With the rapidly changing industry and business environment, Business Management Studies have emerged as one of the most promising career options. Over the past few years, MBA has become one of the prolific career choices for students aspiring to seek higher executive positions as well as C-level career options. Currently, several B schools have surfaced to provide holistic management study programs to help students cater to their respective career choices.
Aiming for excellence, flexibility, and relevance, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program of the Graduate School of Business (GSB), The University of the South Pacific (USP) has become a market leader among Pacific Island states with an excellent regional reputation for quality and relevance. Structured along the lines of the best MBA programs worldwide, USP’s MBA program is unique in its special focus on the South Pacific business environment. Commenced in 1995, the USP MBA was initially delivered at the USP Laucala Campus in Suva and in Nadi Fiji. The school started to deliver MBA programs to candidates located at the local campuses in 2006 under the leadership of Professor Jan Nowak. Since 2007, the university’s MBA programs have been conducted via face-to-face mode in the locations of Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and many more.
Excellent Business Management Education
The successful delivery of the USP MBA has been greatly assisted by the investment by USP in ICT capability and facilities. It was further facilitated by the substantial improvement in internet speed by the completion of the Pacific Islands submarine fiber optic undersea network. Additionally, numerous MBA alumni of the university have progressed in their careers to the highest levels in both the private and public sectors.
Besides, several USP alumni are CEOs of some of the major national institutions, while two of them are Prime Ministers of their countries (the kingdom of Tonga and the Cook Islands). Since 2013, USP’s MBA program has been internationally accredited by the highly respected AMBA accreditation authority—allowing the university graduates to pursue an international career. The international accreditation ensures that the curriculum of the USP MBA meets the high standards required by the AMBA and covers all the essential knowledge and skills.
Opportunities for Pursuing Individual Interests
The USP’s MBA program is intended for managers, practicing executives, administrators and other professionals. Its main aim is to provide students with knowledge and skills to enhance their performance while enabling them to assume broader responsibility in the rapidly changing environment faced by businesses and governments alike. Moreover, the program is highly flexible, permitting full-time as well as part-time study. Along with access to an internationally recognized core of managerial knowledge, the USP program also offers rich opportunities for students to pursue individual interests.
Over the decades, these characteristics have extensively contributed to the increase in enrolments. The program not only makes a much-needed and appreciated contribution to addressing the shortage of skilled managers in the region but also gives kudos and a healthy flow of funds to USP. On personal levels, graduates of the USP reported their high appreciation of the blending of theory and practice. On the other hand, studies have also reported that the university’s MBA graduates received higher salary income as compared to their pre-MBA incomes. In addition, the staff of the MBA program (including the academic and administrative) comprises highly qualified professionals and is highly committed.
Comprehensive Business Study Programs
The USP Graduate school of Business is the premier provider of graduate management education in the South Pacific. It is responsible for training the future leaders of the Pacific Islands nations. In addition, the primary mission of the USP’s MBA program is to deliver high-quality graduate management education at the campus and educate its graduates to provide the following advantages:
- Provide leadership to Pacific communities
- Promote internationally best practices in business management
- Manage sustainable businesses
- Promote entrepreneurship and innovation
USP’s Graduate School of Business offers a range of graduate certificates and diplomas that are stair-cased into the MBA with students gaining credit for the diploma courses towards the MBA qualification. It offers an MBA program, Post Graduate Certificates in Human Resource Management, Entrepreneurship and Financial Administration, and Post Graduate Diplomas in Advanced Analytical Skills and for General Managers.
Encouraging Diversity and Inclusion
Besides endorsing comprehensive and effective academic programs, the USP Graduate School of Business also encourages diversity and inclusion amongst its students. The university upholds a strong policy of promoting diversity and providing special facilities for students with disabilities.
For international students, the university provides a welcoming and inclusive environment and has been the most successful in attracting and educating international students. In the most recent years, several international students have joined the MBA program and have reported high levels of satisfaction with the program. Students have also reported enjoying and greatly benefiting from studying with class members from the various pacific islands by establishing dynamic relationships. Additionally, the USP Graduate School of Business has also paved the way for the formation of a rich network of MBA scholars who have successfully built connections with individuals as well as business associates.
Steering through Global Crisis
The recent COVID-19 pandemic induced several challenges against the functioning of several sectors—causing a massive transition from physical to virtual and digital platforms. Especially within the education sector, the global pandemic compelled various educational institutions to transition to swiftly adopt online teaching and learning platforms.
During the COVID-19 crisis, USP ensured a smooth transition. The USP MBA scholars quickly adapted to the delivery of courses via Zoom as most of them possessed high-level ICT skills from their work experience and their undergraduate education. The students had their individual required gadgets such as laptops, scanners and printers, along with substantial experience in completing work tasks online. The university further strives to continue delivering the university’s educational values by a blended mode of face-to-face and Zoom sessions that is strongly supported by Moodle use by professors and scholars.
Thriving Amidst Globalized Context
In the present scenario, global exposure and quality infrastructure have become essential. Staff with extensive teaching experience (domestically and internationally) and work experience will be able to effectively teach in the MBA program and share their professional experiences. Additionally, quality infrastructure (e.g., ICT infrastructure, teaching facilities, etc.) are extremely important as these will significantly add value to the delivery of the courses.
Moreover, B-schools in the APAC region have been providing adequate importance to aligning with the latest industry requirements to help students cater to their latest career needs. With that being said, the USP Graduate School of Business is striving to meet the requirements of the industry to ensure that its courses are relevant, worthwhile and in line with the latest developments taking place in the industry.
Note to Students:
Read full Magazine: 10 Most Recommended APAC B-Schools to watch in 2022
