24 NZB SEPTEMBER 2018 NZBUSINESS.CO.NZ 25

AUT is regularly evaluated by Eduniversal which places it in the top ten percent of MBAs within the Oceania region, ranking over 200 MBA programmes.

A significant tranche of new programmes is being announced by New Zealand’s MBA programme providers later this year and launched in 2019.

Waikato University is launching its new Tauranga Campus next year. (see sidebox).

And there’s much more. “From April and September 2019,” says Professor Elizabeth George, University of Auckland’s director of MBA and PGDipBus, “and subject to CUAP (Committee on University Academic Programmes) approval, the University of Auckland Business School will welcome two student groups to a

new 18-month, interdisciplinary MBA programme. “Delivered through a series of courses designed around three

major themes – ‘Achieving excellence in an existing business’, ‘Driving change’, and ‘Thriving under complexity’ – this integrative and flexible programme equips managers with a set of skills and the confidence to maintain and grow organisations in a dynamic context,” says George.

In an acknowledgement of changing personal and employment factors – as well as costs – University of Auckland’s MBA courses will be delivered as two- to three-day block classes, over weekends, so students can step into, and then out of, their MBA experience in a way which reduces the negative impact on their personal and professional commitments.

A quarter of the programme is delivered ‘in-class’ using interactive and experientially-based pedagogy, workshop-style activities, discussion of cases, simulations, and action-learning projects. The remaining 75 percent of time is independent student-led learning and group work which allows flexibility and integration into student’s individual lives.

FLEXIBLE STRUCTURES Over at AUT, flexibility comes in the form of six eight-week terms per year, which means that a student can start the programme at any one of six entry points and depending on personal commitments, hop on and off the bus as required – even take a term off – without causing major disruption to their study.

“We offer papers predominantly in the evening to suit busy working professionals,” says Ken Lee. “Students can vary the number of papers they take each term, depending on those commitments.

“Our MBA is the only programme in New Zealand which is 180 points duration and its flexible structure enables students to fit their study around their busy work and personal lives. This is a unique attribute of the programme.

“We have a brand-new programme, first intake in March 2019, called a Masters of Business Management,” continues Lee. “This launches in August as a one-year full-time qualification (with part-time options available). It has fewer entry requirements than the MBA and doesn’t require work experience. It’s designed for those

NEW ZEALAND’S MBA SECTOR IS CURRENTLY BOOMING, WITH NEW COURSES TAILORED TO THE WORK AND LIFESTYLE NEEDS OF TODAY’S STUDENTS.

NZBUSINESS HAS BEEN REVIEWING THE OPTIONS.

• Classes run on weekends

• Learn from current industry professionals

• One of the largest MBA programmes in NZ

• Specialisations in International Business, Finance, Marketing, and Operations and Logistics

• Scholarships on offer

For more information: Kasanita Holani

E: kasanitah@ais.ac.nz P: (64 9) 815 1717 ext 846

www.AIS.ac.nz

“The MBA programme is really well designed and it enabled me to work while

I studied. And the teachers are amazing – AIS’s biggest

asset if you ask me”

MBA GUIDE2019

B Y K E V I N K E V A N Y

Far from being the oft-rumoured ‘yesterday’s qualification’ the MBA and its derivatives are booming in New Zealand, with a new campus for Waikato University in Tauranga and all the institutions we surveyed adapting to the changing business environment and the personal

circumstances of students. The words ‘flexibility’, ‘customer-centric’, ‘agile’, ‘disruptive’,

‘collaborative’, ‘thriving’, ‘teamwork’, ‘high-performance’, ‘individualising’, ‘emotional intelligence’, ‘cross-cultural awareness’ and ‘creativity’ all abound in discussions with those directing MBA studies in this country.

Our local MBAs largely feature well above expectations internationally. AUT’s director of MBA and Professional Masters programmes, Ken Lee

is rightfully pleased their approach to ‘Developing High Performing Teams’ was one of three finalists in the MBA Roundtable (USA) MBA Innovation awards, and the only paper from a business school outside the USA to make the finals.

“We submitted a paper which not only explored the theory of developing high performing teams but recorded how we put theory into practice by taking students into a competitive rowing environment or by taking them out of their comfort zone in a theatresports/improvisation setting.”

It's personal and highly

popular

26 NZB SEPTEMBER 2018

wanting to change their careers quickly into business management, or for those who are already in business and want to step up into management faster.”

Lee says it joins a portfolio of AUT Professional Masters programmes, which include Applied Finance, Professional Accounting, Marketing, and Global Business.

