Nanyang MBA Admissions and Related Blogs

What do we look out for when we evaluate candidates who submit applications into the Nanyang MBA programme?

The admissions team will review all applications holistically and will look at the following 5 areas (not in order of importance) when deciding if a candidate should be shortlisted for an admissions interview.

1. Application form & Essays
Through the application form, we get to know basic information about yourself and if you meet the minimum admission requirements. There are also 3 mandatory essay questions to answer through which we find out your motivations behind embarking on an MBA programme and your leadership traits. Here, we see if you are clear in your goals and ambitions and how the MBA degree can help you achieve your goals.

There is also a voluntary question on social responsibility - this is an added boost if you are involved in CSR but do not lie if you are not. This will come out in the admissions interview.

Look out for grammatical, spelling & punctuation errors.

2. GMAT score
Aim for a competitive GMAT score to boost your application.

3. CV
Spend some time writing a well written and succinct CV. Highlight your achievements and ensure information is clear and capped to no more than 3 pages.

4. Academic transcripts
An MBA is a rigorous programme so your undergraduate transcripts can be an indicator of how you will fare in graduate school but do not despair if your undergraduate education was not the best.

5. Letters of references
Get people who have supervised you closely so they have firsthand knowledge on your leadership capabilities rather than someone who has very vague information about you and may not write a good reference letter.

Finally, if you are shortlisted for the admissions interview, ensure you are well prepared and dressed appropriately (even if it is over a video call). You will meet with a 2 member panel, usually inclusive of at least 1 faculty. The committee will be looking out for your interpersonal skills, confidence level and ability to think on the spot. It is usually a chat about your postgraduate aspirations and to see if you would be a good fit for our programme and whether our programme can help you achieve your postgraduate aspirations.

Good luck!

Regards,
Shareen

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: The Nanyang PMBA experience from a participant’s perspective

Article contributed by Aung Lwin Lwin, PMBA class of 2019 I have been considering an MBA from NTU since 3 years ago.   I reckon  that an MBA will not only be a step but a leap in the pursuit of my career goals – enhancing my business knowledge in adding to stakeholders’ value   as a finance professional, and equipping  myself with the essential skills and knowledge to fulfill my ultimate aim  of managing my own organisation in the future. I wanted a programme that offers a rigourous yet structured learning experience that would bridge me closer to my goal. After spending a few years focusing on my career I believed it was the right time to embark on an MBA and decided to join the Professional MBA programme offered by Nanyang Business School, NTU Singapore. I wanted to upgrade my skill sets, at the same time expand my network and exchange ideas with like-minded people from diverse industries and backgrounds. The alternate weekend format was ideal for me, as it allowed me to pursue my studies with minimal disruption to my career and personal commitments. The PMBA courses are very practical and highly applicable. I am responsible for the overall financial affairs in my organisation – my current role not only includes financial reporting, tax planning, internal control, risk assessment, compliance and investor relationships, it also involves business expansion including mergers and acquisitions.  As such, I am required to be involved in business negotiations.   Prior to the “Leading People Globally” (LPG) module, I often focus on attaining a desirable outcome for my organisation, sometimes at the expense of the other organisation. However, going through the LPG class by Professors Valerie Du-Toit Low and Lim-Lum Kit-Wye greatly influenced my approach towards negotiations. The most powerful tool taught to us was “The Principled Negotiation”. The classroom discussions and study materials provided were very insightful and it stressed the importance of working towards a win-win solution that will mutually benefit both parties. Our organisation was in the midst of negotiating a complicated business deal and we expected the success rate to be very slim. I immediately applied the principles taught and not only did we manage to close the deal smoothly, my supervisor was so impressed that he appointed me to be  in charge of the organisation’s major projects! Although I’m only a few months into the course, I am already reaping the benefits and I believe I will only gain more as I continue my journey with the programme. I am thankful to Professor Douglas Streeter Rolph, Academic Director of the Nanyang PMBA, the remarkable faculty and my cohort that have made my experience wonderful so far. I believe that anyone who wants to be ready for today’s dynamic and ever-changing business environment should be a part of the Nanyang Professional MBA. Visit https://www.beyondanmba.com/programme-pmba.aspx to learn more about the programme!

