How to make the most of international opportunities while studying abroad

Sponsored by AGSM @ UNSW Business School  

Studying an MBA abroad has many benefits. You’ll gain international business experience and develop a global professional network, while developing the skills you’ll need to become a leader in business. 

During your MBA studies, you’ll be offered numerous opportunities to take advantage of your business school’s international partnerships and connections. 

AGSM @ UNSW Business School partners with over 100 of the world’s elite business schools, providing unique opportunities for AGSM MBA students to build global business connections by working and studying abroad. 

Here are five ways you can make the most of international experiences while studying an MBA abroad. 

Take advantage of your university’s networks 

Networks and partnerships with other business schools can provide exclusive opportunities for exchanges and networking. When deciding where to study your MBA, take into account the business school’s international networks. 

AGSM, for example, is a member of two international business school networks: the Partner in International Management (PIM) network and the Global Network for Advanced Management (GNAM). 

The Partner in International Management (PIM) network includes  65+ top business schools around the world which encourage international cooperation by setting up exchange opportunities for students. 

Whereas, AGSM is the only Australia-based member of the Global Network for Advanced Management (GNAM). Made up of more than 32 of the world’s leading business schools. GNAM also organises the Global Network Weeks and Global Network Courses as part of your MBA qualification.  

Study a short intensive course at another university  

Saloni Garg, Senior Analytics Consultant, MYOB, AGSM MBA 2020, completed an International Exchange to The University of Chicago Booth School of Business 

Short intensive courses bring together MBA candidates from business schools around the world, making them the perfect place to expand your international perspective and grow your business network. 

AGSM is offering five Global Network Weeks from now until June 2024. These are an opportunity for AGSM MBA students to pursue an intensive study course at another GNAM partner school, such as Yale School of Management in the United States, IE Business School in Spain, HEC Paris in France, ESMT Berlin in Germany, the National University of Singapore Business School, and many more.  

The course will last five days and during this time students attend classes, tour local businesses and meet with experts who are focused on current business problems for their industry and respective country. The Global Network Weeks are great for students with busy work schedules to include an international component within their degree.  

Alternatively, AGSM MBA students can sign up for a Global Network Course. This is a for-credit, fully online course offered by a member school of GNAM. The courses connect students from multiple member schools online for lectures, discussions and collaborative team projects.  

Take part in an international exchange 

For many students, taking part in an international exchange with another university is a memorable experience that encourages them to immerse themselves in new ways of teaching and pick up valuable skills.  

The international exchange programme is an important component of AGSM’s MBA programme. As an active member of the PIM and GNAM networks, AGSM welcomes international exchange students from their partner universities around the world.  

MBA candidates are invited to study up to four electives at the UNSW’s picturesque Sydney campus on the east coast of Australia, where they’ll be near the central business district and just five kilometres from the iconic Bondi Beach.  

Of course, this also works the other way around, with AGSM MBA students who can study abroad at some of the most prestigious business schools in the world. 

“An exchange programme allows you to really build on the broad foundation that AGSM has set for you and to really go deep and specialise in the courses that interest you. This really helps give you a holistic, 360-degree approach to business,” said Bradford Swartz, EU CF Sustainability Senior Programme Manager at Amazon Luxembourg, an AGSM MBA 2019 alumnus who took part in an exchange programme to IE Business School in Spain. 

The industry connections 

Woo Kim, Senior Operations Manager, Amazon UK, AGSM MBA 2019, completed an International Exchange to London Business School. 

Another major benefit of studying at a business school with a network of connections is the access you’ll have to industry contacts. Your business school’s career centre will help you build these professional relationships. 

For example, the Career Accelerator @ AGSM team hosts annual events and networking opportunities for MBA students to connect with industry representatives. It’ll also help you secure a paid internship or project in your chosen industry to help you demonstrate your skills and knowledge to potential employers. 

The AGSM Connect platform, Student Intranet, provides 24/7 access to a career toolkit, comprised of AI-powered resume and LinkedIn reviews, online case practice tools, and a range of other innovative resources to support your career journey. 

“The AGSM MBA programme not only taught me the skills and the know-how to succeed in my future career but it also gave me opportunities to explore other industries as well,” said Woo Kim, Senior Operations Manager, Amazon UK, AGSM MBA 2019 alumnus (pictured above).  

Enhance your degree with a master’s programme at a university abroad 

Firat Uenlue, Senior Consultant, Altman Solon California US, AGSM MBA 2021, completed the dual degree AGSM MBA / Yale MAM programme. 

If your business school offers an option to combine your MBA degree with a second master’s degree at a different university, this is a great chance to expand your skillset while enjoying the benefits of studying abroad. 

AGSM @ UNSW Business School offers students the opportunity to combine their MBA degree with a second degree at Yale University as part of their Master of Advanced Management (MAM) programme. The Yale School of Management programme gives aspiring global leaders a chance to enhance their exposure to, and understanding of, international business and societal functions. 

Firat Uenlue, Senior Consultant, Altman Solon California US, AGSM MBA 2021 alumnus (pictured above), said one of the best things about the AGSM MBA / Yale MAM programme was how he benefited differently from each one.  

“Having the chance to complete two master’s degrees from two global business schools and accessing international networking opportunities was really appealing,” he says.  

“As a MAM student, you have access to the entire Yale course catalogue,” he said. “I found it hard to limit myself to just management classes – I ended up studying public health, constitutional theory and entrepreneurship in art and worked on projects using data science to predict Middle Eastern election results and consulting with an Indian NGO.” 

Lead image: GSM GNAM June 2019, Digital Marketing in Asia-Pacific course covering digital marketing strategy, market intelligence and customer analytics.