Study for an MBA in AustraliaMBA's in Australia Bruce McCullamIf you have an undergraduate degree in any field and two years of full time equivalent work experience, you can enhance your career success by studying for a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) If you do not have an undergraduate degree you can also enter some MBA programs or attend online business courses on the basis of substantial work experience. The dramatic changes in long-term world economic prospects are placing an increasing premium upon those who possess a deep knowledge of, and associated skills to achieve organisational success in a highly competitive world. Many international companies now see an MBA as a minimum qualification for managers or executives within their companies. In addition MBA's can contribute well to the success of small businesses scrambling for niche markets in an increasingly globalised market. MBA's are also more and more sought after in public sector organisations under pressure from governments for improved performance at reduced cost. Public sector reforms that embody commercialisation, corporatisation, outsourcing and/or privatisation can be facilitated by the skills possessed by MBA graduates. Moreover, the professional practices of accountants, lawyers, doctors and other health-care providers (such as physiotherapists) are facing growing pressures to consolidate, increase in size, and to utilise more sophisticated marketing, information technology, customer services and financial strategies as means to achieve business success. Increasingly, professionals in these fields are deciding to study an MBA as a means to reinforce their business skills, and hence the profitability of their practices. Whatever the content of one's undergraduate degree, an MBA increases the range of potential career choices available to include managerial or executive roles within a diverse range of industries. The secret of the success of a good MBA is three-fold: it increases the self-confidence and personal effectiveness of the person concerned; it provides them with an understanding of what is required to make organisations successful; it enables them to identify and implement the changes required to ensure an organisation achieves success (or remains successful within a rapidly changing business environment. AUSTRALIAN MBA PROGRAMMES Particularly within its capital cities, Australia possesses a large number of MBA programmes that meet the strict criteria for providing a good MBA. Australia inherited the British academic tradition of rigorous enquiry and adherence to high academic standards. Australia's universities are internationally renowned for their high standards of research and teaching. Currently, 38 Australian universities offer MBA programmes. An increasing number of these are offering European-style 12-month full-time programs. Most such universities have adopted a trimester system as a means to reduce the opportunity cost of an MBA to its students. Students may also study part-time, and most choose to do so. The better MBA programmes are international in terms of curriculum and orientation. This international focus is enhanced by the large number of international students that study in Australia. At Graduate Schools of Management, for example, students from about 30 countries within Europe, Americas, Asia and Africa participate in MBA programs, and their graduates now occupy executive positions in organisations throughout the world. Superior MBA programmes are delivered by the Australian universities located in each of the State capital cities. In general, these are well resourced in terms of quality of faculty, calibre of students, and also in terms of library, computer and other facilities. AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BUSINESS SCHOOLS (ANBS) Of particular note is the Australian National Business School (ANBS), which includes a number of the better MBA programs. Members of ANBS include Deakin University (Victoria), Griffith University (Queensland), University of Adelaide, University of Canberra, University of Tasmania, and the University of Western Australia. These institutions have agreed to cross-credit subjects studied in the MBA programmes of other ANBS members. This arrangement facilitates ease of movement of students between the various Australian states. The availability of distance education further increases the flexibility that the consortium members can offer. International students therefore have the opportunity to study an MBA wholly in Australia, or to study for a semester or trimester towards their degree at the institution of their choice. This may be facilitated by exchange arrangements between their home university and an Australian university, as student study plans can be tailored to the specific educational needs of the students concerned. Other award management programmes are also on offer, including: PhDs, Doctor of Business Administration, a Graduate Diploma in Management, and a Graduate Certificate in Management. Australia provides a meeting ground between East and West. Perth, for example, is in the same time zone as Singapore, Hong Kong and Taipei. Developments in Asia are subject to close academic and business scrutiny within Australia, and specific MBA course are tailored to elicit student understanding of the Asia/Pacific region. Industrial restructuring and public sector reform have been actively pursued by successive Australian governments since the mid-1970s. As a consequence, the Australian economy is currently experiencing robust economic growth and low inflation, and is presently one of the strongest performing economies in the world. Notwithstanding, Australia's sound economic prospects; because of low world prices for commodities, Australia's exchange rate is currently low the Australian dollar is equivalent to USD $0.56. The cost of an MBA programme is consequently very good value in world terms. Australia is renowned for its many attractive beaches and other tourist attractions, which are popular with visitors from the Northern Hemisphere. The environment is clean, and the climate is mild and pleasant in winter and summer, allowing international students to sample the ample recreational, cultural and sporting facilities, activities which allow students to relax in the few precious moments that they can spare away from their intensive MBA studies! If you would like to see more of the world, to study intensively in a clean, pleasant, novel, interesting environment, to complete a high-quality, internationally-recognised, business-oriented Masters degree, and to improve significantly your career prospects, studying towards an MBA is the thing to do - and Australia is the place to do it. General EnquiriesThe University of Western
Australia Phone: +61 8 9380 3838 Email: enquiries@uwa.edu.au
Website:
www.uwa.edu.au
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| General Enquiries
The University of Western
Australia
Phone: +61 8 9380 3838
Web: |