Better business in student support CRICOS provider number 00121B
Business and opportunity are two words often partnered, and for students enrolling in a business degree program at the University of South Australia, these words take on real meaning. The opportunities for students to access support, encouragement and to broaden their horizons are vast.
Pro Vice Chancellor for the Division of Business, Professor Gerry Griffin, talks about the investment that the University has made in the provision of the study opportunities and personal support that students need to make their time at university rewarding and productive.
“We make the effort to find out what our international students need in particular, and listen to students’ feedback, because we understand the challenges of studying away from home,” Professor Griffin says.
“The result of this ongoing consultation has been the evolution of a comprehensive suite of support and extension programs designed to make the experience of studying at this University a cut above.”
A key innovation is the Business Mates program, a student mentoring system where business students more advanced in their degrees provide leadership and support to commencing students.
The program assists students with a smooth transition to both a new learning and, for many, a new cultural environment, and gives the student mentors expertise in coaching that they can feature in their resumes to highlight their leadership, initiative and experience. More information about Business Mates at UNISA is available at www.unisa.edu.au/business/currentstudents/businessmates.
Another study support scheme that involves students helping students is Peer Assisted Study Support (PASS). The service brings students who have successfully passed particular courses together with new students to help them in their assignment preparations so that they know they are on the right track.
Executive Partners is another new program available to postgraduate management students who have a GPA of 5 or above which matches them with retired or semi-retired senior business leaders and executives such as CEOS and MDS. Participating students benefit from the wisdom and expertise of seasoned professionals, and gain a better picture of the application of their studies in the real world.