Jaqquline Lawrie, 1 November, 2023 | QUT Executive MBA Students at SiemensGamesa
In today's interconnected business world, executives must confidently navigate international markets and lead effectively in complex environments. Our Executive MBA, offered in both Brisbane and Canberra, equips students for these challenges. In this program, students can tailor their studies to their executive goals, specialising in international leadership or complex program leadership and strategic procurement. Towards the end of their studies, they participate in an international study tour, a hands-on experience where they apply their knowledge to real-world projects.
As part of the complex program leadership and strategic procurement stream, a group of Executive MBA students recently completed a two-week immersive study tour in Europe. During this Complex Project Leadership (CPL) study tour, they collaborated with leading global organisations and tackled some of the world's most challenging projects.
Expanding horizons through global experiences
For Owner and Managing Director of Norweld Australia, Jaime McIntosh, taking part in QUT’s Complex Program Leadership (CPL) study tour was an easy choice.
“Participating in QUT’s Complex Program Leadership (CPL) study tour was a no-brainer for me,” he explained.
“Given my experience in a manufacturing company, I wanted to see the operations of world-class organisations and understand their systems and processes.
“Moreover, the CPL study tour subjects also tied in with my organisation's capabilities.”
Similar to Jaime, other participants also felt that the tour's content was directly applicable to their current professional roles and saw it as a valuable opportunity to enhance their professional growth.
Viviana Pena Mosquera, a Senior Project Manager at QUT, shared her motivations for joining the CPL Study Tour.
“I took part in QUT’s CPL Study Tour because of my longstanding interest in complex systems,” she said.
“As I advanced in my career, I wanted to learn more and be better prepared to tackle larger projects and handle increasingly complex problems.”
The CPL tour, designed for executives, provides students with valuable practical experience in managing the complexities of leading global organisations. To maximise the benefits of the experience, the content covered is designed to be directly applicable and relevant to each student's professional role.
Connecting with some of the world’s most complex projects
This year's CPL tour featured visits to four world-class organisations spanning various industries, spanning both England and Switzerland. These organisations were:
- Siemens Gamesa at the off-shore Hull Blade Factory in Hull, England. This global leader in the renewable energy industry presented the challenges of working towards a sustainable energy future, highlighting various technical and operational Net Zero initiatives.
- World Health Organisation (WHO) and GAVI in Geneva, Switzerland. The COVAX team, a part of the World Health Organization, a United Nations agency, that managed the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, presented the challenges of stakeholder engagement during a crisis.
- The Swiss National Museum in Zurich, Switzerland. Home of the largest cultural and historical collection in Switzerland presented the strategic challenges that museums are encountering in the context of the current digital transformation.
- Swiss Federal Rail at the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Bellinzona, Switzerland. The world’s longest and deepest tunnel presented the operational and technical complexities associated with a 100-year life-of-class asset, which a recent catastrophic derailment has exacerbated.
QUT Executive MBA students visiting the recently opened Multilingual Switzerland exhibition at the Swiss National Museum
John Bensley, the Director of the QUT MBA program, highlighted the advantages of QUT's Executive MBA’s annual study tour.
“As with previous year’s experiences, this year’s study tour provided an immersive and challenging opportunity for students to engage with a diverse range of complexities across diverse global contexts,” he said.
“QUT is pleased to be able to leverage a worldwide network of high-performing leaders working in a range of complex project contexts to support its highly ranked Executive MBA program and its continued focus on Complex Project Leadership.”
Learning with a lasting impact
For many of our students, the learnings and experience gained from taking part in the tour have already made a significant impact on their workplaces and careers.
For Jaime, the knowledge acquired from participating in the tour has already bolstered his organisation’s performance and market reputation.
“QUT’s CPL Study Tour has been profoundly transformative, providing unparalleled insights into global best practices,” he said.
“My immersion in diverse organisational cultures has greatly enhanced my organisation, Norweld's, operational efficiency and market reputation, positioning us as industry frontrunners.”
Similarly, Viviana expressed how the tour has positively affected her professional journey and expanded her horizons in terms of career possibilities.
“QUT's CPL Study Tour has enhanced my confidence and better equipped me to tackle complex projects,” she said.
“It also highlighted the multitude of work opportunities and career paths in other fields and industries that I had not considered before.
“I now feel more excited and confident to pursue more ambitious professional goals.”
Want to build your career confidence and leverage the learnings on the CPL study tour in an Executive MBA? Explore our Brisbane and Canberra programs.
