C6 Saturday, November 1, 2014
SPONSORED SUPPLEMENT; MACQUARIE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
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graduation ceremony is not only a time to celebrate achievements, but also to look to the future. In marking the successes of this year’s classes on November 2, the Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM) will also reflect on its own 20 years of offering courses in Hong Kong and consider how best to meet the changing needs of postgraduate business students in the years ahead. “I believe that developing a truly global mindset among our students, faculty and academics is the key to the school’s success,” says Alex Frino, dean and professor of management (finance) at MGSM. “As we continue to evolve, my vision is for MGSM to be a business school which provides a dynamic, international perspective on leadership and management, and one where our students thrive because of our global profile and networks.” The school’s MBA and management programmes are already consistently ranked in the world’s top 100. In this year’s “Which MBA?” survey by The Economist, MGSM was ranked 49th in the world and in the top three in Australia. Its AACSB accreditation means that the courses are widely recognised internationally. Underpinning this is the basic goal of giving students a practical and progressive educational experience. The teaching philosophy and course content are firmly grounded in the realities of what it means to work in today’s business environment. And with support from The Hong Kong Management Association
Alex Frino
Principles ever-present
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CEOs, successful entrepreneurs and leaders in a host of professional fields are counted among MGSM’s 16,500 graduates. Photos: MGSM
Global mindsets
MGSM trains for world business leadership. Reports by John Cremer (HKMA) in matters of administration and organisation, the programmes are designed to allow the flexibility needed by professionals balancing work and study commitments and to offer an ascending series of qualifications. “As I enter my second year as dean, I am focused on building on these successes and continuing our evolution as educators, innovators and researchers,” Frino says. “It is essential that our students be exposed to cutting-edge theories and techniques from leading minds, and we must also provide opportunities to work on real projects in partnership with
leading local and global organisations.” One direct outcome of such initiatives is that students learn about, and get hands-on experience of, different cultures and mindsets. Another is the exposure to different ways of solving problems and adapting to change in markets, regulations, technology and stakeholder expectations. The MBA also includes electives in subjects such as managing with a global mindset, competition and strategy in Asia-Pacific, and doing business both in and with China. An annual two-week guided study tour to China gives invaluable insights into the unique attributes of the mainland market while examining the key challenges facing local and
foreign companies. The tour also offers a chance to meet senior executives at some of China’s leading organisations and discuss current best practices. “In ways like this, we give students an edge because we operate at the very forefront of business,” Frino says. He notes too that MGSM has partnerships and exchange agreements with universities all around the world. These include ESSEC in France, the European Business School in Germany, and Tsinghua University’s People’s Bank of China School of Finance in Beijing. This opens the way to gaining an extra level of international exposure. “Despite our long history of success, we must continue to look forward,” Frino says. “Business doesn’t just happen
within the four walls of an office, so it is critical that MGSM not only adapts, but leads the way.” Frino adds that the 16,500strong MBA alumni network includes CEOs, entrepreneurs, leaders in various fields and even politicians. “MGSM is proud of its international reputation for excellence in management education, which stretches back to 1969, and this year we are particularly proud to acknowledge this accomplishment as we celebrate our 45th anniversary in Sydney and 20 years in Hong Kong,” he says. “We hope this year’s graduates follow in the footsteps of our most esteemed alumni and go on to make their mark as leaders in the global business environment.”
tudents looking to take a postgraduate business programme need to know what to expect and, with MGSM, things are clearly set out right from the start. “We ensure that all courses, whether taught in Hong Kong or Sydney, uphold certain basic values,” says Richard Petty, executive director international and professor in management (accounting and finance) at MGSM. “These are leadership, a global mindset, sustainability and good corporate citizenship. These are not offered as standalone courses, but as values and principles that infuse everything we teach.” To illustrate, Petty notes that in the core course on strategic frameworks – which comes early in the MBA – the professors use real-world projects taking place in sustainable or “green” industries. These projects introduce students to the fundamentals of devising and implementing a successful corporate strategy. MGSM’s programmes also put a deliberate emphasis on delivering a global experience, rather than a Western or Asian one, as the school believes this is the best approach for students in an international city like Hong Kong. Faculty members travel to different locations as necessary to teach in person and they ensure course materials reflect the very latest trends and developments, so that students can expect to be challenged by programmes which are flexible, integrated and progressive.
Graduates are equipped not only to do well, but to do good RICHARD PETTY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR INTERNATIONAL, MGSM
“The MBA is specifically designed to mirror today’s working environment,” Petty says. “The majority of units – there are 16 in total – contain group work and individual assignments in order to build and test all the practical skills people need to keep climbing the career ladder.” He adds that many students move on to the MBA after first completing the school’s graduate certificate or graduate diploma of management. Either can provide an ideal starting point for anyone who needs a thorough grounding in management theory and business practice or has been away from formal education for a while. To remain at the forefront and create flexibility, MGSM launched its online interactive study option early last year and intends to add steadily to the five units currently available online. Close ties with industry make it possible to anticipate how courses must be adapted to keep pace with ongoing change. Units such as entrepreneurial finance also help and encourage students to take on the challenge of starting their own companies. “Graduates of MGSM are recognised as exceptional individuals because our core units and electives are designed to teach them how to become great leaders,” Petty says. “They are equipped not only to do well, but to do good, making an impact in the business world and beyond in ways that matter.”