Jaqquline Lawrie, 30 November, 2022 | The Global Innovation Challenge (GIC) at BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo.
QUT's Master of Business offers many international experiences for students looking to gain a global perspective and an international edge.
Students can participate in exchanges, short-term programs, and international projects throughout their degree.
The benefits of adding an international experience to your degree include international exposure, academic credit towards your degree, real-world professional experience, and increased career opportunities.
One short-term program that’s offered exclusively to QUT Master of Business students is the Global Innovation Challenge (GIC).
The GIC is an intensive two-week program where Master of Business students from eight internationally accredited business schools come together to solve a real-world industry challenge.
This project-based challenge is one of a kind and offers students the opportunity to study abroad and work as external consultants with leading global organisations.
This year the GIC was held across four business schools:
- QUT in Brisbane, Australia
- BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo, Norway
- National Chengchi University, College of Commerce in Taipei, Taiwan
- Maastricht University School of Business and Economics in Maastricht, Netherlands.
Several QUT Master of Business students took part in this challenge internationally and participated at two of our overseas partner institutions.
Upon completing the GIC, we spoke with some students and an academic about the challenge and the personal and professional benefits of studying abroad.
Obtain a global perspective
Studying overseas is an opportunity of a lifetime that offers many professional and personal opportunities.
A core professional benefit students gain from studying abroad is an expanded worldview. Students who take part in international study opportunities gain exposure to foreign cultures and global perspectives in ways that cannot be obtained in the classroom or on holiday.
QUT Centre for Future Enterprise, Associate Professor Paula Dootson said the GIC was a fantastic opportunity for students to develop a global perspective and learn firsthand how businesses operate internationally.
“Programs like this are a great way for students to gain global experiences, exposure to new ways of approaching universal organisational challenges, and build global professional networks, all while simultaneously progressing their education,” she said.
Dr Dootson continued by saying, “additionally, working with an international company on a real-world project offers students a really credible, competitive advantage in the market to position themselves against other graduates who only have experience with hypothetical business scenarios.”
William Tsui, a QUT Master of Business (Applied Finance) student, said collaborating with students from other countries exposed him to a range of new cultures and perspectives.
“It was an experience that expanded the educational horizons of everyone who participated, with exposure to not just different cultures but also professional perspectives on approaching tasks and generally as a whole,” he said.
“It was a privilege to work with other international business professionals and look at projects from a different perspective that cannot be learnt or obtained in a domestic setting.”
For others like Timothy Johnson, a QUT Master of Business (Human Resource Management) student, collaborating with other international students lent itself to new ways of thinking.
“Being exposed to an international cohort of business students was one of the best parts of the GIC,” he said.
“Collaborating with other international students produced some fantastic ideas through the diversity of thought, experience, and skills.
Develop in-demand transferable skills
Studying abroad is an excellent opportunity for students looking to gain a competitive edge and kick-start their careers.
One of the leading career benefits of studying abroad is developing new transferable skills. Some skills students can gain studying abroad include intercultural communication, cultural awareness, adaptability, problem-solving, leadership and teamwork.
Timothy said studying abroad will make him more competitive in today's job market.
"Participating in this study abroad program allowed me to develop my skillset and broaden my perspective," he said.
"A few transferable skills I gained during the GIC included collaboration, in-depth analysis and change management.
“Professionally, the GIC was an amazing opportunity to learn more and to gain experience across a range of different business components.”
Likewise, transferable skills are just as crucial for people in leadership roles. William Tsui, a Senior Planning Analyst at the City of Gold Coast (CoGC) council, said the skills gained during the GIC would help him in his current role.
"The transferable skills I learnt during the GIC will help form part of a learning session I conduct for the CoGC, with elements of the course to be considered in the forecasting of sustainable urban development practice,” he said.
Create a global network of friends
One of the biggest personal benefits of studying abroad is making new friends from all over the world.
New international connections can be valuable, as they provide a support system of companions you can count on, even after your international experience has ended. For many students, these connections become lifelong friends too.
Dr Dootson said the GIC was a great way for students to connect with each other.
“The GIC helps to gather culturally diverse yet likeminded, driven students together, which is a great way to build friendships and future professional networks,” she said.
Timothy also echoed this sentiment and said making friends was one of his most enjoyable experiences studying abroad.
"Thanks to the GIC, I have made so many new friends from around the world," Timothy said.
"Spending free time exploring the city and walking along the Oslo Fjord with my international cohort was an extremely memorable experience that I will never forget."
To find out more about QUT’s Global Innovation Challenge and other opportunities available in the Master of Business, please visit our website.