A checklist for MBA candidates

Just like students, not all MBA programmes are created equal.

Professor Robert Widing, dean and professor in management (marketing) at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM), believes the maturity and experience of MGSM students play a significant role in the quality and strength of its MBA programme.

"Student knowledge and experience levels are significant because they help set the tone for learning the skills to deal with the challenges that face today's management professionals," says Widing.

He believes that, in addition to providing students with a solid grounding in the core aspects of general management, an MBA programme should also provide students with a strategic business perspective, including the ability to build and identify the competitive advantage of an enterprise.

Networking is another area that Widing believes defines the quality of an MBA. "Networking allows students to meet and share ideas and experiences that are relevant to both their learning and professional environments," he adds.

Sachin Tipnis, executive director of the University of Hong Kong's MBA programme, shares this belief in the benefits of networking. "As a business school, we invest a lot to ensure once our students have graduated, they continue to help each other in business situations and with jobs. We have incidences where graduates have formed joint business ventures," says Tipnis.