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Mid Autumn Festival gathering

Article contributed by Daryl Ong, Nanyang MBA class of 2018. On a bright and cheery Saturday, students from all parts of the world gathered together for their latest MBA conquest, surviving case competition part #3. Through hours of grueling efforts and hard work, they have finally conquered Vijay’s toughest quest to date and needed an avenue to let their hair down. Fortunately, the day itself falls on a very important celebrated day of the Chinese calendar that the Social and Cultural group has organised – Mid Autumn Festival . With the people, and the food, and the satisfaction of having food, and the comfort of the environment, the stage was set up for some cultural education. First up we have Sid to show us the history behind this festival and the folklore of the Giant Moon/ In the meantime the crowd was enticed and intuitive with the seduction of his voice and he commanded quite a large amount of attention. However what we didn’t expect was that the next topic actually captured the audience beyond our imagination. The culture of the wine. As you can see below, this really captured the audience! Especially when sample tasting was the next event that was about to happen. With the end of the presentation, the bulk of students were left to mingle and enjoy the event as they see fit. Some even took to the floor and play the very popular, traditional game of Mahjong! With the success of the event, the night eventually ended and the people, although reluctant, had to bid farewell to the newly established and severely enhanced strong ties with each other as they embark on their next journey in life! Leading People Globally starring Patrick Gibbons. With that fact, that concludes the blog write-up of the Mid-Autumn Festival. #KThxBye

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: How to negotiate the salary you want.

In partnership with Michael Page.     Many people don’t realise that the salary they’re offered along with a new role isn’t necessarily the final offer, but a starting point to negotiating the salary you want. The idea of asking for a higher figure is daunting, but it’s an expected part of the hiring process. However, to negotiate your new salary from a position of strength, preparation is crucial. You must have clear and realistic expectations of what your skills and experience are worth and be prepared to ask your potential employer for what you want – graciously. Use the tips below to help negotiate your new salary with confidence: Know your worth It is critical to research what your role is worth before you begin negotiating your salary. Visit the Michael Page Salary Centre to find out the average range for your sector, location and experience. Scan similar jobs on job boards and LinkedIn, and talk to your Michael Page recruitment consultant and industry colleagues for advice on what people are earning in similar positions. Remember that your role isn’t a ‘cost’ to the business so much as a means of creating value. What value will you bring to your role? How can you prove that you create this value? Consider your unique skillset and why it’s crucial to your new employer’s business objectives. Research conditions Make sure you also research the financial performance of the company, its recent staff movements and industry conditions. This will help you to better understand the company’s position and anticipate potential objections when negotiating your salary. If you can speak to someone who works within the business already, they’ll be a great source of information. For a broader look at the industry, look to press coverage of economic drivers and outlook. Determine your needs Balance your research with your personal needs to determine a realistic salary range for negotiation. Decide on a figure that: ·         You need to live on ·         Allows you to save for the future or for a particular goal ·         You would be satisfied with (the minimum you would accept) ·         You would be delighted with (your ultimate goal) The last two figures comprise the salary range for which you should aim. You should always start negotiations at the higher end to allow room for negotiation. Watch your timing Always wait for the potential employer to raise the topic of salary negotiation first, rather than bringing it up during the interview. If you wait until an offer has been made, you are then in the ideal position to negotiate salary when the employer has offered you the role, is hopeful of employing you and has suggested a figure first. If you are asked about your salary expectations, tell the interviewer you would like to know more about the role first. Avoid divulging your previous salary – your new salary shouldn’t be based on a previous one but on the value that you can bring to the business. Instead, tell them what you believe you are realistically worth based on your research, skills and experience. This may be a different figure to what you were earning in your last job – one of the benefits of moving jobs is to increase your salary package beyond what’s available in your current role. Consider other options Think about non-pay alternatives if the opportunity to negotiate salary is limited. Good negotiators will enter a meeting with a range of options. Support for education and training, a car allowance, more annual leave or flexible working arrangements are potential alternatives to financial incentives. The job might offer a clear promotion path or the opportunity to review pay in three to six months, so make sure you consider these alternatives as part of your salary negotiation. Increasing your take-home pay may be your ultimate goal, but it helps to be prepared to accept a compromise. Get the best deal Employers respect applicants who are hard but fair negotiators. Having the confidence to negotiate well for yourself shows the employer that you could bring these skills to the role, and strengthens their belief that you would be a valuable addition to the team. However, if the budget simply doesn’t exist to increase the package on offer, it’s important to either gracefully decline the job offer, or to accept – but not to begrudge the lower amount. If the offer doesn’t meet expectations, you should either re-evaluate your expectations or continue your job search.   Source from: https://goo.gl/rNmqAX

