Written for current and future MBA candidates by Justin O'Brien in his role as MBA Director for Royal Holloway University of London full time and distance learning MBA programmes.
The Royal Holloway University of London offers a very appealing MBA programme with the following key differentiators;
Interactive learning that draws on academic expertise and extensive peer industry experience
Week long cross-cultural study tour to a European city
Leafy campus
Quiet leafy campus, allowing concentration on studies, but easy access
to central London for rich cultural and social entertainment options
Highly diverse cohort - one of the UK leaders for diversity - wide range nationalities, business experience and gender balance (rare on MBA)
Quality assurance signified by AMBA (Association of MBAs) accreditation
Strong MBA identity and extensive formal and social interactions allows
profound friendships to develop and long lasting network creation
Culturally diverse
End of programme live business consultancy challenge, (real business,
real question) putting theory into practise by demonstrating group
problem solving
Skill development in the context of multi-facetted business engagement,
with a range of interesting companies
Growing alumni networks around the world, particularly useful for internationally oriented careers
Strong international reputation for critical and international research, challenging examination of theory
Networking in action
Industry speakers, professional body events, business engagement exercises and company visits offered across the year
Stunning campus environment
Royal Holloway is a friendly and safe mid-sized campus university, its human scale allows you to feel part of things very quickly
The School of Management has a leading international research reputation that supports the global resonance of the University of London brand – nobody asks “Where is that ?”
Dynamic student group
Study at a very modern, dynamic business school located in the heart of a beautiful and clean campus, with a long heritage as a place of higher level learning that dates back to Queen Victoria. Offers a big wow factor for visiting family members and friends
Stimulating and life changing learning within a boutique sized, highly international and diverse peer group of experienced professionals drawn from a wide industry base. Experience extensive in class interactions in intimate MBA only classes where you can really get to know the professors and develop MBA friends-for-life
Alumni experience sharing
Theme based modules allow wider, deeper and more integrated learning approaches without the anxiety and pressure that can come from a battery of functionally silo oriented examinations
HP company visit, Sweden
The integrative week long international study visit (to a major European city) provides a powerful cross-cultural perspective on management learning
Business networking
Extensive opportunities for business engagement with a range of company visits, guest speakers, experiential learning and practical assignments. Lots of theory, but complemented by opportunities to apply new ideas and ways of thinking
A powerful mentor offer that is coordinated through the alumni team
The college liberal arts heritage is integrated into enrichment activities, including elements from drama and history academics as well as a wide range of campus community events, activities, clubs and associations
Drama class
Innovative, bespoke professional development programme supported by dedicated MBA careers advisor
Accreditation by the only widely recognized specialist MBA quality body, AMBA. Be confident that your MBA programme stands up to regular, independent quality assurance auditing
Tina Maratilova and Justin O'Brien, RHUL MBA graduation 2012
As you will have noticed, I am not a keen self-publicist & do not often choose to put up photos of yours truly up on this blog. However, thanks kindly to shared photos from Tina Maratilova (pictured to my left), who graduated at this summers Royal Holloway MBA ceremony on campus, I have a couple of photos to share that give a little sense of the pride graduates have during these festivities.
I always enjoy seeing the happy, smiling faces of former students who are often celebrating their success with close family members. It is also great to hear how everyone is getting on, about their new jobs and promotions.
Royal Holloway Distance Learning MBA/MSc students are given the choice of graduating either at one of the two central London University of London ceremonies or joining with other School of Management post graduates in the stunning Founders building. I still get tingly feelings down my back as part of the academic parade, we lead students through the amazing picture gallery and into the stunning golden chapel, where the graduates are formally presented with their awards.
A great piece supported by a super photo was featured on the 13th July 2012 about the distance learning MBA programme.
I'm not quite sure that everyone who gets an MBA automatically receives a promotion, but the remaining content paints a realistic picture of the kinds of candidates we have studying with us and why it is an attractive programme.
This year’s Hong Kong Group Project Plenary (for students studying
through HKU SPACE) brought together 31 students during 7-8 July 2012.
Students studying through HKU SPACE follow a different format for their
mandatory face-to-face contact; they attend
a series of weekend master classes offered by Royal Holloway staff in
Hong Kong throughout their studies. The Group Project then takes the
form of a weekend plenary session with activities similar to the
on-campus plenary at Royal Holloway. This year, we instituted
a new practice whereby the students were given one month ahead of the
plenary to work together in groups in order to prepare a Group Report
(for submission prior to the start of the plenary). The plenary session
itself then focused on the Group Presentation.
