The University of Auckland’s renowned MBA programme goes online
NZ’s premier university is now offering their MBA online, making it easier for ambitious professionals nationwide to access excellence.
MBA courses help people take their next step up the career ladder, upskill, and embark on a journey of self-improvement. As demand for further study grows across the globe, the University of Auckland has moved its flagship MBA programme online, opening up access to professionals across New Zealand and beyond.
The University of Auckland has revamped and redesigned its globally accredited MBA programme to make it more flexible than ever, equipping professionals with the skills to lead our best companies, all while retaining the intellectual rigour it is renowned for.
Programme Director Dr Michael Lee says the MBA has been updated to allow more people from afield to embrace further study. The first intake begins in July, offering professionals an MBA degree that works around their busy schedules.
“When universities had to move online in 2020 through to 2022, it really ramped up the idea of online adoption,” Lee says. “It was a catalyst for change. We realised we could do a great job online, and that students benefited from the flexibility.”
MBA students can sign up for an 18-month full-time accelerated programme or part-time programme spread over three years. While past iterations involved weekends on campus, people can now fit online lectures and coursework into their working weeks.
Full-time participants take interactive online lectures from 7pm-9pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with a strong emphasis on sharing ideas.
“It’s not a Zoomification of the old courses,” Lee says. “A lot of work has gone into designing and migrating it online. We’ve asked our lecturers to think about what they used to do with 16 hours on campus, and distill that into bite-sized digital components that are now accessible anytime, anywhere.”
“The steering wheel is in the hands of the students now,” he adds. “They decide how to manage their time and when to complete their reading and other learning activities before their interactive lectures.”
The programme going online isn’t the only major change. The MBA has also been redesigned to help NZ professionals lead successful businesses of the future.
The University of Auckland’s MBA is the first internationally triple crown accredited MBA to have a Te ao Māori business course, which will prepare executives for navigating NZ’s evolving cultural landscape, such as competing for large scale contracts that have a Te ao Māori component.
“Some middle managers are unsure how to navigate this,” Lee says. “So, together with our great teaching team, we’ll help people understand business from another cultural perspective.”
There’s also an Analytics for Business Decisions course, redesigned to include the latest technological developments, including big data, analytics, artificial intelligence and digital transformation.
“Our decision-making course has historically been about statistics, probability, and quantitative analysis, but we’re moving into a new era where a lot of the technicalities will be taken over by AI and automation. So leaders need a new skill set.”
Meanwhile, the MBA’s Global Success: Scaling Up course will help business leaders address growth challenges and take their companies worldwide.
“New Zealanders are known for their ability to create startups, but they often don’t scale up very well. This will help graduates build organisations that perform well at an international level, bridging international business with entrepreneurial thinking.”
As the only NZ university in the QS World University Ranking top 100, the University of Auckland MBA will continue to connect students with cutting-edge research.
Personal connections and networking will also remain a core part of the degree with a two day cultural experience in the first quarter, an intensive weeklong overseas study tour at the end, several optional in-person workshops throughout the degree, and regular MBA alumni events even after you are done.
“By opening up our MBA to people all across the country, we are not just enabling access to excellence but we are also facilitating nationwide networking opportunities.”
By combining online flexibility with the best aspects of the MBA experience, the University of Auckland is delivering a future-proof MBA for NZ’s business leaders.
Interested in a transformative MBA that can boost your career? Head to Auckland Online to learn more and register your interest: