I still remember the night when I received an email saying that I had been accepted into the Murdoch University MBA programme. It was like a dream come true! I strongly believe that this programme can inspire me to combine sport and business for ideas that will enhance the sporting fraternity in Singapore.

Of all the subjects, I liked the Business, Society and the Environment unit the most, as it illuminates serious global issues like climate change resulting from mankind’s crossing of planetary boundaries, and how the government and businesses can work hand in hand to address these whole-of-nation issues collectively.

Leading the Engaged Enterprise unit is another favourite of mine, as it challenged my mental model and changed my initial thoughts about the idea of real leadership. I also learnt to manage the creative tension between my vision and current reality, to help me achieve my goals.

During the course, it was challenging to balance studies, family responsibilities and work commitments – especially when many deadlines would clash. Thankfully, through the programme, I learned to master “ambidexterity”, which is the ability to manage paradoxes and be efficient in one’s management of today’s demands as well as being adaptive to changes in the environment simultaneously.

To me, obtaining an MBA Degree is about personal development, acquiring knowledge and networking. I am in my 40s, but in the spirit of lifelong learning, age is just a number. I believe the five distinctions I have achieved in my transcript says it all.

My advice to those thinking of pursuing a Postgraduate Degree is to be mentally prepared to live a period of your life like most people will not, so that you can enjoy a life most people cannot. The most difficult part of the journey is to overcome the inertia in taking that first step. Once you overcome it, the rest is history.

What drove me to pursue a Postgraduate Degree was the desire to remain competitive in the market, to upgrade myself, and for career progression. To me, an educational qualification is a form of personal development. While different from a professional accreditation (which would be relevant to my field of work), I see this as advantageous to have on my resume, as it is an accomplishment and reflects positively on one’s attitude to learn and advance.

As my role is a corporate function, the knowledge I gained during the programme is useful to my work. When speaking with commercial partners, I can understand and relate to them, and am able to provide feasible solutions. The programme has also helped me to develop my strategic thinking.

It was a good experience being back in a classroom setting (whether online or in-person), learning alongside students from different backgrounds but with the same motivations and objectives. I heard about and learned from their experiences and gained different perspectives on the best way to perform my work duties. I also had a great time working with different teammates – we supported each other to get the work done.

Getting a Postgraduate Degree has been on my checklist for some time and it was one of my New Year resolutions for 2020. I decided to pursue the degree to gain deeper insights into the human resources industry and increase my HR competency. As HR roles are becoming increasingly specialised and diverse, having a double masters would help me get ahead.

As a HR professional, attaining a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management would help me stay updated on the current HR trends, and increase my expertise in the different focus areas of HR. This is extremely valuable as I will be able to apply my learning directly to my role.

The programme is relevant to the changing business environment, with real-world case studies and discussion topics that enhance our critical thinking skills and teach us to be great problem-solvers! The many groupwork assignments let me engage with classmates from other industries – this cross-learning allows us to learn from each other, beyond what is taught in the classroom. Networking with my classmates and lecturers also allows me to develop valuable relationships that would help me advance in the professional world.

Postgraduate studies can be very demanding, especially when you also work full-time. But I have managed to juggle between work and studies by developing a realistic study plan and schedule. Overall, it has been a great experience – productive, educational, and fun!

I had completed my Master of Science in Marketing during the pandemic and decided to further fortify my credentials by pursuing a Murdoch University MBA Degree in 2020, both at Kaplan in Singapore. I wanted to sharpen my business acumen and broaden my horizons across leadership, finance and strategy domains.

My job requires me to work extensively with C-suite leadership, including the marketing, finance, corporate strategy, human resources and operations teams. My team plays a pivotal role in driving the organisation’s marketing strategy by providing valuable insights to cross-functional teams for performance steering. So, it is a huge plus if I can understand their lingo and appreciate their perspectives. This would allow us to collaborate better and work towards a common goal.

During the MBA programme, I addressed real-world business challenges, which honed my ability to see beyond my role and understand how organisations operate. This also increased my exposure to diverse perspectives on global, social and business issues as I collaborated with peers whose backgrounds, experiences and career goals differ from mine.

Given that I work in a super fast-paced environment, the MBA programme’s flexible schedule and highly relevant course content, that balances theoretical and experience-based learning in both a classroom and ‘real-world setting’, allowed me to complete the programme in a way that was suited to my work commitments.

