brunel business school newsletter - summer 2012
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Brunel Business School NewsletterTRANSCRIPT
www.brunel.ac.uk/bbs
NEWSlEttErBRUNEL BUSINESS SCHOOL
2012
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1 School Highlights ..................................... 3
Times Higher Education ............................................................3
The Guardian ............................................................................3
The National Student Survey .....................................................3
The Good University Guide .......................................................3
The Complete University Guide .................................................3
The Sunday Times University Guide ...........................................3
AMBA .....................................................................................3
Olympic Torch Relay ..................................................................4
New Home of Brunel Business School Opens ............................4
2 Conferences .............................................. 5
Heritage, history and nostalgia in BBS .......................................5
T-Gov 2012 – Transforming Government...................................5
elearning Conference ...............................................................5
Doctoral Symposium .................................................................5
Ahlia University Symposium ......................................................5
2nd International Conference on Islamic Marketing and Branding ....................................6
3 International Collaboration
And Research ............................................ 6
Korea – UK Exchange Programme .............................................6
Kazakhstan collaboration ..........................................................6
Russian collaboration ................................................................7
Indian collaboration ..................................................................7
EU Partnership on innovation at work .......................................7
Empowering public sector communities in Europe by live video-to-video ........................................7
Globetrotting BBS .....................................................................7
4 Programme Highlights ............................. 8
Unique branding programme ....................................................8
Corporate MBA ........................................................................8
Triple certified Logistics and Supply Chain Degree .....................8
Top Ranked MSc in Management ..............................................8
5 Business Life:
Employability Programme ....................... 8
Brunel Business School to help establish policy on student employability .....................................8
A test of professional networking for our students ....................8
Branding students learn real-life agency – client relationship ..........................................................9
Marketing and Management students face corporate judges....................................................9
Students learn high flying strategy in British Airways HQ ........................................................9
Applying Brand concepts in Design Museum .............................9
Jaguar and Mini: Automobile industry from a management perspective .................................10
A branding story .....................................................................11
A humbling lesson during MBA Business Tour to India ..................................................11
Management in the context of East meets West .....................11
Best Placement Employer Award .............................................11
Jobsavvigrad – like online shopping for jobs ............................12
Helping students find placements ...........................................12
International Work Placements are a hit in BBS .......................12
I.Workat.Org ..........................................................................12
Workglobal .............................................................................12
The benefits of placements for BBS Students ..........................12
Xerox Europe Awards BBS Student ..........................................13
BBS students are runners up in the Pricewaterhousecoopers National Competition............13
Placement students showcase new skills .................................13
Best Placement Student Award ...............................................13
6 Student News ......................................... 14
Graduation Ceremony 2012 ...................................................15
Graduation Ball .......................................................................18
Business Boot Camp ...............................................................18
BBS Student awarded the Gold Award by Brunel Volunteers ...18
Red Carpet event for Students ................................................18
7 Alumni News .......................................... 19
Welcome to the Alumni Network! ..........................................19
During my MBA I realised I wanted to work for myself, says our Chinese MBA Alumnus ......................19
Mumbai Alumni Dinner gives a taste of nostalgia ....................19
The art of Alumni Networking at the Saatchi Gallery, London..19
Upcoming Alumni Events ........................................................19
Alumni Benefits ......................................................................19
Keeping in touch ‘precious’, say alumni ..................................19
Looking into the future... ........................................................19
8 Staff News .............................................. 21
Welcome to the BBS Team ......................................................21
Prof Jarvis chairs Chartered Banker Professional Standard Board’s Advisory Panel ...............21
Prof Jarvis reappointed member of SMEIG...............................21
Prof Balmer in California Management Review ........................22
Prof Galliers co-authors The Oxford Handbook of Management Information Systems ..............................22
Dr Collins co-authors Business Accounting ..............................22
Dr Yen explores the notion of “guanxi” in new book................................................................22
9 Learn & Share ......................................... 23
School Brochures ....................................................................23
School Videos .........................................................................23
BBS on Social Media ...............................................................23
Share your stories with us .......................................................23
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times higher education Brunel University is ranked top in London, 6th in
the UK and 35th in the world in the first THE world ranking of the top 100 universities founded in the last 50 years. Brunel performed particularly well with regard to its international outlook, reaching 6th in the world, 3rd in Europe and 2nd in the UK. This performance category measures the international outlook of staff, students and research with Brunel scoring 90 out of a possible 100 points.
the guardian Brunel is the biggest climber of any University, jumping
from 82nd to 44th place out of 120 institutions in the overall ranking, with 19 of the 22 subject areas ranked higher than in 2011. Brunel Business School climbed 54 places to 45th position in the last 12 months. This meteoric rise has happened by way of a clear strategy that is underpinned by a focus on a relevant curriculum that supports student employability, positive student experience and engaged academic staff. The future represents a challenge for the Higher Education sector, with BBS committed to maximizing students’ employability through its Business Life programme, by providing an intensive programme of professional events that run in parallel with academic studies.
