoom account, which can be created through the platform's website.
While we don't adopt a 'cameras-on' policy, we encourage participants to do so whenever possible to support class engagement. If you are unable to turn on your camera and microphone during classes, you may choose to interact with the course instructor and other participants through the chat function, which is monitored by our administrative support team.
Both Zoom and MS Teams are very user friendly. Please contact [email protected] should you encounter any problems with access or navigation and one of our support technicians will be standing by to help.
Below left photo of BEI Lecturer Jenna Hennebry by UN Women (CC BY-SA 4.0)
