Putting “speed dating” and business networking together has created a new opportunity for graduating students at one of Australia’s top ranked business schools – the Australian School of Business (ASB) at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia.

The annual “Business Buzz” at the ASB allows top local and international students to engage face-to-face with successful alumni and industry experts to talk about career options, personal aspirations and the realities of working life after university – in 10-minute “speed dating” type meetings.

It’s one of many ways ASB connects its students to the real world of business success – and with other high achieving students from all over the world.

“Significant benefits flow from the company you keep”, says ASB Director (International), Sue Bennett-Williams, of the advantages of School’s combined strengths of close ties to Australian, regional and international businesses, its range of expert guest lecturers and its reputation for excellence across teaching and research. The ASB received a maximum A1 ranking in Australian Government quality assessments for 2010, as well as the maximum five year EQUIS accreditation, the internationally-recognised quality standard for higher education. 

That reputation is built on a continuous program of improvement and innovation, which means the ASB can respond effectively to changes in the business environment to ensure graduate skills match the demands of a globalised job market, and reflect the shift of economic growth to the Asia region.  That determination is underpinned by UNSW’s core goal of producing “global citizens” ready for a globalised economy and workforce.

The ASB’s undergraduate and postgraduate programs cover the key disciplines of accounting, actuarial studies, business law, economics, marketing, information systems, organisation and management, strategy and entrepreneurship and taxation. Also offered are Australia’s top-ranked AGSM MBA and AGSM Executive programs, which also feature within the UK Financial Times world’s top 40 list.

The School is currently implementing its ASB 2015 strategic vision, which was formulated after applying the same rigorous evaluation processes the corporate world uses to help companies stay on top.

Among its top priorities ASB 2015 identified new, top-level partnerships with leading international universities, particularly in the Asia Pacific region, and an expanded program of international exchanges as well as real “in-situ” business experiences through local and international internships. For students unable to travel for extended periods, a new short term option led by an ASB academic will take students to some of the world’s leading business schools for three week stints.

The ASB already has a strong partnership with the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, ranked number 1 in the world for 2011 by the UK Financial Times. The ASB is part of the influential Knowledge@Wharton project, an online journal with over 1.3 million subscribers in 200 countries which explains the relevance and impact of key business and economic issues. The ASB produces Knowledge@ASB, with a special focus on the Asia Pacific region.

“We are on the edge of Asia and Asia will be the biggest game in town (economically),” says ASB Dean, Professor Alec Cameron.

“A sharpened focus on Asia is not a choice, it’s a responsibility. Every Australian business graduate needs to understand the opportunity on our doorstep. And, if we want to maintain our international standing and continue to attract high quality students from around the world, we need to have something meaningful to say about the region in which we live.”

The ASB meets the three top issues that international students identified as important in a major survey: reputation, quality and location. Students are also attracted by special services such as the ASB’s dedicated careers consultant and opportunities such as the ASB annual career expo and the right to work part-time in Australia while studying.

“This is a long term decision for many students and their families,” he says. 

“We believe the ASB has well documented credentials when it comes to reputation and quality. As for location, Sydney is not just a great city to live and study in, but it is the place to be for business networking – because all the major corporate entities are headquartered here, including many multi-nationals.”

For further information about the University of New South Wales contact:
T.  +61 2 9385 6996
E.  internationaloffice@unsw.edu.au
W. www.international.unsw.edu.au

For further information about the Australian School of Business contact:
T. +61 2 9385 3507
E. businessinfo@unsw.edu.au 
W. www.asb.unsw.edu.au

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