the national student survey Brunel is the UK’s most improved university for
student satisfaction, according to the National Student Survey for 2011. We now feature amongst the top 5 Universities in London for student satisfaction. Business School’s contribution to this result has been significant with the overall satisfaction rising from 66% to 85%. The impact of our success has seen Business School rise to 29th position out of 94 UK Business Schools in 2011 and from 89th position out of 93 UK Business Schools in 2010.
the good University guide An improvement of 77 places for student
satisfaction elevates Brunel to 17th in the UK, and marks a jump from the bottom to the upper quartile in just one year. The University jumps 8 places to 43rd overall. Business subjects ranking climbed by 21 places to 45th position in UK.
the Complete University guide Brunel is 41st overall out of 116 institutions, up
nine places since 2011 in the biggest positive rank move amongst all last year’s top 50 universities. There are also significant rank improvements in Business Studies, as Business School climbs to 32nd position from 50th last year.
the sunday times University guide
Published in September 2011, the latest Sunday Times ranking sees Brunel climb 10 places to 39th out of 122 institutions. There are significant improvements as Brunel Business School climbs 50 places for Management and 20 places for Business, putting us in the upper quartile of UK Universities.
The University has been delighted to record dramatic improvements across all the major league tables published in the last year. The Business School’s performance is nothing short of outstanding – said Prof Zahir Irani, Head of School.
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BrUnel BUsiness sChool rankings inCrease
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The Association of MBAs (AMBA), an international impartial authority on MBA education, has re-accredited the Brunel MBA programme. The panel was delighted to re-accredit the Brunel MBA by highlighting that Business School has a highly committed MBA teaching faculty and consists of a passionate and positive set of students. The panel also added that the School has a very strong marketing strategy and the new Business School building represents a positive message about our commitment towards excellence.
new home of Brunel Business school opens The much awaited new home for Brunel Business School is now complete, and we are ready to receive students for the upcoming Sept 2012 intake. Staff and students are excited to occupy this excellent modern space and enjoy some of the best facilities on Campus. We are sure it will invigorate the community spirit in the School and provide state of the art facilities for our students to enjoy. We’ve invited new and prospective students for a visit as part of the Postgraduate Open Evening. If you would like to visit our school for an Open Day or simply for a chat feel free to stop by or contact us on [email protected].
olympic torch relayBrunel Business School students and staff enjoyed the Olympic Torch Relay as it made its way through Brunel University on Tuesday 24 July, carried by DJ and producer Mark Ronson and singer Katy B. We enjoyed the sunshine and live music on the Quad, cheering for the Torch alongside visitors from the local community and local schools. 8000 torchbearers carried the torch on its journey round the country – all were nominated by friends or family because of the inspirational work they do to support and enrich their community. A number of Brunel students and staff were selected, after nominations either by the University or in their hometowns for their volunteer work, charity fundraising, or involvement in community sports programmes.
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t-goV 2012 – transforming governmentThe Transforming Government (tGov) Workshop 2012 was hosted by Brunel Business School, and was led by Dr Vishanth Weerakkody, Dr Ahmad Ghoneim and Dr Muhammad Kamal. tGov 2012 workshop brought together both local and international researchers and practitioners to participate in sharing ideas for the transformation of government through electronic systems and processes. tGov2012 included a full program of papers, presentations and keynote speeches given by Prof Zahir Irani, Dr Frank Bannister and Prof Maria A. Wimmer. The aim of this workshop is to provide a common platform for academics and practitioners to discuss and present original research highlighting issues related with technical, organisational, managerial and socioeconomic aspects of both (e) and (t)-Government implementation and adoption.
Doctoral symposiumThe Doctoral Symposium is an annual event for all PhD students of Brunel Business School. It offered a great opportunity for the students to present and receive constructive feedback on their research studies. The event was held over two days (27th and 28th March) and involved participation by academic leaders as keynote speakers. PhD students were offered an excellent platform for networking and more importantly, were exposed to valuable thoughts and ideas from the faculty and colleagues.
ConferenCes
ahlia University symposiumThe annual PhD Symposium took place on 14th and 15th April 2012. Students from Brunel University and Ahlia University presented papers on their topics of research and took part in a forum to discuss their research findings. The Symposium was attended by 24 PhD (WR) students, their supervisors and delegates from both Ahlia and Brunel Universities. Dr. Ahmad Ghoneim (BBS) and Prof. Wajeeh Elali were part of the jury who selected the best papers (first and second best) as well as the best presenters (first and second best) from amongst the participating students. Prof. Mustafa Özbilgin presented the awards.
heritage, history and nostalgia in BBsFollowing the successful heritage brand event organised by Professor Balmer in December a follow up event took place at the beginning of May at Brunel Business School. It included presentations by academics from Germany, Sweden and the UK as well as PhD students from Brunel Business School. The papers presented at the conference will be considered for a special edition of the International Studies of Management and Organisations (ISMO) journal.
elearning ConferenceeLearning Conference was held at Brunel Business School on the 7th and 8th of June. Senior Lecturer Chris Evans and Director of Programmes Prof Ray Hackney chaired the conference with keynote speakers from University of Leeds and Plymouth University. The conference was aimed at academic staff interested in using the Web 2.0 and social media in their teaching as well as at researchers and policy makers interested in the next generation of technology enhanced learning. It was open to academics, administrators, researchers and PhD students.