Meanwhile, if you turn to the NZBusiness 2019 Study Options Guide you’ll see that the Waikato Management School is triple-crown accredited by AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA – putting it in the top one percent globally. Waikato University has jumped 127 places in five years to be ranked #274 in the QS rankings, and third-equal in the 351-400 band for New Zealand universities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

Their MBA students can choose to study at night, during the week, or over the weekend and can complete an MBA in two years, or four-to-five years.

“We can’t keep doing the same old thing,” says Dr Heather Connolly, academic director for Waikato Management School Executive Education. “Continuous improvement of our programmes; integrating research which has global impact; and delivering modern learning environments, ensures we improve our standing continuously.

“As to how we deal with developments like ‘Big Data’ and AI, our focus is not just discussing these disruptive technologies, in a single course. We want participants to think about, apply and examine how data and AI can be applied in all their MBA

papers. For example, AI and big data influences not just how we market to our customers, the types of business models we engage with, innovations etcetera, it also has an influence on the questions we should now ask, as part of governance.

“Whatever develops in the local or international business world, we will still be preparing participants for the business

world, where the only known is constant innovation and change,” says Connolly.

“The unique DNA of the Waikato MBA allows for three intertwining streams of knowledge to be applied across the two-year part-time programme – innovation, responsible management and leadership – to be integrated into or the core focus of each paper in the programme.”

STRUCTURED AND PERSONALISEDProfessor Ted Zorn is the new head of the Institute for Executive Education, a director of the e-Centre and board member of the Westpac-Massey FinEd Centre at Massey University, which is accredited by AMBA and AACSB and ranked in the top 150 universities worldwide for Finance and Business Administration programmes by Shanghai Ranking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.

“Our finance ranking is the highest among New Zealand business schools and the Business Administration is first equal,” he says. “We have introduced three major innovations in terms of content and delivery in our MBA programmes.”

These include: • A structured, personalised learning

journey for each student, including

www.mba.auckland.ac.nz | 0800 61 62 63

“An MBA gives you insight into all disciplines of business and builds networks and relationships. Its breadth enables you to explore the areas of business you may not yet know you are passionate about!

Donna Wright MBA Alumna Marketing and Operations DirectorMicrosoft New Zealand

Take your career to the next level

“

MBA GUIDE2019

TAURANGA GETS ITS NEW CAMPUS A new University of Waikato

campus is set to open in

Tauranga’s CBD in early 2019.

The campus is designed to

provide a high-tech university

environment with f lexible,

innovative space for teaching and

learning, and collaboration with

local and regional industries and

businesses.

“It will be home to a Research

and Innovation Centre dedicated

to ‘catalysing entrepreneurship,

developing business incubation

and driving commercialisation

activity’, in addition to all the

normal facilities,” says Dr Heather

Connolly, academic director for

Waikato Management School

Executive Education.

The Tauranga MBA cohort

will collaborate with this centre

to incorporate cutting-edge

research, regional business cases

and industry experts into the

programme content and delivery.

The building itself will feature a

future-proof design with f lexible

spaces so it is able to cater to

changing styles of teaching and

learning, including the executive

MBA style of teaching and

programme delivery.

“The University of Waikato

MBA isn’t new to the region either,

[we’ve been] proudly delivering

the MBA in Tauranga since

2003, and celebrate 15 years of

executive education in the Bay of

Plenty this year.”

“Smaller New Zealand programmes can give

students greater individualised attention, with the focus on the whole person.”

– Professor Elizabeth George, University of Auckland.

28 NZB SEPTEMBER 2018

one-on-one coaching and online tools for maintaining a personal development portfolio.

• An integrated project (live case study with a New Zealand organisation) woven throughout courses in the first half of the MBA.

• The key themes – Digital Transformation, Cross-Cultural Awareness and Sustainability – are incorporated throughout. “Our MBA enrolments have grown in the

past few years, suggesting that students continue to see the time and costs as worthwhile,” says Zorn. “I believe we could put that successful growth pattern down to the three key principles we regard as our USP.”

He lists these as: • Personalised experience – individual

meetings with the MBA director at key points in the journey, through a new personalised learning, including one-on-one coaching; with flexible delivery in three locations nationally.

• Closely connected to practice – application-focused, experiential learning; many guest speakers from industry; live case-studies.

• Internationalised – cultural competence development, embedded throughout the programme, plus a dynamic international study tour. Waikato Management School’s Dr Connolly

believes they have a winning hand through exposing participants to generalist skills and learning in the first part of the new programme – coined ‘The Mindful Manager’.