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Suntory IT manager brews up new career in international business

Harutaka Ichinoki is making progress in realising his ambition to be a global business leader. A graduate of the Nanyang Fellows MBA programme in 2012 and an executive at Suntory Beverage and Food, which produces beer and consumer goods, Ichinoki is relocating to Australia to work as the company’s senior corporate planning manager. In his new role, he will formulate and carry out corporate strategy for Suntory’s business operations Down Under. He will also analyse business performance in Australia and report his findings to headquarters in Japan. Having worked for about seven years as a domestic IT project manager in the early part of his career at Suntory, Ichinoki wanted to change his business role. “My ambition was to work for global business, to be a global business leader. So now I think I’m on the way to achieve my ambition,” he says. His desire dovetailed with Suntory’s aim of becoming a global business. As such, the company would need to gather a global team of executives, gain overseas exposure, establish foreign subsidiaries, and produce a new governance structure. In Europe, Suntory acquired several companies with the goal of integrating them and setting up new systems and processes. In 2011, Ichinoki applied for and was awarded a Suntory sponsorship to pursue MBA studies. He was the only Suntory executive awarded that year. The application process involved writing an essay on what the applicant wanted to achieve with an MBA, and several rounds of interviews. When asked why he chose the Nanyang Fellows MBA programme instead of business schools in Europe and America that were popular with Japanese students, Ichinoki says he believed that Asia would be an attractive market for Suntory given the region’s economic growth and large populations. Personally, he liked Asia’s culture, its people and the food, having visited Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. In addition, Ichinoki got to know several MBA students from Nanyang Business School who were visiting Suntory on a business study mission. After talking with them, he thought the Nanyang Fellows MBA programme was attractive. He was also impressed by its connections to Waseda University in Japan, which Suntory has affiliations with. “I thought that the connection with Waseda University was important,” Ichinoki says. Furthermore, Suntory had hired a Frenchman with a Nanyang-Waseda double MBA. Talking to him persuaded Ichinoki of NBS’s merits. He says his MBA studies developed his strategic thinking and analytical skills. He also learned to communicate with foreigners and better understand other cultures. Before accepting his posting to Australia, Ichinoki had worked on major projects in Britain and Indonesia, which involved business process transformation, post-merger integration and building a value chain. Of his time at NBS, Ichinoki says he found his MBA classes “interesting and insightful”. He became good friends with his classmates and learned about the importance of diversity and cultural differences. He adds that his business study mission to China “gave me a lot of insights”. Undoubtedly, his MBA gave him a “huge opportunity” to advance his career, having moved from the IT field into finance and business development and strategy. “Now I have the opportunity to be located in other countries outside of Japan and work purely for local [foreign] business. So it’s a significant change from domestic IT to global business,” Ichinoki says.