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2nd international Conference on islamic Marketing and BrandingWe look forward to the 2nd International Conference on Islamic Marketing and Branding organised by the faculty of Business and Accountancy from University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur and Brunel Business School, Brunel University, London. This event is in collaboration with ESSEC Business School, Paris, France. This event is based on the first highly successful conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2010 and will include the following keynote speakers, who are expects in their field: Prof Jason Dean – University of Strasbourg, France; Prof T C Melewar – Brunel Business School, Brunel University, UK; and Prof Özlem Sandikci – Bilkent University, Turkey.
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korea – Uk exchange Programme
Four Brunel Business School students Merisa Bishwakarma, Abubakr Chaudhry, Sara Kahsay and Claire Munday have been taking part in the Korea Aerospace University’s (KAU) foreign summer exchange programme from 5th June to 20th July this year. This prestigious Korean
institution is the first in Asia to be accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI). This exchange is the first opportunity of this kind for our students and is sponsored by the Brunel Business School employability programme: Business Life. The School, in exchange, hosted two Korean students as part of the exchange programme with a very positive outcome.
Younghoon Ju, one of the Korean students who came to us as part of the exchange, said: “It was such a great decision to come here and I can certainly say the experience in Brunel has enriched my life and developed my potential. I will definitely recommend this exchange programme to all of my fellow students in Korea”
The exchange programme strengthens the ties of Brunel University and Korea, as the Korean Olympic Team prepared for London 2012 Olympics on our campus.
kazakhstan collaborationBrunel University is now listed in the Bolashak International Scholarship Programme, instituted by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which awards students in Kazakhstan scholarships to continue their studies overseas. Students from Kazakhstan can now continue their further studies at Brunel University with the help of this scholarship. Brunel Business School’s lecturer in Strategic Management, Dr Abraham Althonayan, collaborated closely with the Bolashak panel to help re-enlist the university on the programme. As part of his activities in the region Dr Althonayan has also established a collaboration with Kokshetau State University and Atyrau State University aiming to boost student recruitment and staff training in the region.
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indian collaborationBrunel Business School enjoys on-going collaboration with UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) on two major projects. Developing Management Training Materials for SMEs aims to support the growth of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), initially in Tamil Nadu but ultimately throughout India, by the development and delivery of business and management training materials that focus on enhancing key management skills and capacities deemed necessary for these enterprises to compete effectively both at home and abroad. The second project, entitled Preparing Graduates for Business Life will enable the UK and Indian institutions to work together to share good practices that will enhance the experiences of students in all the institutions. The project’s outputs will inform employability practices in each institution.
eU partnership on innovation at workBrunel University was awarded a significant grant to host the International Collaborative Research Network centre. The project is managed by Prof Neil Anderson, from Brunel Business School. It will investigate creativity and innovation in the workplace and their effects upon performance, human resource management policies, and psychological well-being across three countries in the EU – the UK, the Netherlands, and Spain. Collaborating groups will be based at Maastricht University and the University of Valencia. This Centre has been fully-funded by the Leverhulme Trust and will examine the positive and negative causes, effects, and outcomes of workplace innovation attempts.
empowering public sector communities in europe by live video-to-video Headed by Prof Zahir Irani, the research team from Brunel Business School are participating in LiveCity – a technology integration trial which offers advanced services to over 3000 users in five European cities. Video-to-video can be used to save patients’ lives, improve city administration, reduce fuel costs, reduce carbon footprint, enhance education and improve city experiences for tourists and cultural consumers. Live interactive high definition video-to-video is well supported in private networks owned by enterprises where quality of service is available, but the quality of services is missing in the public internet.
russian collaborationA Memorandum of Understanding between Brunel Business School (BBS) and Moscow State Technical University of Civil Aviation (MSTUCA), Moscow, Russia, has been signed by the Vice Chancellor and Rector of MSTUCA on a recent visit of Dr Abrahim Althonayan to Russia. This agreement is an important step towards the collaboration between BBS and MSTUCA. Dr Althonayan has been in regular contact with MSTUCA since then. This represents a large step for BBS towards knowledge transfer strategy for Russia and its Aviation sector in particular.
