Global Mobility Programs 2008
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 13 - 26 July 2008
The Melbourne GSM ran its second Global Mobility Program to Kuala Lumpur from the 12 – 25 July. 18 high achieving Masters students from across the Melbourne GSM successfully completed the program accompanied by Dr Andre Sammartino from the Department of Management and Marketing.
The program provided the students with valuable international work experience consulting on genuine business issues for Australian and Malaysian companies including an investment bank, an engineering firm, HR consultants and a convention centre.
The projects ranged from marketing based projects to business development and system adaptation projects. The students worked in teams and presented their findings and recommendations to senior company executives on the final day. The presentations were highly impressive, with the companies very pleased with the calibre of the students and the hard work they put into their projects. Feedback from the companies indicated that they intended to implement some of the recommendations proposed by the students. Other activities during the two-week program included a weekend sightseeing trip to Melaka and an introductory lecture series at exchange partner university, the University of Malaya.
Bangkok, Thailand, February 2008
Melbourne GSM ran its inaugural Global Mobility Program to Thailand in February 2008 to enhance students’ understanding of the globalised economy and boost their professional career opportunities.
Four Melbourne GSM students who took part in the program were Christopher Greig, Hanisha Lalwani, Vi Phuong and Wenbo Liu. The students were accompanied by Dr Danielle Chmielewski from the Department of Management and Marketing.
The fourteen-day program provided participants with the opportunity to be exposed to true Thai culture and business customers. The trip included:
- A cultural sightseeing component
- A two-day introductory lecture series at Thammasat University and;
- An eight day work placement with a high-profile Bangkok based company to solve a real business problem.
The program was designed to provide the students with some work experience that exposed them to international work practices and provided them with access to a global network of valuable contacts. The two Bangkok-based companies that participated in the work placement program were Touchwood Asia Co., Ltd (a private Forestry investment company) and MSIG Insurance.
The program ended with students presenting their findings and recommendations to their Board of Directors on the final day of the placement. The presentations were highly impressive, both companies were extremely pleased with the calibre of the students and the hard work they put into their projects. Both companies also intended to implement some of the recommendations proposed by the students.
This program offers an exceptional opportunity for students to gain work experience and a global perspective simultaneously. An additional benefit of participation in such a program is that propective employers value global work experience and it is thus an excellent way for students to add value to their Curriculum Vitae and differentiate them from other job candidates.
The above photo was taken on 5 February 2008 during cultural tour of Jim Thomson's house.
From left to right: (Back row): Dr Danielle Chmielewski, Chris GReig, Stephanie Shepherd.
(Front row): Jane Chynoweth, Hanisha Lalwani, Wenbo Liu, Vi Phuong and Ediz Babacan.