“Participants will have skills which are required in the C-suite and be in line for promotions or career movement to an executive level. The final part of the programme transforms participants from manager to ‘Strategic Leader’, with a focus on innovation, global business and governance for responsible management.

“To summarise, we utilise our strategic areas of expertise to ensure cutting-edge thinking is delivered from research-led insights.”

Ken Lee believes AUT, by responding to international trends, is moving towards a more customer-centric model of curriculum and structure, and is further exploring ways to embrace technological innovations in

delivery; the growth of micro credentials; and effective partnership models.

“Our MBA provides a ‘toolbox’ of functional management skills models and techniques covering the core functions of management, and enables – through electives – the opportunity to explore issues at a more advanced level and to specialise.

“An MBA also instils (an intangible) level of confidence to engage at a senior management/ leadership level,” he says.

FOCUSING ON THE WHOLE PERSON The University of Auckland’s Professor Elizabeth George has an active research interest in non-standard work arrangements and diversity in the workplace and has a PhD in Organization Science from the University of Texas at Austin.

“MBA programmes generally are responding to the quicker pace of change students will need to handle in their post-MBA careers,” she says. “More courses now give students the opportunity to individualise their learning; taking courses specific to their career needs; and taking shorter and sharper dives into contemporary topics.

“MBAs are also focusing more on those skills and abilities addressing the ‘whole person’ and the ‘whole issue’, rather than just providing discreet pockets of knowledge which address a part of the issue and only engage a part of the individual.

“This could come in the form of more integration across the curriculum and a simultaneous holistic focus on the individual manager, equipping them with both emotional and cognitive awareness of the challenges they will face – and an understanding of their own strengths in dealing with these challenges,” says George.

“New Zealand’s MBAs are in line with these global shifts. Given the size of the programme, we have less of an ability to offer the range of electives available in larger courses in bigger markets.

“By the same token, the smaller New Zealand programmes can give students greater individualised attention, with the focus on the whole person.”

MBA GUIDE2019

CHOOSING AN MBA AT A CAREER ‘CROSSROADS’ Successful entrepreneur Crispin

Korschen completed her MBA

at the end of 2017 and is a 2018

MBA alumna of the University of

Auckland Business School.

“I initially trained in visual

communication design. During

my career I created a series of

businesses within the creative

and retail industries. I chose

to do the MBA because I was

at a crossroads in my career.

Having just sold my business, I

was considering what direction

to take.

“The MBA intrigued me

for a variety of reasons – the

academic challenge; the

chance to mix with people

from many different industries;

and the exposure to a range of

disciplines.

“As an entrepreneur I’d

realised it is not always possible

to work at great depth in all

areas of business during the

everyday hustle.

“Being part of a cohort of

successful people with different

ideas, ways of thinking and

support is another significant

benefit of earning an MBA. It

gave me confidence, opened

my eyes to new possibilities and

taught me adaptability.”

CRISPIN KORSCHEN

KEVIN KEVANY IS AN

AUCKLAND-BASED FREELANCE WRITER.

EMAIL KEVWRITE@XTRA.CO.NZ

Innovation is part of our kiwi-DNA. Embracing ‘No. 8 wire’ thinking, our MBA will develop your ability to think laterally and provide practical skills to manage future disruption. With our Triple Crown accredited MBA, you’ll be known as an innovation leader in your organisation.

Linking three core streams of expertise across the two-year part-time programme is the unique DNA of the Waikato MBA. Innovation, responsible management and leadership are the core business capabilities integrated into the programme helping transform future business leaders.

GET EQUIPPED TO LEAD INNOVATION IN YOUR ORGANISATION

Visit exec.waikato.ac.nz/mba to learn about starting your MBA journey in 2019

The practical elements of the programme have been so valuable. I’m already applying what I’ve learnt in class every day at work.

Nadine Parata National Distribution Manager Ballance Agri-Nutrients

30 NZB SEPTEMBER 2018 NZBUSINESS.CO.NZ 31

Introducing our new Master of Business Management

Visit aut.ac.nz/mbm to find out more

MBA GUIDE2019

CAREER-MINDED MOTHER QUALIFIES WITH MBA

By day Nadine Parata is national distribution

manager at Ballance Agri-Nutrients. The rest of the

time she is a Tauranga-based mother-of-two. She

felt she needed to boost her career and aim for

senior positions in the organisation.

Research revealed Waikato Management School

offered reputable and f lexible postgraduate

study options which would accommodate her

commitments.

