19 September, 2022
QUT Business School recently hosted the annual Global Innovation Challenge (GIC) at our inner-city Brisbane campus.
The GIC is an intensive two-week program where high-performing Master of Business students from eight internationally accredited business schools come together to solve a real-world industry challenge.
This project-based challenge aims to prepare students to work with innovative projects in diverse multi-national teams. Students experience innovative teaching and learning practices, real-world learning and cross-cultural networking.
Postgraduate students from Germany, Taiwan, South Africa, Portugal, England, Norway, and the Netherlands took part in QUT’s programme. Thirty-six students participated on campus and online.
The students worked closely with South Bank Corporation to devise an innovative future for South Bank, Brisbane’s iconic riverfront destination.
Establishing real-world connections
A core part of the challenge had students working in groups, developing and pitching innovative concepts to elevate South Bank Corporation’s future presence.
South Bank is a premier lifestyle and cultural destination, with students working on a unique opportunity to define South Bank for future generations. During the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic games, it will also be on show to international visitors, sports stars and broadcast spectators.
For QUT Master of Business (Integrated Marketing Communication) student Natalie Wai Tsun Ho, having the opportunity to interact and learn directly from leading industry professionals was a significant motivating factor to take part in the challenge.
“After receiving the invitation to participate in the Global Innovation Challenge, I looked the course up online and noticed the covered content was information I had not learned before,” she said.
“This was intriguing to me, of course, but what really motivated me to participate in the challenge was the opportunity to engage and learn this new knowledge directly from leading industry professionals.”
Beyond the classroom, students were empowered to connect and collaborate with South Bank Corporation as they worked together on their innovative concepts.
“Having the opportunity to work closely with South Bank Corporation pushed me to succeed, as I knew that my recommendations to South Bank would be considered for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Natalie said.
“South Bank is the heart of Brisbane City, so being able to work with the talented people behind this renowned development project has been an honour for me.”
Developing future-focused skills
To help students develop their innovative concepts, QUT arranged lectures, panel discussions and off-campus industry showcases. Academics and industry professionals taught students the strategies and skills to predict and respond to future business scenarios across a variety of real-world business contexts.
Some of the concepts students learnt about included predictable and unpredictable futures, trend identification, scenario planning, opportunity framing, disruption, and entrepreneurship.
James Skidmore, a QUT Master of Business (International Business) student, said the knowledge and transferable skills he learned throughout the GIC would help build his career as an IT consultant.
“As I currently work within the consulting industry, this opportunity has provided me with further real-world consulting experience in a professional environment,” he said.
“We had short timeframes to ideate and deliver our ideas to a real business that runs and maintains an important part of Brisbane.
“Teamwork, negotiation, leadership, management, problem-solving, client and stakeholder engagement, and presentation skills are just some skills I learned and applied during the program.
“These skills are invaluable to any career you may have in the future.”
Elli Gardner, a QUT Master of Business (Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies) student, echoed this sentiment, explaining that she will be able to use new skills gained to run her non-profit organisation.
“The steep learning curve which has pushed me in directions of I would never have considered,” she said.
“I feel like my horizons have been broadened and I can’t wait to apply this in the sector I currently work.”
Building strong cross-cultural teams
Collaboration among peers was a vital element of the GIC as groups consisted of students from different study areas, universities, and countries.
The cross-cultural collaborative approach allowed team members to share knowledge, leverage strengths, and problem-solve effectively.
QUT Master of Business (International Business) student Nitin Koushik said he thoroughly enjoyed working with a culturally and academically diverse group of students.
“It’s interesting to know the diverse ideas and opinions different people bring to the table,” he said.
“As my group consisted of students from different cultural backgrounds, I was able to work, relate and adapt to a cross-cultural environment with the knowledge I gained through the Master of Business unit ‘Developing Cultural Intelligence'".
To find out more about QUT’s Global Innovation Challenge and other opportunities available in the Master of Business, please visit our website.