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globetrotting BBsThe last few months have been very rich with international visits undertaken by BBS Staff members. Our Marketing Office, Academic Staff and Students covered most of the globe on their journeys to bring BBS closer to the world, and we found a great way to show it with our custom made map below.
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Brunel Business school to help establish policy on student employabilityProf Zahir Irani, Head of Brunel Business School, has been invited to speak at the prestigious Westminster Employment Forum and Westminster Higher Education Forum, in recognition for our achievement in student employability. The event will take place on 18th October in London. Bringing together key policymakers with stakeholders including university leaders, careers advice staff, graduate recruiters and social mobility groups, delegates at this seminar will consider how universities and employers can work together to ensure that graduates have the abilities necessary to compete for employment in the knowledge-based economy.
here’s a quick and quirky look at of some of our programmes.
Unique branding programmeOur MSc in Applied Corporate Brand Management is one of its kind in the UK, covering issues of branding in blue chip companies, the service industry, banks, petroleum companies, lifestyle organisations, corporate brand heritage, nation and place branding. And it comes with a work placement option of 16 weeks too!
Corporate MBaThe value of an MBA is in the corporate flavour of the degree. With a fabulous schedule of company interactions you can’t go wrong. Think lunch with Operations Manager for FTSE 250 company, chat over coffee with Goldman Sachs MD, or a day out at the Global HQ of British Airways. That’s what we call networking! Oh, and of course we’re AMBA accredited.
triple certified logistics and supply Chain DegreeGet into the nitty-gritty of logistics behind that cup of coffee in your hand with our MSc in Global Supply Chain Management. Awarded by Brunel University, accredited by Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply and Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport it simply is the bee’s knees.
top ranked Msc in Management The Financial Times ranked our MSc in Management number 8 in the world for career progression. Students can specialise in four areas: General Management, Branding and Marketing, Technology and Innovation Management, and Creative Industries. The work placement of 14 weeks is a bonus we thought you might like too!
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Brunel University pioneered the sandwich / work placement degree in the UK and we believe it is again at the forefront with Brunel Business School’s Business Life programme, leading the way to ensure employability and personal development are fully integrated into academic studies. With over 100 events in each academic year, students are given an excellent exposure to business life alongside their studies, so they can have a more successful transition into employment on graduation.
a test of professional networking for our studentsThe Brunel Enterprising Student Talent (BEST) annual event proved to be a great success for the Business Life programme. It was aimed at helping students make the transition from student life to business life. Talks were given by motivational speakers along with practical exercises for students to help them in their transition into employment. It culminated in a great finale in the form of a speed networking session with potential employers. Students were given a great opportunity to develop their professional networking skills. The event has attracted national press attention and has been praised in an article by The Independent, where Prof Ashely Braganza, the Director of Business Life, and one of the participating students provided comments.
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Branding students learn real-life agency – client relationshipIn May, MSc Applied Corporate Brand Management students embarked on a company visit to Telefonica Europe head office as part of their study. The visit was led by Professor T C Melewar and organised by the Business Life programme. Telefonica is one of the world’s biggest providers of telecommunication, information and entertainment solutions. During the visit the students had a chance to speak to the Head of Brand Management (Telefonica Europe) and the Strategic Creative Director (SomeOne). On return the students reported that this opportunity as “a real eye-opener” which gave them a privilege to have an inside look at how a corporation works with the help of a communications agency, a good example of an agency – client relationship.
students learn high flying strategy in British airways hQA group of MBA students recently visited the British Airways global headquarters. The aim of the visit was to gain a detailed insight into the history and the future challenges facing this leading player in the aviation industry. It was of particular interest to students on the Brunel MBA Programme as Brunel Business School is currently collaborating with BA’s HR department on the “Learning Academy” project: an initiative that aims to replace training with self-initiated learning as the first step on a journey to becoming a learning organisation. Students agreed that the trip was extremely interesting and beneficial, particularly for those who have chosen to specialise in Aviation Management.
applying brand concepts in Design MuseumAs part of the Business Life events the MSc in Applied Corporate Brand Management students visited the Design Museum located in Tower Bridge, London. Students were given the chance to explore all aspect of design ranging from graphic design to industrial design and eco-fashion. A day at the design museum was a great opportunity for students to understand how innovation combined with factors such as a recession, cultural differences and being environmentally conscious, can inspire designers to create unconventional designs to fit everyday life. Having the chance to observe some of this year’s best designs in different categories was an excellent experience for Applied Corporate Brand Management student. The visit helps students understand corporate brand theories in a practical context.
Marketing and Management students face corporate judgesAs a culmination of the Business Planning module, MSc Management and MSc Marketing students faced senior managers and directors from a number of companies. In a true Dragon’s Den style they presented products invented by the Engineering students. The Business and Engineering students worked for weeks to prepare these presentations, combining their strength in product design, business planning, marketing and branding. They received constructive feedback by the executives enabling them to take their products to the next step. This Business Life event serves as yet another opportunity for students to test their skills in a real business life event.