In 2015, she started her Postgraduate Diploma in

Management Studies at home in Tauranga, before

continuing to complete her MBA in Hamilton.

“Balancing travelling the country for work,

spending time with family, and studying has been a

challenge, but nothing that is worth doing is going

to be easy – and the

MBA is definitely worth

it,” she says.

For Nadine, what

made the MBA such a

satisfying experience

was the people.

“The teaching staff are

all fantastic and do a great

job of challenging your thinking.

But the true gold comes from working with

other students in the class. Group work is always a

challenge but the lessons you learn are invaluable,

especially within the diverse group of students in

the MBA.”

NADINE PARATA

AUCKLAND INSTITUTE OF STUDIES (AIS)

Location: 28a Linwood Avenue, Mount Albert, Auckland.Website: www.ais.ac.nzProgramme: Master of Business Administration (International Business); (Finance); (Marketing); (Operations and Logistics).Part-time or full-time? Both.Duration: 18 months full-time, three years part-time.Intake date/s: Six intakes: January; March; May; July; September; and November.Strengths and emphasis: The programme is modular and taught by experienced practitioners as well as senior academics. The programmes are internationally-focused and typically have students from around 30 countries.Programme vision and strategy: Building on core skills and competencies the programme allows students to gain advanced specialist knowledge and to complete an MBA with an internship, a field study or a dissertation. The programme allows the student to take up management roles in a wide range of organisations.Admission criteria: • A degree, or equivalent professional qualification as approved by

the Academic Board of AIS; and• Relevant work experience as approved by the Academic Board of

AIS of at least two years.Current number of students: Currently there are 350 students and class sizes are generally less than 20.Cost: $22,950 (2018); 2019: TBA.Cost for offshore students: $32,700 (2018); 2019: TBA.Weekly time commitment: Full-time. 25-30 hours per week including preparation, lectures, seminars, and assessment activities.Pass rate: Over 95 percent.Accreditation: NZQA.Skills mastered: All graduates complete essential business core skills and a specialisation making them ready for a variety of management roles in New Zealand and overseas.

AUT

Location: Auckland.Website: aut.ac.nz/mbaProgramme: Master of Business Administration.Part-time or full-time? Full-time and part-time available.Duration: 12-16 months full-time; 2-4 years part-time.Intake date/s: 15 Oct 2018, 7 Jan 2019, 4 Mar 2019, 29 Apr 2019, 24 Jun 2019, 19 Aug 2019, 14 Oct 2019.Strengths and emphasis: Our MBA is designed for those aspiring to senior management level, or those already in senior management positions who want to realise their full potential. It offers a strong application of theory to business practice, with over half the programme being delivered by business practitioners. Thanks to a culture of peer-to-peer learning and networking we attract a range of company directors and entrepreneurs who find the flexible programme fits in well with their professional and personal lives.Programme vision and strategy: The vision is to provide an innovative programme and learning experience that prepares students for future success. The strategy is to offer an innovative and relevant curriculum which provides up‐to‐date knowledge and authentic practice‐based learning experiences that mirror the complex work environments that our graduates will encounter. We aim to equip our graduates with the skills to thrive in uncertain futures, with the dispositions, skills, knowledge and values needed to negotiate careers, self-employment and responsible global citizenship.Admission criteria: Completion of an undergraduate degree or graduate diploma or equivalent, and a minimum of 5 years' professional experience since gaining the degree or other qualification. Admission is subject to the approval of the MBA Director.Current number of students: Including enrolment into the PgDipBA and PgCertBA there are approximately 220 students participating in the suite of programmes at any one time, with the MBA accounting for over half that number. On average, class sizes range from 15 to 30 students.Cost: MBA domestic fees: $39,990* *Fees shown are current at time of publishingCost for international students: MBA international fees: $53,715*.*Fees shown are current at time of publishingWeekly time commitment: This depends on the number of papers being taken but we recommend 8-10 hours of personal study for every 3-hour class attended. Most domestic students take two papers per term enabling completion of the MBA in two years, so their commitment would be 2x3-hour classes per week and 16-20 hours of self-directed learning.Pass rate: Completion and pass rates for this programme are 96 percent.Accreditation: The programme is integrated within the Faculty AACSB accreditation.Skills mastered: Graduates are equipped with a ‘toolbox’ of functional management skills, models and techniques, which have a strong bias towards practical application and personal development. This allows graduates to step up to take influential roles and manage significant projects and teams within key and growth industries in New Zealand and abroad.

