Business leaders
Source: The University of Western Australia, Business School

The future of work is one of today’s hottest debates due to the rapid growth of new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data.

With so much being taken over by smart technologies and more data being readily available, a new generation of leaders is needed to analyse data and perform more complex tasks that require certain skills.

These skills include innovative thinking, collaboration, creativity, leadership, analytical thinking, and interpersonal skills such as communication.

Leadership skills are important, as the future will require people who can efficiently lead and inspire teams to lead change in the coming era.

Strong leaders are required, particularly in the business world, to manage complex and diverse teams that can go beyond geographical boundaries due to the interconnectedness of today’s working world.

That’s why today’s leading business schools are teaching students to upskill themselves and become innovative leaders in their respective business niches, offering more hands-on experience and the chance to network with industry professionals.

They are also doing so by updating undergraduate curricula and offering more innovative postgraduate degrees for those who already have a few years’ working experience under their belts.

Here are four universities that are educating the next generation of business leaders.

BUSINESS SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (UWA) – AUSTRALIA

The UWA Business School is one of the premier business education providers in the Asia-Pacific region, consistently achieving exceptional world rankings. The School is regularly placed in the top 100 universities worldwide for Accounting and Finance, while UWA is the 86th best university in the QS World Rankings.

Business leaders

Source: The University of Western Australia, Business School

Courses here combine world-class teaching by prominent researchers with strong industry links, ensuring students gain the real-world experience needed to prepare them for a career beyond their degree.

A number of Master’s programmes give students the opportunity to personalise the course to meet their specific goals, offering a broad range of elective units and study modes.

For example, the flexible Master of Commerce gives students the choice of either combining two specialisations, completing more extensive study in one specialisation, or combining one specialisation with an array of electives from across the other specialisations.

Likewise, the new Master of Business Analytics course is leading the way in developing future champions in ‘Big Data’, who gain employment as data analysts, business analysts, market economists, financial analysts and more.

If you’re looking towards developing a professional accounting career, the Master of Professional Accounting satisfies the accreditation requirements of professional accounting associations, while the Master of Applied Finance is professionally accredited by the CFA Institute.

Other Master’s programmes include the Master of Public Policy, Master of Business Information and Logistics Management, Master of Marketing and the Master of Human Resources and Employment Relations.

ANDERSON SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES (UCLA) – USA

At UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, a thriving business community supports innovative thinking so that leaders are developed to find solutions to real problems.

Business leaders

Source: Anderson School of Management, UCLA

Through courses that emphasise applied learning, students in Master programmes learn how to drive change, launching their career to new heights.

Graduate degrees in business include a full-time MBA and Executive MBA where students learn and network with fellow peers’ the UCLA-NUS Executive MBA (partnership with National University of Singapore; the Master of Financial Engineering; and the Master of Science in Business Analytics.

There are also specialist centres such as the Center for Global Management, Easton Technology Management Center and Price Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

These hubs don’t only support cutting-edge faculty research, they also sponsor specialised courses and conferences so students get a variety of opportunities for networking and industry learning.

There’s also the UCLA Anderson Venture Accelerator – a six-month immersive programme where students can leverage on the university’s resources to work on rising start-ups within the Anderson community.

MELBOURNE BUSINESS SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE – AUSTRALIA

The Melbourne Business School at the University of Melbourne is a leading provider of management education the Asia-Pacific region.

Business leaders

Source: University of Melbourne, Business School

Educating students on the latest industry knowledge through academically rigorous programmes that challenge future business leaders, students here undertake specialist graduate programmes.

Under the Master of Management suite, degree programmes include specialisations in Accounting, Accounting and Finance, Finance, Human Resources and Marketing.

The MBA suite of programmes includes a part-time Master of Business Administration course, full-time Master of Business Administration course, Executive Master of Business Administration and Senior Executive Master of Business Administration.

There is also a Master of International Business programme, and niche degrees such as the Master of Economics, Master of Enterprise, Master of Business Analytics and Master of Entrepreneurship.

Developing leaders in their respective areas on business, this school prepares students for a changing world of business and teaches them to lead teams effectively.

NUS BUSINESS SCHOOL, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE (NUS) – SINGAPORE

The Business School at the National University of Singapore, one of the top business schools in the region, is renowned for its strong reputation in developing leaders.

Business leaders

Source: NUS Business School

Merging best practices and business models from both the East and the West, students are positioned to become global specialists in business once they graduate.

Students are taught by faculty with strong industry experience so they gain insights into the business world and gain expertise in their respective fields.

Through overseas student exchange programmes, business case competitions, student-led study trips and other initiatives, students get plenty of hands-on learning that extends beyond the classroom.

Besides a broad MBA programme, Master’s programmes include MBA Specialisations in Finance Marketing, Healthcare Management, Strategy and Organisation, Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Digital Business.

Students also gain access to a strong global alumni network, consisting of 38,000 business school graduates and 288,000 university alumni from a range of disciplines. Through this network, they benefit from mentoring opportunities, career development and guidance, access to industry leaders, and much more.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International

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