Photo: Christopher Parypa / Shutterstock.com
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Photo: Maksim Toome / Shutterstock.com
Jaguar and Mini: automobile industry from a management perspectiveTo bring the tools and techniques of supply chain and logistics management to life, students on the MSc Global Supply Chain Management embarked on a visit to the MINI production plant in Cowley, Oxford. The MINI plant, now owned by BMW, has a production capacity of approximately 200,000 units per year and is one of the most high-tech plants in Europe with an enviable reputation for quality. Students saw the production process from start to finish and were amazed at the complexity of the production process and the ability to offer MINI customers an astounding degree of colour, trim and other bespoke finishing options. This was a great opportunity for students on the programme to actually see aspects of their studies brought to life in such an exciting and stimulating way.
When MBA students visited the car manufacturing company Jaguar Land Rover in Coventry the feedback was extremely positive. Students enjoyed the presentation by Joe Wiggin, Talent & Assessment Manager, and a visit to the manufacturing plant, where the floor manager explained the importance of timely operations, and the crucial combination of technology and high quality production. Kevin Xiaolei, MBA student, said: “It was a fantastic trip. We learned how Jaguar adapted to changes resulting from acquisitions, and how its flexibility and innovation led to an increased market share.”
Photo: Darren Brode / Shutterstock.com
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a branding story The corporate brand managers in the making, currently pursuing their studies on the MSc in Applied Corporate Brand Management, visited Radley Yeldar – a branding agency, as part of the Business Life programme. They participated in a seminar where the agency showed them how corporate branding concepts have been applied in achieving brand success for their existing clients. After the seminar there was an exercise conducted by the agency gurus to see how the students of Brunel University analyse and tell the story of the ‘Brunel University’ brand, and as expected, with all the training in their course they truly excelled at it.
a humbling lesson during MBa Business tour to india A group of Brunel MBA students visited Mumbai in India as part of the Business Life inaugural overseas business trip. This tour, supported by AICAR Business School Mumbai, complemented other company visits in UK. The intensive five day visit proved to be an exposure for our students to the vibrant and dynamic nature of one of the leading BRIC economies first hand, as the students visited the headquarters of large corporations, medium sized companies, NGOs and a hospice. Elizabeth, one of the MBA students, said: “What an experience that was, full of exhilarating and unforgettable moments. It has indeed enriched our understanding of one of the BRIC economies and strengthened us physically and psychologically through surviving many challenges posed by the business trip.”
Management in the context of east meets West MSc Management students spent 5 days in Istanbul where the representatives from Galatasaray University provided excellent hospitality and support. They enjoyed a schedule filled with both practical and social activities where students had a chance to get an incredible insight into the Turkish economy and culture. The tour included company visits to Deloitte and Mars Logistics Group; a seminar with Ali Agaoglu, economist and editor of Fortune Magazine; and some free time to enjoy the sights of Istanbul and stock up on Turkish delights amongst other activities.
Best Placement employer award Interoute scooped the Special Placement Employer prize 2012 at Brunel Business School Tutorial day. Thirteen employers were nominated by students for this award. Toby Robins of Wiles Greenworld, winner of the Best Placement Employer award in 2011 presented the award to the Best Placement Employer and the Special Placement Employer prize.
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– like online shopping for jobs A new platform is now used by students to shop for jobs online – JobSavviGrad (brunel.jobsavvigrad.com). Like online shopping, where you can add a list of jobs to your ‘basket’, JobSavviGrad allows students to apply for many jobs simultaneously. With one comprehensive CV as a foundation, students can generate more customised resumes, suitable for specific roles. With features to simplify the application process, JobSavviGrad provided by the Placement and Careers Centre to Brunel students, is the perfect applications tool, for current students and alumni.
helping students find placements Placement students can be a valuable resource for any organisation. Many successful placements in the past have been generated by staff members of BBS, according to the Deputy Director of Placements Michelle Kavan. If you know of a family member or a friend who is working in an organisation that lacks resources to undertake a new project or to cope with existing workload, please ask if they would be interested in having a placement student. They can contact Michelle Kavan at [email protected] or ring her on 01895 267224 for a chat.
international Work Placements are a hit in BBs The Placement and Careers Centre (PCC) team of Brunel University offers students the opportunity to gain work experience by way of 1-year placements, and more frequently students take up these placements abroad. Last year the team placed over 900 students in a wide range of industries, banking firms, government departments and not for profit organisations. Internationally, Brunel Business School students are working for Adidas and Intel in Munich, American Express in Dubai, in Libya for the Libya Airlines, and in an import and export company in New York.
i.Workat.orgi.workat.org website has been developed by Brunel’s Placement and Careers Centre (PCC) to showcase stories about jobs Brunel students have done and are currently doing – summer or part-time jobs, internships, placements or graduate jobs. Users can browse around the stories, explore what jobs students from the School have done, look at the specific kinds of jobs or search for something interesting.
