Waikato University MBA broadens horizons and leadership skills.
You could say Jeremy Harwood is a busy man. He is a Director, Senior Analyst for Westpac and a father, husband, avid surfer, with a senior belt in taekwondo.
So why, every second Saturday, does he jump in his car and drive from Tauranga to the Waikato Management School in Hamilton to study for an MBA degree? It’s because he’s eager to grow his leadership knowledge and capabilities while connecting with others.
Leadership is one of the key qualities that can be enhanced by the Waikato MBA degree. Harwood, 37, has always had a keen interest in business strategy. Having grown up in Te Puke and completed a management degree at Waikato in 2010, Harwood wants to use the knowledge and capabilities he has gained from his MBA to become a “flexible and effective senior leader, who will help run the business, rather than just working in the business”.
“I wanted to shift my focus from being an analytical technical specialist to become a well-rounded manager, with a strategic view of the issues facing businesses on a daily basis and a broader understanding of all business functions,” he says.
He is loving his experience of the Waikato MBA programme so far: “It is fantastic. Our cohort is full of awesome people who are really open and keen to learn. I am enjoying hearing everyone’s perspectives on different topics; it’s really refreshing to look at things from a different angle and understand what people in other industries care about.
“Despite living in Auckland at the time, I was attracted to the Waikato MBA programme because the Waikato Management School has a great reputation, and some very well-respected business leaders that I have come across in my career are alumni of the programme,” he says.
The programme can be completed in two years part-time, or three years for a better work-life balance.
Managing his job and all his other interests in life is not easy but Harwood says: “The MBA has been a huge undertaking so far, it is a lot of work … especially while also trying to manage a busy job and young family. But overall I am really enjoying myself.
“I have found the lecturers to be very experienced and engaging, helpful, and understanding of the various pressures on students. It is a really well-organised programme, right down to the amazing job that Helen, our programme assistant, does to ensure we’re all fed and taken care of during class.”
Harwood is one of four MBA students awarded $4000 each as part of the Waikato Management School MBA Emerging Leadership Awards – and now Waikato University is looking forward to welcoming more MBA students for 2024.
Dr Nadia Trent, Director of the Waikato MBA programme, says leadership is one of the fundamental pillars of the Waikato MBA programme: “Your leadership isn’t just at work – it’s who you are, it’s in what you do as a person, in your whānau and family, and in your community.”
This holistic approach is reflected in the supportive culture of the Waikato MBA, she says, where students build strong connections with one another, as evidenced by Harwood’s comments.
“What we are extremely proud of in the Waikato MBA programme is the cohort experience that we offer students,” she says. “It’s a smaller group with a real ‘family vibe’, facilitated by face-to-face teaching.”
The Waikato MBA programme is shaped around students working to find solutions for various challenges within an organisation. It employs a holistic, cross-disciplinary viewpoint to ensure the learning experience is not only well-rounded and relevant, but directly relevant to the changing world of work.
The learning experience encompasses a mix of internationally trained academics and local business practitioners as teachers and guest speakers.
Trent says the MBA provides managers with frameworks and skillsets to ensure they can confidently approach the challenges that organisations are facing. “It ensures they know how to be resilient and agile leaders who can comfortably approach positive disruptions to their organisations, facilitate change and create value in their organisations while acknowledging the national and global contexts.”
The programme is ideal for professionals (middle managers) looking to step into more senior roles; technical or professional specialists moving into positions that require broader management knowledge and business owners looking to add best-practice knowledge to their practical expertise. There are also options to enter the programme with no formal tertiary study.
Other factors:
- Waikato Management School is ranked in the top 1 per cent of business schools globally with its prestigious Triple Crown Accreditation.
- Hybrid teaching: The Waikato MBA is taught face-to-face on alternate Saturdays plus online sessions on Wednesday evenings - brings the best of both approaches together.
- Competitive fees – check out Feesfree.govt.nz to see if you are eligible for funding.
- International study tour
- High impact research project – students draw on everything they have learned in the MBA to conduct applied research and write an indepth report on a topic that will deliver real value to their own organisation, or the business sector.
- MBA Case Competition
- Live case assignments in class
- Students enjoy real-world learning experiences thanks to Waikato Management School’s close links with senior business leaders across New Zealand.
- Networking and industry engagement opportunities
- Emerging Leaders Award to fund up to $4000 towards your MBA tuition fees
- Individualised, student-focused service
For more information, visit Waikato.ac.nz/go/mba