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: PMBA Year End Party 2017

Written by Wong Woei Luen, PMBA Candidate, class of 2019 Photo Credit: Gan Pee Wei Keat, PMBA Candidate, Class of 2019 MBA students are “jack of all trades”                     —- (1) “All work and no play makes Jack a dull Boy”.    —-(2) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked. BOTH statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question asked, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question asked. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question asked. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data specific to the problem are need Answer: (C). Reason? You can count on the PMBA students when it comes to having fun! (Pun intended) After half a year of intense studying while managing our work and family, the inaugural Nanyang Professional MBA class of 2019 organized a year end party last Saturday (25th Nov 2017) at one our classmates’ house to bond, wind down and recharge before the start of new term in January 2018. The night was filled with fun and laughter for the whole night (literally). The food menu for the night was Roti Prata buffet from the famous Springleaf Prata, as many of our foreign friends have not tried this famous Singaporean supper delicacy. The chef prepared the prata, the way you want it. Imagine mixing the fresh and crispy prata, with traditional Indian curry…. it was heavenly! Who could resist such savory and calories? I decided to leave dieting to other days. You can guess what came next. Our Chef making the prata fresh               What is a party without booze? As mentioned earlier, you can certainly count on the MBA student to be creative and fun even when it comes to drinking. It was Men VS Women in a game of Beer Pong! The Team Captain of the Men’s team was Prof Lewis Lim while the ladies team had Yvonne at the helm. Despite being the minority in the class, the ladies displayed their unity and girl power and dominated the gentlemen by 3-0. The MVP award went to Yvonne as she made most of the gentlemen chugg all the beer by throwing in the ping-pong ball into the cups of the opposite side. Since it was near the festive season, the party committee decided to have a gift exchange session but with a twist. Everyone was supposed to buy an item with a minimum value of $10 and we could either choose from the pool or snatch from other people. It was a game of strategy and risk. The hottest item was a Gold Coin from Chow Tai Fook as one of our classmate is working at Chow Tai Fook. Wei Keat was the final owner of the Gold Coin. “No! My Precious!! …. I lamented like Gollum. (Watch the Video to find out more as it happened) Oh, and did I forget to mention? Some of us gamely accepted the challenge to dress in cultural costumes… that is right! As we came from various parts of the world, it was interesting to see different cultural dresses. 4From Left to Right: Class Rep Ritesh, Home Owner Veron, Our Academic Director Dr Douglas All good things must come to an end and happy times pass quickly. Soon it was time to say goodbye to a night of fun. I must say, through this experience, I have formed closer connection with my classmates and this will forever be an unforgettable experience in my life.  I believe this is so, for the rest of the class too. Some additional quote from the participants: Associate Prof Lewis: “Thanks to Veron the host and the organizing committee, I had a great time catching up with everyone at the party. It was a very nice party to end the year with. Playing pong beer was an unforgettable experience, and the tequila shots afterwards did not affect my fond memories of the event. I wish everyone a joyous Christmas season ahead and a splendid countdown to year 2018! Dr. Joeri Coppens (PMBA Candidate, Class of 2019, Year End Party Organising Committee): “The year-end party was a great success. You could tell how, after five months of intense work together, we have evolved from a group of MBA classmates to friends.  The atmosphere at the party was therefore very relaxed, lively and entertaining. It was great to see everyone outside of the usual MBA class environment having fun together. I am already looking forward to our next party!”

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: How to maintain a work life balance

In partnership with     It is important to have a balance between your job and the other areas of your life so you can be productive, healthy and happy both at work and outside of it. To achieve this balance, plan your day around the most important projects, take regular breaks and make use of your annual work leave to successfully strike a balance between your job and the other areas of your life. Prioritise your work tasks It is important to determine the most urgent tasks for the day and allocate sufficient time to complete them. If you are unsure about what requires your direct attention, ask your manager for some advice and assistance. Other responsibilities that are not a high priority can be scheduled for a later date or delegated to another colleague. This will help keep you on top of your workload and limit the amount of hours that you spend at work. Structure time at work Once you have defined your priorities, structure your day around them. By grouping similar tasks together you can be more efficient in completing all your daily jobs. You will then be able to complete high priority tasks first, medium priority tasks next and so on. This will give you the freedom to allocate breaks during the day, once a segment of work is complete, as well as ensure you can comfortably meet deadlines for various activities. Take breaks You should take some personal time during the day for activities that are not related to your job. By taking your lunch break, you can go for a run or engage with colleagues on a social level. Also consider taking shorter breaks throughout the day to run personal errands if you don’t have the time to do them before or after work. This will allow you to achieve goals outside of your career, as well as daily jobs during the work day. Make use of annual holidays If you are unable to make time for yourself during the day, consider going on extended leave. You may take time for your hobbies, an overseas holiday or Christmas. Taking this time away from work allows you to dedicate it to your interests and spend some time relaxing and unwinding. Source from: https://goo.gl/jVAfuE