Workglobal brunel.workglobal.org website is where you hear stories from our international graduates about their life after Brunel. Our Placement and Career Centre have asked students to talk about what they are doing now and how Brunel has helped them to either get into or progress in their careers. You can search by country or degree course, read stories about students’ UK experience and the careers they have moved onto.
the benefits of placements for BBs students
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Xerox europe awards BBs student Ryan Spurge, Brunel Business School placement student, has been given a recognition award for his valuable contribution and excellent work ethic whilst working as a Pricing Executive in the Xerox Europe Pricing team. He was presented a certificate by his manager Alwin Rasul along with a £40 electronic gift voucher. Ryan has also been selected to provide pricing support as part of the world’s largest printing trade show in Dusseldorf, known as Drupa, where Xerox will be exhibiting their technologies and services.
BBs students are runners up in the PricewaterhouseCoopers national CompetitionJoshua Fitzgerald and Stephanie Gaynor, both final year Business and Management students were successful runners up in the national Bright Futures competition in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). The competition was an excellent opportunity for students to apply theory into ‘real life’ practice.
Best Placement student award Best Placement Student Award was won by Siobhan Feeney, a Business and Management Undergraduate who did her placement in SAP. According to her employer, Siobhan showed real passion and dedication to her role while being very conscientious and never shying away from responsibility. Siobhan was also said to have taken on more complex projects that further stretched her knowledge and skills.
Placement students showcase new skills The Placement Students Showcase is one of the highlights of the Business Life calendar. It forms a part of the Placement Tutorial day and provides third year undergraduate students, who have returned back to study from work, the opportunity to share their newly acquired experience with employers and students going for placements the following year. Students commented that the showcase is yet another step in confidence building and learning to network.
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graduation Ceremony 2012The graduating class of 2012 enjoyed magnificent weather and celebrations during an exceptional week in Brunel University including the exhilarating spectacle of the Olympic Torch Relay. Graduates and their families queued up to take pictures with the Olympic Torch on campus in their graduation gowns. It was a very proud moment for the School and we wish them all the best as they become our Alumni!
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graduation BallThe Graduation Ball was organised by the Union of Brunel Students and held at the stunning Radisson Hotel in Heathrow. Students from all schools across the university attended and enjoyed an evening of quality food and entertainment provided by DJs and Magicians. The event was very well attended and gave the students a chance to say one final goodbye to their friends in a formal but fun environment. The union has welcomed feedback on the event in order to make next year’s event even better.
BBs student awarded the gold award by Brunel Volunteers Waleed Ahmed, an undergraduate Business and Management student specialising in eBusiness Systems, has been awarded a Gold Award by the Brunel Volunteers for his outstanding contribution as a volunteer in the local community. His volunteering work, especially as a Business Life Ambassador, included helping fellow students to utilize the opportunities and resources made available by the School to enhance their employability.
Business Boot CampSome of our brightest applicants attended an innovative Business Boot Camp event. The participants were accommodated on campus for 3 days and went through a series of business simulations that involved complex decision making skills and great team work. Sessions during the event kept them motivated and inspired them into action. Motivational speakers such as Lord Sugars’ Apprentice and TV Presenter Saira Khan along with Voice Coach Philip Bliss and OgilvyOne New Business Director Tracey Barber, a former Brunel student, thoroughly enjoyed the event and interacting with the bright young minds. The event received national press coverage and has been hailed a great success by all involved. We are already making preparations for Business Boot Camp 2013 – and this time will be hosting two such events – in February and April!
red Carpet event for studentsThe BBS Academic Programmes Office organized an exciting red carpet event for our final year undergraduate and postgraduate students as they celebrated the submission of their final year dissertations. Students were awarded with certificates of appreciation along with drinks, refreshments and truly Hollywood style photo sessions throughout the day.
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During my MBa i realised i wanted to work for myself, says our Chinese MBa alumnusWe had a chance to meet up with Mengru Han, a recent MBA graduate in China, during a recent visit to the country. We learned that since her graduation she has been very busy on expanding her business and is already planning new multi-million pound ventures! Having worked for many years in the Bank of China as a branch president Mengru was destined for success following her MBA and we are proud to see her on Campus for Graduation 2012!
During our visit to China she fondly remembered her constant struggles with the Operations module taught by Dr Doran and was very happy, if a little embarrassed, to see him again. Here’s what she told us:
“Brunel Business School provided me with a programme with very advanced management concepts and case studies. In class, I could share my experiences with colleagues from countries all over the world. I think my MBA has definitely opened doors for me and it is reputable. With a few months of studying diligently I completed my MBA. It is an excellent qualification. Before studying at Brunel University, I wanted to find a good job in the international branches of the Bank of China in the UK or USA. But when I finished studying, I changed my mind and realised that I do not want to work for the Bank of China anymore, or any other company for that matter. What I actually wanted was to work for myself. I wanted to run a business with nation-wide operations in China and I do that now, with a chain of exclusive kindergartens.”
