Prospective MBA candidates were given a glimpse of what studying with Griffith Business School would be like in an immersive Masterclass session as part of the Queensland Business Monthly (QBM) Responsible Leadership Scholarship offering.

Attendees were treated to speeches and mini lectures from an accomplished panel of experts that showcased the core values of Griffith’s MBA for the future: sustainable business practices, responsible leadership, and an Asia Pacific perspective.

Professor David Grant

Pro Vice Chancellor (Business) Professor David Grant spoke to the values of the MBA, and how it aims to give students skills to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

“Recipients of the scholarships have the opportunity to study a Griffith MBA that explores all of the business disciplines you’d expect: accounting, reporting, economics, finance, people management, marketing, strategy and innovation and so on.

“But what’s so special about the Griffith MBA and what has undoubtedly contributed to it being consistently ranked among the top five MBAs in Australia over the last few years is that it’s built on a set of core values and approaches that are crucial to doing business in the 21st century,” he explained.

“It’s truly a values-led MBA and these are values that set our MBA graduates apart from others and gives them a distinct career advantage.”

Professor Nick Barter, Academic Director for Griffith Online, opened the lecture series, speaking on the increasing demand and the need to create value through social, financial and environmental approaches that lead to sustainable businesses and communities.

He was followed by Professor Ingrid Burkett, the Co-Director of the Yunus Centre, who spoke on the cultural shift towards business leading through social impact.

The final mini lecture saw Post Doctoral fellow Dr Elise Stephenson, recent winner of Griffith University’s 2020 Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, talk to the importance of nurturing an Asia Pacific relationship in order to succeed in a current and future economy.

Also in attendance were last year’s QBM Responsible Leadership Scholarship recipients, winner Johanna Marsh and runner up Mark Ryan, to share with prospective applicants their experience in the competition, as well as how their time at the Business School has opened their eyes so far.

Johanna Marsh.

Johanna particularly says the things she’s studied in the MBA have been invaluable to her in her current organisation and have already changed the way she thinks and works in the current economy.

“I’ve written a sustainability strategy for five years for my organisation based on things I’ve learnt at Griffith already,” she said. “Professor Nick Barter’s class is really challenging conceptually but once you draw parallels to your own organisation and your own job, it’s really interesting to apply.”

Afterwards, Mark said he learnt a lot about himself through the application process and encouraged everyone to apply.

“The Queensland Business Monthly Griffith Responsible Leadership MBA Scholarship competition was a fantastic experience to go through,” Mark said. “The application process made me take a step back and reflect upon what my personal story was, and how I could build upon that story in the future with everything the Griffith MBA has to offer.”

He continued: “There’s no way any of us applying for the competition last year could have predicted what has happened over the last 12 months. We’ve felt the effects of climate change first-hand, with horrific bushfires throughout summer in Australia. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life as we knew it, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. If anything, these events and ongoing challenges reinforce the importance of understanding how interconnected we are in the world, particularly in relation to the environment that’s all around us.

“The Griffith MBA really allows students to dive deeply into these complex issues and share thoughts with other students and lecturers who bring a diverse set of perspectives to discussions. It’s a real eye-opener when people from vastly different backgrounds come together to share thoughts by looking at an issue through their lens.”

If you would like more information on the Griffith MBA click here.

For more information on the Griffith QBM MBA Responsible Leadership Scholarship click here.