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Clean Technology & Energy business club

Article contributed by Santiago, MBA class of 2018. WHAT DOES “CLEAN” MEAN When looking at clean technology and energy we always think first of renewable energies, such as wind and solar, or at low impact replacements to common technology, such as e-ink. But does a diminution in our carbon footprint also classify as “clean”? Right now, the Singaporean government is looking to reduce the consumption in energy while keeping the current economic benefit; That is, to have the same benefit with less resource consumption. This is where the NEEC comes into play, inviting companies to think about all the unintentional energy wasteful practices being carried out nowadays. Luckily, there is no lack of interest in Singapore to reduce resource consumption. Companies such as MaxSteel, Lumoni, ETC Group, Teale, PCS and LKH attended the conference to showcase how efficiency can lower the carbon footprint of economic growth. On the other side, however, it is still interesting to consider what happens to the inevitable waste from our industrial ability. Well, in that front SCELSE is developing technologies to harvest valuable ray materials, such as hydrogen and pure phosphorus, when treating waste waters for being recycled or discarded with minimal ambient impact. From the above examples it can be concluded that those technologies that reduce our carbon footprint or reduce the final amount of waste generated should be considered as clean technologies that will disrupt the way we consume or utilize resources in the future.

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Let’s learn festival dance and origami!

Article contributed by Jennifer Lee, MBA Class of 2019. ‘Japanese Language and Culture Club’ in Nanyang MBA had a fruitful second gathering at MBA Lounge on Saturday, November 25th. Thanks to the help of Japanese students’ family, we could learn and enjoy traditional Japanese festival dance and origami – paper folding art. This time we prepared catering food and homemade salads to enjoy delicious food at dinner time. Special thanks to Erzwin who contributed to the extra supply of beer and wine for the event. “Well prepared club event with a clear theme, nice presentation, attractive dances and delicious food! Jonathan and I had a very nice time there. Really appreciate the efforts of two co-founders and look forward to the next one!” – Helen “As the sun descended upon the western horizon, music was playing in the hills of NTU. It was coming from a small room. And from that room, much laughter accompanied the food and drinks which were passed around. It was another MBA Japanese Language and Culture Club event where love flowed free and people enjoyed each other for their sincere company. This evening witnessed another quality meet-up session where Japanese folk dance and origami folding were shared. Tony and Masa presented their Japan trip on slides and everyone had a great time!” – Erzwin.

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Cleantech Club’s event – Lunch with Dr. Sanjay Kuttan

Article contributed by Doris & Santiago, MBA Class of 2018 Dr. Sanjay Kuttan is currently Programme Director of Multi Energy Systems & Grids (SMES) in the Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N). However, the road to this point has been everything but a straight line. He has been kind enough to share with us an engaging lunch session in which he shared a unique perspective of Singapore’s landscape in renewable energies, as well as some overviews resulting from his varied professional trajectory. The dynamic and interactive session inspired a number of questions, some of which will only be answered as the energy panorama evolves. Some of the comments by our classmates were the following: “Dr Sanjay shared his broad knowledge of renewable energies, gird and power systems as well as regulations in the electricity market in Singapore. It was an insightful session and helped us understand better on the current trends of the RE industry. Santiago and Doris did great in arranging this talk, we look forward to future events held by Clean Technology and Energy Club.” – Timothy (PMBA participant) “I was personally impressed by how many different jobs he pursued, which were all complementary and gave him the best overview over the industry and the different stakeholders  ” – Katja (MBA participant) “The speaker was the perfect person to introduce us to Clean Technology. With his wide and diverse experience, he was able to discuss and answer, in detail, our concerns and curiosities.” – Jerome (MBA participant) Clean Tech and Energy Club is truly honoured to have Dr. Sanjay Kuttan to share and educate our future leaders about Clean Energy. Until next time.