Megru mentioned that it was difficult for her to stay in touch with her former classmates as many social media networks are not available in China, but we encouraged her to join LinkedIn where she can still connect with her fellow classmates. We look forward to catching up with her again soon, this time in China!
If you would like to share your story or connect with our Alumni please email [email protected].
Welcome to the alumni network!We are proud to welcome the latest batch of alumni from the Graduation Ceremony that took place on July 25th 2012. The graduates looked splendid in their robes and caps. We were pleased to see families and friends that came out in support of our graduating students. We hope each of them will have fond memories of this special day here at Brunel. Prof Ashley Braganza, Director of Business Life, Alumni and Rankings and Executive Development, said: “When they walk on to the stage to collect their degree certificates they are students. By the time they walk off the stage, they are alumni. I have the highest expectations that our 2012 alumni will be as successful, if not more, than those alumni who graduated before them.”
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Mumbai alumni Dinner gives a taste of nostalgiaBBS MBA students met the alumni residing in India as they participated in the Alumni Chapter Dinner during the inaugural Business Tour to Mumbai, India. The dinner was held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Mumbai and was yet another memorable experience, as our alumni had a great time chatting with current students and exchanging views about their lecturers, exam pressures, common goals, post-graduation career opportunities in India and other experiences of being Brunel MBAs – a great sense of nostalgia was clearly felt.
keeping in touch ‘precious’, say alumni As part of the Alumni network, MBA students were invited by the Alumni Team to a dinner at an Italian restaurant in Uxbridge. Student commented that Alumni Dinners are great ways of getting the ex-students to spend time together and that playing an active part in the Brunel Business School Alumni network provides fantastic opportunities to get in touch with colleagues and make new friends, which can be of immense help during a job hunt or even relocation to a new country.
the art of alumni networking at the saatchi gallery, londonThe School hosted the annual Alumni Reunion in March 2012 at the beautiful restaurant of the Saatchi Gallery in Central London. This is another of such events held in London, following last year’s successful event in the Albermarle Gallery. The number of alumni attending has grown each year, with the guest list exceeding 80 this year alone. Saira Khan, known for fast-tracking her successful career following her appearance in the TV show The Apprentice, where she became one of Lord’s Sugar favourites, gave a motivational speech to our Alumni and spoke of the importance of networking in business. The buzz in the room was palpable as new connections were made and different “generations” of alumni shared their successes. You can watch the video from the event on the BBS YouTube channel. There was a rumour going around that two of our alumni are getting married. Watch this space!
Upcoming alumni events Following on from the successful Alumni Events so far, more overseas Alumni networking events will be taking place throughout the year. Shanghai and Bangkok are next on the list and we look forward to meeting many of our alumni on our international visits throughout the year. Contact [email protected] for more details.
alumni Benefits• Life-longopeninvitationtoresearchseminars,conferences,lectures,
concerts, recitals, exhibitions and many other on-campus events • Alumnifeesconcession–a10%reductioninthetuitionfeesforanytaught
postgraduate programme or a research degree at Brunel University• CareerSupport–uptotwoyearsaftergraduation• Advertisedetailsofvacanciesforfreeifyouoryour
organisation wants to employ a Brunel graduate • Learnanewlanguageorimproveexistingskills.TheIPLCoffers
classes in Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish and Russian.
• Developyourpersonalskillsbyattendingweekly,weekendandsummercourses in painting, drawing, pottery, jewellery-making, digital photography and music, all at reduced costs for the first two years following graduation
• AccesstoLocosBarandeventsinTheAcademy• AnnualBrunelLinkmagazinewhichbringsyounewsoffellow
Alumni and keeps you up to date with all things ‘Brunel’.• TheBrunelAlumniwebsite,www.brunelalumni.co.uk,keeps
you in touch with Brunel and your fellow Alumni
looking into the future...We are interested in finding out how we can help you move forward in any of your endeavours. We realise that your learning did not stop on the day you graduated; in fact, your on-going development, both personal and professional, is at the heart of your success. We want to know about programmes or topics that you think you might need in the future and we will do our best to facilitate bringing these areas of learning to you. Contact BBS Alumni: E: [email protected], T: +44(0)1895 267639
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Welcome to the BBs teamWe would like to welcome to following staff members who have recently joined out team: Dr Sharifa Alwi (Senior Lecturer in Marketing), Andrew Morris (Operations Administrator), Dr David Fuschi (Grant Writer and a Research Fellow), Waleed Ahmed (Marketing Assistant), Khyati Savani (Marketing Administrator), Kanwal Virdee (Subject Liaison Librarian), Philippa Chandler (REF Administrator) and Karen Wilkinson.