Birmingham City University, First Class Honours Graduate (2020)

As a former Interior Designer, making a career switch was not easy, but possible through effort and perseverance. I chose Birmingham City University as it provided a fast yet challenging pace of learning and gave me the flexibility to juggle between work and study, helping me to improve on my organisational skills.

I studied for the Bachelor of Arts in International Marketing, which is a 100% assignment-based programme. It gave me the opportunity to enhance my knowledge of the subject and was a progression after the completion of my Diploma in Digital Marketing at Kaplan (in Singapore).

My Degree gave me a great overview of and insight into how the world of digital marketing works. It involves thinking outside the box, which has enhanced my creativity. The online learning class experience also allowed me to spend more time with my loved ones as I had classes at home, and we were encouraged to ask unlimited questions when in doubt.

My reason for pursuing a postgraduate degree was a bit different. Since I am already at the top of my organisation, pursuing the MBA would not have elevated my position at work. As cliché as it sounds, I wanted to hone the necessary professional skills and foster my personal development.

I believe that postgraduate studies are not just a means to a better job or different career path. For students with a genuine passion for a particular topic or area of research – for me, that would be my wellness business – advanced degrees provide the ideal platform to delve deeper.

In classes, my participation was sincerely welcomed. I learnt that you do not always have to be right. In fact, it is good to be wrong sometimes – you will always be learning more and advancing your ideas. My favourite module was Business, Society and the Environment. I thoroughly enjoyed engaging in discursive debates on climate change, as well as how businesses have impacted the climate. In fact, after graduation, I went straight to developing a project incorporating the goals of sustainability, which hopefully can be shared with the public by the third quarter.

I also discovered that incorporating responsible business practices are no longer just a ‘nice to have’, but an essential part of any business venture. Regardless of the size of a company, we all have a part to play to give back to society. Little drops of water make the mighty ocean, and every effort counts.

Having been trained in the hard sciences as a doctor, I felt that I needed to gain a business perspective of the healthcare industry as I was working as an Assistant Medical Director at the time, and later, as a Senior Manager (Operations).

Thus, I decided to pursue an MBA programme to acquire the theoretical fundamentals on running a business. The decision to pursue the programme at Murdoch University was a fruitful one, as it allowed me to function more efficiently as a healthcare administrator. The technical skills I learned through modules such as Accounting, and Business Finance allowed me to better make sense of balance sheets and profit and loss (P&L) statements, which I encounter in my course of work.

What I like most about the programme is that it gave me the flexibility to complete the modules at my own pace. Additionally, the modules were well-taught by the lecturers, who were both knowledgeable and engaging. My advice to those considering taking up a Postgraduate Degree is, do not hesitate to take up the MBA programme at Murdoch University, as it is a proven programme which will adequately arm you with the knowledge and technical skills on business administration.

Royal Holloway, University of London 1st Class Honours Graduate (2020)

In comparison to other universities, Royal Holloway, University of London is a member of the University of London (UOL) federation and offers the opportunity to achieve a direct Honours Degree with Distinction. The University also offers dual specialisation programmes, allowing me to study for two majors instead of one, giving me a competitive edge over my peers. This was the best of both worlds, so I opted to study a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Management with Marketing (Top-up) Degree programme with RHUL.

I liked how the texts provided in this programme reflect current business and marketing trends, enabling me to comprehend industry-relevant theories, business models and practices. Our group projects were industry-focused instead of academic-focused, honing our creative thinking, and we were taught to consider what potential clients would like instead of what our professors would want to see. In a way, I felt that the classroom simulated an actual working environment and that the various group assignments allowed me to learn to work with people of different backgrounds, who would bring different insights to the team, similar to how we would work with diverse colleagues in the working world.

Another benefit of this programme is that it is based on the UK’s curriculum, meaning that its context is international and not limited to just Singapore. This opens your eyes to the global trends and equips you with insights of the different business landscapes around the world.

Studying this Degree programme has allowed some of my new clients and business associates/partners to form a better impression of me. For example, when I am consulted on certain matters, the Degree title on my business card gives them the confidence to be more receptive to my business proposals. I have managed to achieve a 20% pay increment from my previous sales position to a new role that I have applied for in the same company.