Monash University closing the digital business gap

AS businesses and organisations make the digital leap, Malaysian employers are seeking tech-savvy workers with digital expertise and skills.

A 2023 study by Amazon Web Services and Gallup found that 78 per cent of Malaysian employers surveyed had positions available for workers with digital skills, but 85 per cent found it difficult to source the talent they needed.

Acknowledging this critical gap in the workforce, Monash University Malaysia’s School of Business has launched three new business programmes to build future-forward workers equipped with digital knowledge and tools.

Students can now explore new majors in FinTech and Digital Marketing (under the Bachelor of Business and Commerce), whilst working professionals looking to upskill themselves can opt for the Master of Digital Business.

Senior lecturer Dr Mohammed Sharaf Shaiban said the FinTech major is suitable for students with a passion for technology, finance and entrepreneurship.

“FinTech is about innovative approaches to technology and finance, finding solutions for financial services and needs. Our major is well-developed, and students will learn how to navigate the FinTech world effectively and efficiently,” he said.

The major is an interdisciplinary course with a focus on emerging markets, covering cyber law and tax, statistics and econometrics, data analysis, banking, finance and FinTech.

Students can look forward to learning relevant skills in soughtafter fields such as quantitative modelling, blockchain, coding and machine learning.

“Graduates with this major can explore myriad career opportunities in start-ups and entrepreneurship, financial institutions and markets, consultancies and even non-profit organisations fostering socioeconomic impact,” Dr Shaiban added.

For those passionate about marketing in the digital era, the School of Business has also introduced a Digital Marketing major. This major aims to build confident digital marketers who can translate information into insights, make strategic marketing decisions and succeed in a virtual, borderless world.

“Students will be required to work with a specific industry or client to tackle real-world digital marketing challenges,” said marketing lecturer Dr Racheal Louis Vincent.

The major covers diverse topics such as social media marketing and search engine marketing, and is especially suited for those seeking to start their own business through digital platforms.

“The knowledge and skills offered are global, transferable and stackable. We also make learning engaging and fun! For example, one of our assessments is a TikTok challenge,” Dr Louis Vincent said.

At the postgraduate level, the School of Business has also developed a holistic option for working professionals looking to lead digital transformation of businesses and organisations.

The Master of Digital Business (MDigBus) aims to provide working professionals with the expertise and confidence to be change agents and leaders of digital transformation in their workplaces.

Director of Graduate Coursework Studies Dr Andrei Kwok said businesses have embarked on digitalising operations and services.

“[We are] one of the few institutions offering a Master’s programme specialising in digital business. Every unit has been carefully curated to ensure that skills acquired enhance and equip students for digital business,” he said.

The MDigBus offers flexibility catered for working professionals looking to upskill and close the digital gap, with full-time and part-time options available.

“Today’s employees need to understand business in the digital arena; beyond business skills, they need to be familiar with cyber law, analytics and more,” Dr Kwok said.

Staying ahead of the curve, the School of Business is also ensuring graduates are future-proof with the inclusion of text and data analytics in its latest offerings.

Econometrics and Business Statistics Professor Erniel Barrios explained that in this digital age, knowing how to translate information into insights is essential.

“Business analytics is a systematic way of mining useful information from data and translating it into insights for strategic decision-making in business,” he said, adding that students with a strong foundation in this area can easily navigate the global context.

The FinTech and Digital Marketing majors, as well as MDigBus, incorporate business analytics based on its relevance to the field of study.

With an emphasis on research excellence and quality education, the School of Business is one of the few in Malaysia offering AACSB-accredited programmes, a prestigious recognition held by less than 6 per cent of business schools worldwide.

Its latest offerings seek to build highly-skilled business leaders who will thrive in this digital age – and that could be you.

Learn more about the School of Business’ programmes at www. monash.edu.my/business.