MBA 2019 STUDY OPTIONS

NZBUSINESS.CO.NZ 33 32 NZB SEPTEMBER 2018

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UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND BUSINESS SCHOOL

Location: Sir Owen G Glenn Building, 12 Grafton Road, Auckland Central. Website: www.mba.auckland.ac.nzProgramme: Master of Business Administration (MBA). Part-time or full-time? Part-time.Duration: 18 months to three years.Intakes: Apply no later than 1 February 2019 for 1 April 2019 start; Apply no later than 1 August 2019 for 16 September 2019 start.Strengths and emphasis: Graduates gain an understanding of the theoretical and practical knowledge and processes that are necessary to sustain excellence in established organisations, drive growth and change in organisations and help organisations thrive in a complex world. During the programme, participants are motivated to challenge their thinking, enhance their decision-making skills, accelerate their personal and professional development, extend their management and leadership skills and develop and strengthen their personal networks.Programme vision and strategy: The vision is to deliver a high-quality, relevant, practically-focused programme of Masters level study for experienced managers. In order to do this, there is a strong interdisciplinary flavour to the delivery of the programme, ensuring courses are designed to be cross-disciplinary and representative of the true nature of the organisations participants work in. Admission criteria: Experienced professionals with a minimum of five years management experience, and who have a bachelor’s degree, may apply. Current number of students: 25 to 30Cost: NZ$47,950* (does not include fee for international business trip and associated costs for parking/textbooks etc). *indicative for 2019.Cost for offshore students: International student fees for 2019 will be confirmed in November 2018.Weekly time commitment: Courses are taught over quarters with classes delivered Friday afternoons and evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday.Pass rate: Due to the rigorous application process, those who start the University of Auckland MBA generally complete and pass the programme.Accreditation: The University of Auckland Business School is in the top one percent of business schools worldwide that have been awarded the coveted triple crown by the foremost global accrediting agencies AMBA, AACSB, and EQUIS. This means that our MBA degree has international recognition.The University of Auckland is ranked New Zealand’s leading university in the 2018 QS World University Rankings. The University is placed 82nd in the world. No other New Zealand university is ranked in the top 100.

Skills mastered: Students gain the ability to demonstrate advanced knowledge of general management, critical thinking, solution seeking, communication and engagement, independence and integrity, and social and environmental responsibility.

UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO

Locations: Hamilton and Tauranga. Website: www.exec.waikato.ac.nz/mba Programme: Waikato MBA. Part-time or full-time? Part-time.Duration: Standard timeframe is between two to three years (part-time). Flexible options exist to complete over four to five years.Intakes: February and March 2019.Strengths and emphasis: The Waikato MBA is transformative and develops leaders who have the skills and knowledge to manage responsibly and implement innovative strategies for organisations. The customer-centric approach to learning supports participants to advance their strategic understanding of business through a practical, real-world approach, understanding the complex issues faced by business leaders, and developing the necessary skills to drive future innovation.Programme vision and strategy: Waikato Management School addresses the key challenges facing business and society in New Zealand and internationally through our research and relevant management education. The Waikato MBA is supported by world-class research in innovation leadership and responsible management, equipping MBA participants with skills to lead and transform their organisations. We bring global excellence to our local business ecosystems, preparing business leaders of the future.Admission criteria: Minimum of three years’ relevant management experience and a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline. Don’t meet this criteria? Talk to us about our Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies, an executive qualification in its own right, and a potential pathway into the MBA programme.Current number of students: 125 in total, with average class size of 20-30.Cost: Part One: $17,008; Part Two: $31,270 for 2019 (inclusive of textbook and international study tour costs).Cost for offshore students: The programme is not available to offshore students as it is designed for working professionals in New Zealand.Weekly time commitment: Typical commitment would be 10-15 hours per week of self-study time plus class time, dependent on cohort. Part One of the Waikato MBA can be completed over a one or two-year period with flexible delivery options available.Pass rate: 92-95 percent due to the entrance criteria and cohort performance expectations.Skills mastered: Waikato MBA graduates emerge with a comprehensive perspective on key issues facing global leaders and managers. Their perspective on the business environment will have shifted from functional to strategic, from local to global, and from uncertain to confident in making decisions. Our graduates have the capability to analyse complex situations, manage responsibly, and propose innovative strategies for their organisation. Waikato graduates are known as provocative, innovative, and valuable leaders, making significant contributions to New Zealand and the global business community.Accreditation: Waikato Management School is Triple Crown Accredited by the most sought-after international accreditations: AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS.

MBA 2019 STUDY OPTIONS