Global mindsets

A graduation ceremony is not only a time to celebrate achievements, but also to look to the future. In marking the successes of this year's classes on November 2, the Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM) will also reflect on its own 20 years of offering courses in Hong Kong and consider how best to meet the changing needs of postgraduate business students in the years ahead. 

"I believe that developing a truly global mindset among our students, faculty and academics is the key to the school's success," says Alex Frino, dean and professor of management (finance) at MGSM. "As we continue to evolve, my vision is for MGSM to be a business school which provides a dynamic, international perspective on leadership and management, and one where our students thrive because of our globalprofile and networks." 

The school's MBA and management programmes are already consistently ranked in the world's top 100. In this year's "Which MBA?" survey by The Economist, MGSM was ranked 49th in the world and in the top three in Australia. Its AACSB accreditation means that the courses are widely recognised internationally. 

Underpinning this is the basic goal of giving students a practical and progressive educational experience. The teaching philosophy and course content are firmly grounded in the realities of what it means to work in today's business environment. And with support from The Hong Kong Management Association (HKMA) in matters of administration and organisation, the programmes are designed to allow the flexibility needed by professionals balancing work and study commitments and to offer an ascending series of qualifications. 

"As I enter my second year as dean, I am focused on building on these successes and continuing our evolution as educators, innovators and researchers," Frino says. "It is essential that our students be exposed to cutting-edge theories and techniques from leading minds, and we must also provide opportunities to work on real projects in partnership with leading local and global organisations." 

One direct outcome of such initiatives is that students learn about, and get hands-on experience of, different cultures and mindsets. Another is the exposure to different ways of solving problems and adapting to change in markets, regulations, technology and stakeholder expectations.