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: 8th Annual MBA Olympics – “Running Together for a Better World”

Article contributed by Nikhil Gupta. The MBA cohort at the Nanyang Business School began the new year on a high note by hosting the 8th Annual MBA Olympics. On 14th January 2018, MBA students from business schools of NUS, SMU, ESSEC, and SP Jain joined the NBS MBA cohort to engage in a friendly sports Olympiad, for a good cause. The event was held at the new state-of-the-art sports and recreation center, The Wave. The spirit of the event was to foster a bond among future business leaders from some of the best MBA programs in the world, through sports, and by creating value in society. In 2018, the MBA Olympics partnered with the Singapore Sports Disability Council (SDSC) to support the organization’s efforts of ensuring the well-being of the disabled in Singapore. The event was sponsored by The Keppel Care Foundation, The Fullerton Hotel, Thoughtworthy Co., Wunderman and Red Bull. The NBS Alumni also played a great role in supporting the event with their contributions. The Guest of Honour for the opening ceremony of the event was Mr. Melvin Yong, Member of Parliament and an NBS Alumnus. The ceremony was also graced by NTU’s newly appointed President Prof. Subra Suresh and his spouse, Mrs. Mary Suresh. Also in attendance was Mr. Kevin Wong, President of SDSC. Representing Nanyang Business School were Dean Dr. Robert Kennedy, and Associate Dean Prof. Nilanjan Sen, along with Prof. Goh Kim Huat and Prof. Guido Gianasso. The opening ceremony began with Mr. Melvin Yong recounting his days at NBS, followed by NTU President Prof. Subra Suresh, who spoke about how enthralled he was with the infrastructure at the university. NBS Dean Dr. Robert Kennedy also encouraged the participants of the event in his speech. After the inspiring words of the guests, the 8th Annual MBA Olympics were officially declared opened by Mr. Melvin Yong, who signed a soccer ball to commemorate the event, after which all the guests posed for a picture with mascot of the games, Lyon the Lion. What followed was a great spectacle of sportsmanship and camaraderie. The sports being competed in were as diverse as the participants – ranging from soccer and basketball to chess and frisbee. Students competed in high spirits while being cheered on by their colleagues, friends and families. The incredible display of athleticism and energy was a sight that had never been seen before at the MBA Olympics, as the attendance this year was the highest in the event’s history. To reenergize the athletes and guests, lunch was provided during the event, while the event’s proud sponsors Red Bull helped the participants quench their thirst by providing free energy drinks. While the athletes were busy sweating it out, the guests took part in the #2018MBAOlympics Photo Challenge on social media, and bought raffle tickets for the Lucky Draw, as lucrative prizes were up for grabs by the winners. Attendees of the event also enjoyed many treats, such as pancakes, frozen yoghurt, cold drinks and hot dogs, that were on offer through the event. After a long day of good-spirited but intense competition, the participants and guests were invited to indoor facility at The Wave for the Medals and Closing Ceremony. A special guest during the closing ceremony was SDSC Table-Tennis Athlete, Mr. Jason Chee, to whom the school proudly presented a cheque of SGD 16,000. This amount was generated through the generous contributions of all the students, alumni & staff from the participating schools, and the kind sponsors of the event. Mr. Jason Chee’s attendance and words greatly inspired the audience, especially the Table-Tennis participants who later received medals from him. We were also honored to welcome our esteemed guests from Wunderman and Keppel Care Foundation, who presented medals to the winners of the day. NBS representatives also joined in to award the medals to the winners of the sporting events as well as those of the #2018MBAOlympics Photo Challenge and the Lucky Draw. Last but not the least was the moment that all schools were waiting for – the award for the overall winner of the 8th Annual MBA Olympics. Although all participants trained and competed well at the Olympics, it was NUS that came on top as the overall winner of the event. MBA participants from NUS were awarded the trophy by Prof. Nilanjan Sen as the crowd applauded their efforts. The event then came to close, and while all students left the field, tired and exhausted, they achieved a great bond while “Running Together for a Better World”.