Prof Jarvis chairs Chartered Banker Professional standard Board’s advisory Panel Professor of Accounting, Robin Jarvis from Brunel Business School, has recently been appointed to chair the Advisory Panel of the Chartered Banker Professional Standard Board (CB:PSB). The objective of the CB:PSB is to define an agreed set of industry-wide ethical, professional standards for the banking sector. Professor Robin Jarvis has also been the head of SME Affairs at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Currently, his areas of research include the process of Accounting Standard Setting, Financial Reporting for SMEs and Business Support Provisions for SMEs.
Prof Jarvis reappointed member of sMeig Further congratulations to Professor Robin Jarvis has been reappointed as a member of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) SME Implementation Group of the IFRS Foundation for a further two-year term ending 30 June 2014.
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Prof Balmer in California Management review Professor John M.T. Balmer has successfully published to a top U.S. based management journal: California Management Review (CMR). The article entitled “Corporate Brand Management Imperatives: Custodianship, Credibility, and Calibration”, explores the strategic management of corporate brands and adopts an id based perspective. The article gives an insight into and examines case studies from major organizations. This is the third time Professor Balmer has published in CMR. In 2009 Professor Balmer was the lead author of another article of the California Management Review that focused on the identity and brand change at British Airways.
Prof galliers co-authors the oxford handbook of Management information systems The Oxford Handbook of Management Information Systems – Critical Perspectives and New Directions is a publication by Professors Robert D Galliers and our former Professor Wendy L Currie. It is primarily intended for academics and research students of Management Information Systems (MIS), Information Communication Technology (ICT), Information Systems (IS), Organizational Behaviour, and Management. The existing programmes offered at Brunel Business School across undergraduate and postgraduate levels provide a substantial amount of knowledge in these areas of learning at introductory, preparatory as well as research level.
Dr Collins co-authors Business accounting Dr Jill Collis from Brunel Business School recently completed a second edition of her publication “Business Accounting“. It is an accessible, non-technical introduction to financial and management accounting primarily intended for non-specialist undergraduate and postgraduate students. It features comprehensive revisions, including new chapters on the regulatory and conceptual frameworks, and the preparation of single entity and consolidated financial statements under IFRS. The book is supported by a wealth of teaching and learning resources, including exam-style practice questions, PowerPoint slides, interactive progress tests and additional chapters and other material on the website.
Dr yen explores the notion of “guanxi” in new book Dr Dorothy Yen published a chapter in the book “Exploring Western and Chinese Business Relationship Paradigms”. It provides a comparative overview relating to the Western literature on business relationships and the Chinese notion of “guanxi” – translated as ‘relationships’ and ‘connections’ in English. By highlighting their differences and similarities in terms of their origins, concepts and area of focus, the work helps to identify some gaps within the current literature so that future frameworks can be built for further examination on cross-cultural business relationships.
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school Brochures We have recently completed an update of our School Brochures and we currently have available the following: Undergraduate BBS Brochure, Postgraduate BBS Brochure and the MBA Brochure. We are also completing the PhD brochure at the moment. If you would like a hard copy please contact us on [email protected] or stop by our Marketing Office. Electronic copies of our brochures and newsletters can be downloaded from the BBS website: www.brunel.ac.uk/bbs
school Videos We have many new videos to reflect back on the memorable events including our Boot Camp, Alumni Dinner, Graduation Events, Conferences, and many more. Plus we are building up a playlist of our Programme videos where we showcase the experience that students get on the programme. We already have the MBA and MSc in Applied Corporate Brand Management videos and are busy producing more soon. See them on our YouTube channel.
BBs on social Media We have been VERY active on social media and are happy to report back that we have a very strong online community indeed. Between our facebook, twitter, LinkedIn and other accounts there’s a few thousand people who keep in touch with us!
Here’s how to find us on Web 2.0:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BrunelBusinessSchool
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/groups/Brunel-Business-School-Official
Twitter: www.twitter.com/brunelbusiness
Wordpress: www.brunelbusinessschool.wordpress.com/
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/brunelbusinessschool/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/BrunelBusiness
share your stories with us We’d love to hear from you if you have a comment or a story to share. We update our social media and the News site of our School website on a regular basis and look for interesting stories to report on all the time. Please contact Joanna Oman our Marketing Manager on [email protected] if you would like to discuss or share a particular story.
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your newsletterBBS Newsletter is brought to you by the Marketing and Admissions team in the Business School. The aim of this newsletter is to promote communication throughout the School and beyond, to celebrate successes and
achievements and to bring you news of School events and developments. We hope that you find this newsletter an enjoyable and informative read. Your comments on this newsletter are welcome. We aim to please!
Please note that BBS Newsletter will be issued every six months.