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The Student Insider

Building the South East Asia leadership pipeline

Date

Written by
Allie Fitzgibbon

Asia’s economy is ranked as having one of the highest GDP in the world. More than a third of the world’s unicorns hail from the region and while China and India top the list, the South East Asian economy is also thriving. However, to compete in a global market, economists stress the need for investment in leadership, particularly in homegrown talent.

Marina Bay, Singapore

A recent report from Google and Temasek predicted that South East Asia’s internet economy could grow to as much as $200 billion but stated the biggest challenge to this potential growth is the lack of leadership skills in the region. Top hires often come from the larger, more-developed markets of China and India.

The University of London’s Global MBA programme offers an opportunity for South East Asia’s professionals and entrepreneurs to gain the skills they will need as the start-up, and particularly tech, economy grows.

Students have the option to study the MBA fully online, taking advantage of the world-class Virtual Learning Environment to access their study materials, multimedia content and support from tutors and their fellow students. Alternatively, if you would prefer more support you can choose to study with one of the University of London’s Recognised Teaching Centres, including Amity Global Institute in Singapore.

We spoke to Dr Easwaramoorthy Rangaswamy, Principal & Provost of Amity Global Institute, about why more and more students are taking advantage of the flexible study options on offer with the Global MBA.

He said: “Demand for MBAs has increased markedly in recent years, not just in Singapore but throughout the ASEAN region. Amity does extremely well and student numbers from 2018 to 2019 have seen a six-fold increase.

“As more governments commit to increasing their citizens’ university participation rate, bachelor degrees will become commonplace. Consequently, more ambitious members of the workforce are turning to postgraduate qualifications like MBAs to uniquely differentiate themselves.”

Gender diversity aids the learning experience and subtly changes the dynamics of the classrooms.

While the normal gender split on MBA programmes is less than 40% female, according to the Financial Times, Amity’s cohort of Global MBA students has significantly more women – an impressive 57% - a statistic that Dr Rangaswamy is rightly proud of.

“We are so pleased as gender diversity aids the learning experience and subtly changes the dynamics of the classrooms.

“The majority of the students hold managerial positions at their workplaces, with more than a quarter being C-suite executives, Vice Presidents or Directors. This fosters quality networking and peer-to-peer learning in Amity’s collaborative learning spaces – both unique advantages that make the University of London’s Global MBA programme stand out.”

At a time when global disruptions such as COVID-19 force businesses to reflect on their future, individuals will need to critically evaluate their skills profile to boost their continued employability.

So why do students in Singapore choose to study a programme from the University of London?

Yen Chong said: “The University of London has maintained and sustained their reputation and continue to offer better education. Flexibility of the programme played an important role in my decision making when choosing a university.”

The University of London has an excellent reputation globally. Especially in Singapore, the University of London’s certificate has a high regard in the business community.

“University of London is a good brand to have in my educational background. With the flexibility of the programme, I can plan my own schedule and learn anytime, anywhere with convenience,” said Le Thi Phuong Thao. “You're able to earn University of London's Global MBA certification without the need to attend classes at a London-based campus. You don't need to quit your job to move to UK just to study.”

When asked why she decided to study the Global MBA programme, Sophia S. Lim said: “I was looking for an MBA programme which could give me some insights into various aspects of being top management and coincidentally, Amity was providing a very attractive scholarship offer for its University of London Global MBA programme so I signed up.

“The programme covers a broad spectrum of important topics which help to develop your knowledge. It is especially relevant for someone who is looking to move up in their work or someone like me who is already in a management position, and these learnings can be immediately applied to my work.”

Eric Tang said: "The University of London has an excellent reputation globally. Especially in Singapore, the University of London’s certificate has a high regard in the business community.

"I believe the University of London’s Global MBA programme and its rigorous curriculum will help me to develop essential skillsets and bring out the best version of myself.”

Dr Rangaswamy concluded: “At a time when global disruptions such as COVID-19 force businesses to reflect on their future, individuals will need to critically evaluate their skills profile to boost their continued employability. This is where the need for quality programmes with industry relevance will see demand.

“In an increasingly connected world, programmes compete on a global stage. Choosing the right programme for you frankly boils down to reputation, credibility, track record, duration and affordability. The University of London’s Global MBA with teaching support by Amity delivers in all these key areas.”

Find out how you can develop world-class business acumen and join the next generation of business leaders in South East Asia with a Global MBA from the University of London.

This page was last updated on 13 November 2023