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: John Molson MBA International Case Competition 2018

Article contributed by Leo Tan Teck Soon & Komal Goyal. After travelling 7500 miles for an average of 20 hours, we finally stepped out into the cold freezing temperatures (-22 degrees Celsius) of Montreal, braced to enter the war zone – John Molson MBA International Case Competition 2018. We were wrought with nerves that tingled with both excitement about the new opportunities that this 6-day experience would bring and anxiety of upholding the reputation of Nanyang Business School in this competition. The journey to make it to Canada was not easy. First, the entire cohort participated in an internal selection that consisted of 3 case competition rounds. Once selected, we underwent eight training sessions with previous years’ participants as our coaches and mentors. The practice sessions were tough. They were usually conducted after school lectures and run late into the night as we spent hours discussing ways on improving our case solving techniques after every session. Our first practice was a complete disaster and we were clearly reminded of how far we were from being polished and ready for the competition. Through valuable feedback that we received from our coaches, the team was able to explore different ways of improving our teamwork, productivity and presentation skills. Even by the eighth practice session, we were still conscious of the fact that there was still a lot of room for improvement. Once at John Molson, the organizers kicked-off the competition with an opening breakfast ceremony at 7:00 am where they introduced us to the 36 participating schools, welcomed the carefully solicited pool of 300+ judges from different disciplines and acquainted us with the committee of 150 volunteers who would be our best friends for the next 6 days. The level of meticulous planning that went into organizing an event at such a scale was impressive to say the least. Seeing the scale and grandeur of just the opening ceremony alone, we knew that the stakes were high. The JM ICC was designed like a tournament league where all 36 teams were divided into 6 divisions, each comprising of 6 teams. Each team went through 5 rounds competing with the 5 other schools within its division. In total, 9 teams will progress to the semi-finals that consists of 6 divisional winners and 3 wild card entries (decided based on points). Our first case was on ‘handrails’ against the Laval School Team, a French-Canadian school and one of the strongest teams in the competition. Although we managed to win the case, it was quite a close match with a differential of less than 2 points. We placed third in our division in terms of points and it became even more important to win all the next few matches for us to be able to proceed to the semi-finals as the divisional winner. The next day was very crucial as we were up against the 2 leading schools in our division. We did a short review of our performance over breakfast and vowed to win both the matches the next day. Despite our best efforts, we ended up losing one case that set our team back with only 2 wins as opposed to the UCT GSB school from South Africa which was leading the division with 3 wins. At this point, we knew that we were in a precarious situation and that the game could go either way. We were confident of the remaining 2 rounds but UCT seemed to be on a winning streak as well. Our place in the semi-finals depended not only on us winning the next 2 cases by a large margin but also on UCT losing the next 2 rounds –  classic game theory. We got one of our most challenging cases on the 3rd day – a live case. The founder of a trading and logistics company based in Montreal came to present a live study of his company. He was seeking our inputs on defining the future vision of his company. In the night, we were treated to an ice hockey match between the Montreal Canadians (or also affectionately known as the ‘Habs’) and San Jose Sharks.  After returning from the ice-hockey match, we braced ourselves for the results that shocked us all. Not only did we manage to win the case, but UCT also lost in their match. We felt relieved that our team was back in the game! The 4th day was D-Day where each team would present their last case within their respective divisions. Only the qualifying teams would compete in the 2nd half for the semi-finals. We were overwhelmed with emotions as Nanyang Business School was announced as one of the division winners and qualified as a semi-finalist. It was incredible moment for all of us. On to the semi-finals, 9 teams battled it out in yet another exhausting round. In the semi-finals, we competed against the Asper business school and the University of Beirut. Unfortunately, the results for the semi-finals proved to be disappointing. While we could not make it to the finals, our entire journey right from first practice session till the last semi-finals taught us a lot about ourselves, team-work and effective decision-making. It also drove home the adage that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The overall experience of representing our school at an international level, networking with people from diverse backgrounds and gaining feedback from senior executives in the business community was extremely enriching. It also drove home that point that the education we receive in NBS was on par with top business schools around the world as we witnessed first-hand on how all our training paid off. After every practice session, our alumni coaches always emphasized that NBS was considered one of the strongest teams in the John Molson competition. We were proud that we met the organizers’ reputations and lived up to NBS’s legacy. There will always be room for improvement in everything that we do, but the learnings, connections and memories that we gained from this competition will last us a lifetime. When we started, we were 4 very different individuals with very diverse schools of thought and completely different working styles. This journey helped open our minds to different ideas and broadened our perspectives. We also learnt key skills in quickly identifying implicit challenges specific to each business problem and the courage to be big and bold on our ideas. This transformation would not have been possible without our mentors and our coach Akshay who took valuable time off from his work to be with us in Canada and constantly guided us throughout the entire journey. We would also like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Prof Vijay Sethi who gave us this invaluable opportunity as well as the NBS office for their unwavering support.