This year’s plenary case study was based on the ongoing competitive
struggles between Apple, Google and Microsoft in the converging Internet
industry. The plenary used a case published by the University of St
Gallen on this theme supplemented by a talk by Mr
Kenneth Woo, former COO, SAP China. Interestingly the plenary coincided
with several new developments in the converging Internet industry with
Apple, Microsoft and Google all announcing new products and services to
capture market share from each other! The
case raised interesting issues in relation to a range of disciplines
such as strategy, economics, marketing, operations and supply chains,
and technology.
The plenary also included a wine tasting session led by one of Hong
Kong’s pioneering female sommeliers, currently GM of the retail division
of the Altaya Group, Ms Yvonne Wang, as well as team building exercises
and group activities. The plenary ended on Sunday
night with dinner and celebrations at a local 'Chiu Chow' restaurant.
The Hong Kong plenary was ably supported by the local HKU SPACE team
consisting of Dr Wai Wan, Programme Director, and Mr Samuel Chu,
Executive Assistant at the College of Business and Finance, HKU Space.
Olga Zhukova, pictured presenting here during the recent Egham based distance learning plenary, was invited by Styling magazine to be interviewed for a photo story concentrating on her work and Royal Holloway, University of London distance learning MBA.
For a third consecutive time in as many years the Miller Brands, the UK operating arm of brewing giant SAB Miller offered a real business question for a management consultancy assessment designed for student groups from Royal Holloway to address.
Thirty six students drawn from all over the world worked in six groups during an intense week to make recommendations to Jonathan Bennett, Head of Corporate Affairs, Miller Brands UK, on the challenging question he posed on responsible marketing.
Students, who worked together in virtual teams for four weeks ahead of coming together in the newly extended School of Management building in Egham, found the question stimulating and challenging.
Dr Sigrun Wagner, who lead the student interaction, highlighted the high standard of work achieved by the multi-cultural groups, who had to work intensively from Monday to Friday to produce a coherent recommendation in the form of a 14 minute presentation.
"Students are at the end of a particularly demanding journey when they take on the capstone business consultancy project." stated Justin O'Brien, MBA Director, "combining family life with work is often challenging enough, but I take my hat off to these guys, who over a period of two to five years have devoted significant time to research, write course work and sit exams. The consultancy and dissertation are the final steps on this journey and this years cohort did extremely well, delivering highly polished pitches, worthy of a masters degree."
The last week in June 2012 saw the traditional 'plenary' (coming together) of distance learning students from the Royal Holloway, University of London MSc and MBA International Management programme. Week 1 is designed for students to benefit from an introduction to the College (this year they stayed in student dorms that transformed into an Olympic Rowing village the day after), to experience first hand some academic lectures from the teaching team, to engage with a variety of businesses and most importantly to build a wide range of friendships with fellow students from around the world.
A number of highly innovative business engagements were trialled for the first time on the Distance Learning programme, a visit to a leading amusement park and a Q&A session with the whole board of successful UK manufacturing company.
Students spent a day at Thorpe Park, (owned by global #2 Merlin Group), an amusement park that positions itself as the thrills capital of UK targeting teenagers and young adults with a range of wet and wild roller coasters, fast food franchises and traditional amusements. Having experienced some of the more extreme rides in the morning plenary participants spent the afternoon engaging with two members of the parks management team, challenged with coming up with ideas to recommend solutions to three key strategic questions.
Having run a successful AGM in Founders board room the nine strong board of directors of Norman Hay plc (an innovative UK based international manufacturing company that specialises in coatings processes) joined the plenary participants for a challenging interaction that invited student groups to make recommendations on how the company should invest for continued growth. With a wide range of industrial experience and drawn from markets all around the world the student groups were able to provide Peter Hay, Chairman of the group, and the board of directors with a number of salient recommendations.
Students combine busy family lives, usually working full time with a distance learning regime that relies on high levels of self-motivation. The opportunity to network with others, to make friends and to enjoy some social time is often cited as a highlight of the learning experience. The programme seeks to offer a variety of evening activities that this year included a visit to a traditional student pub, the chance to undertake some tourism in London, a Thames boat trip, a cricket club BBQ and a formal black tie gala dinner.
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