Studying business in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is an exciting prospect, especially with so many of its countries striving to become global leaders in business and technology. Governments across the continent have pumped extraordinary amounts of money into the business and technology sectors with a view of attracting some of the world’s largest businesses and corporations. Business schools across Asia have responded to the government’s efforts, collaborating and establishing channels with the industry, while presenting students with an incredible opportunity to step into a career path of their choice.
Business students are some of the most sought-after graduates in the world, with business affecting almost all walks of life and employment. Masters of Business will leave university with the ability to break into any industry across the world. Young entrepreneurs are driving a new wave of optimism among the sector, with the likes of FinTech and InsurTech attracting record investments in the technology space.
Below are four business schools in the APAC region that boast exceptional graduate programs…
MONASH BUSINESS SCHOOL, MONASH UNIVERSITY – AUSTRALIA
As one of the world’s leading business schools, the Monash Business School, Australia is internationally-recognised for its excellence in education and research. Monash Business is one of a few business schools worldwide that has the renowned ‘triple accreditation’ of AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA – placing it in the top one percent of business education providers on the globe.
Here, students are encouraged to enrol in the award-winning Mastering Academic and Research Skills (MARS) program, which has been specifically-designed for graduate coursework students. Modules and resources support the development of a student’s academic and research skills that are required for success in graduate study. The program aims to help students recognise and develop key expertise, develop effective reading, note-taking and critical thinking strategies, as well as learn effective exam preparation and performance skills.
Monash Business School is ranked number one in the Asia-Pacific region for econometrics; cognitive and behavioural economics; and development economics. The school is also rated five stars for accounting, auditing and accountability, econometrics, and marketing.
Monash University is committed to preparing its students for life after study, and has introduced the Student Futures program to identify and demonstrate key employability skills. Business School students also have access to tailored seminars and workshops delivered by a range of industry professionals to support career development skills and goals.
ASIA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS IN COLLABORATION WITH MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT – MALAYSIA
The Asia School of Business in Malaysia is focused on producing transformative and principled leaders who help advance the emerging business world.
Working hand-in-hand with the MIT Sloan School, the ASB MBA program delivers a curriculum interconnected with management practices, fostering entrepreneurship, innovation and critical thinking through active interaction among industry, government, faculty and other students. Students are presented with the chance to master state-of-the-art management tools and learn the intrinsic details of global business dynamics.
Action Learning is one of the most distinctive features of the ASB MBA program, where students get to work on real business challenges – using the knowledge and skills of a team – to assess and interpret old and familiar concepts, create new solutions and learn vital skills to transfer into the working world.
Students spend a third of their 20 month full-time curriculum on-site, working with the school’s partners in different countries to tackle business challenges, generating valuable experience for both the students and their host companies. The tools and frameworks that a student learns through this program will immediately be applied in their specific projects in collaboration with their host companies.
Professor Eric So, Accounting at Asia Business School, says: “The ASB students are an absolute joy to teach. Their intelligence, hard work, and passion for learning are both inspiring and impressive. It is clear that the ASB has created an institution that fosters intellectual engagement for future leaders of the international community.”
LEE KONG CHIAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY – SINGAPORE
The Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB) is an innovative learning environment where students are exposed to excellence in teaching and facilities. Small class sizes, flexibility in course specialisation, and engaged teaching styles underpin the School’s philosophy, providing pupils with the perfect platform for success in later life.
Through programs of global exposure and community service, the School prepares students to become future leaders of society. With one of the best track records for employment success in the APAC region, the School excels in graduation preparation.
LKCSB boasts an ever-expanding array of post graduate programmes, including an MBA, Executive MBA and general and specialist Master’s programmes in a range of subjects. Each programme is designed for greater specialisation and industry-orientated skills, working with students to secure their desired career.
The School’s courses boast an impressive record in the global rankings: The Master of Science in Wealth Management (MWM) is ranked first in Asia and third in the world by The Financial Times in its 2017 Masters in Finance post-experience ranking, incorporating a unique overseas experience in Switzerland and the United States through partnerships with the Swiss Institute of Banking and Finance and Yale University. LKCSB is also ranked in the top 10 universities in Asia for its Msc Applied Finance and Executive MBA courses.
The School is home to 130 standing faculty, who are leaders in their respective fields of research and education. Teachers collaborate with industry professionals and government officials to bring real life exposure to the lecture halls.
HKUST BUSINESS SCHOOL, HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY – HONG KONG
Ranked as one of the top three business schools in Far East Asia, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) strives to advance global business knowledge, develop the new wave of business entrepreneurs, and contribute to the economic and social advancement of the Asia-Pacific region.
To maintain its position as a leader in global business studies, the School constantly sets new standards for research and teaching. Faculty and students work side-by-side to understand and analyse the world’s latest business trends, formulating new ideas and research topics. HKUST is renowned for producing graduates who have gone on to achieve successful careers and world-class entrepreneurs, business executives, scholars and community leaders.
MBA students at the HKUST Business School are challenged to be open-minded, assertive, principled and adaptable to a range of cultural contexts. Students are taught vital business skills to operate successfully in today’s multicultural global economy – preparing them to manage businesses across Asia and the rest of the world. International research at the School highlights its unique Asian perspective with a particular focus on mainland China.
The School is set across a beautiful 60-hectare site in the picturesque Clear Water Bay, ensuring a safe and relaxing environment for its students, who are presented with the perfect study conditions.
*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International