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: 1st Runner Up in Bangkok Business Challenge 2018

Article contributed by Pravin Raj. When my classmate Katja first approached me to participate in the Bangkok Business Challenge competition, I thought to myself, “Why not?” I then spoke to Jaime and got him involved. Fast forward a few weeks later, myself, Katja, Ella, Jaime, and our alumni Vikrant were all staying up late to submit our application to join the competition by completing the Executive Summary and the 60-second pitch video for our business plan. Although we were reasonably confident in our business idea, since a team from NTU had not made it to the finals in recent years, it was still both a shock and a pleasant surprise that we were one of the 15 schools selected out of a total of 112 international schools. From then on, it was “all hands on deck”. We worked on the Written Business Plan for the competition in parallel with detailing it in class for the Entrepreneurship module taught by Prof Vijay Sethi. We found that the class sessions helped us detail our idea, test it out with our classmates and learn from the experience of fielding questions in a class setting. All this combined to put us in a good place and gave us the necessary confidence prior to travelling to Bangkok for the competition. L to R: Katja, Ella, Vikrant, Jaime & Pravin Despite our hectic schedules, Ella and Katja did a fantastic job designing the posters and sourcing the props for our venture exhibit, while Jaime and Vikrant worked tirelessly on defining our financials and products clearly in the business plan presentation. In the end, despite the changes we had to make on the fly, late night discussions and lack of sleep, it all came together well. From a personal perspective, I was a little nervous when presenting the 99 second pitch in front of national television as I really wanted to do well for my entire team who had put so much effort into this right from the beginning. Looking back, I think we can all honestly say that we gave this competition our best and are glad we decided to participate in it, as the learning experience has been tremendous. Needless to say, it was great that we managed to win the second prize and add to the Nanyang Business School and Nanyang Technology University brand. We strongly encourage prospective students to consider participating in competitions such as these as it without a doubt enhances the learning experience you get from the Nanyang MBA.

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: The Nanyang Fellows MBA experience by Sam Mara

Sam Mara, Cambodian, Chief of Section, National Bank of Cambodia I personally value something that can change a person! Back to the time when I was working at the National Bank of Cambodia, I could well accomplish all the tasks with which I had experiences for years. However, since new jobs had dramatically arisen I found myself not capable enough challenging with them. The short-term trainings were just not enough. I was in a lot of stress and felt like I was in the middle of nowhere. I then realised that everything had changed, and I also needed to change myself! With the strong support from my family especially my husband, I decided to pursue my graduate study. I chose not to focus on a specific major such as Finance, Economics, or Public Policy like my colleagues did, but MBA which I believed could give me broader knowledge and not just limited to technical skill such as Finance, Economics, and Policy but also leadership skills that I would need to strengthen my career path. More than that, the location was an important consideration where I could stay close with my family especially my supportive husband and two little sons. Eventually, Nanyang Fellows MBA at Nanyang Business School in NTU was my choice. The whole Nanyang Fellows MBA experience was beyond my expectations. The programme equipped me and other Fellows with technical skills such as Accounting, Economics, and Finance found in most, if not all MBA programmes. More than that, modules such as cultural intelligence (CQ), developing strategic capabilities, and global-level leadership were also offered that was very important in this globalisation era.  What was most important for me was that the programme provided me with international exposure that changed my single-cultural lens to a multi-cultural one. There were 9 nationalities in my class, not just from Asian countries, but also European countries one which was a good direct application of CQ that I had learned. The business study mission which was conducted in Barcelona this year and the residential programme in the three universities in US for a month added more values to my global capacity development. However, the programme cannot be achieved without its strong backbone! The programme’s rigorous curriculum and our highly experienced faculty further developed my analytical and critical thinking skills. With the abundance of readily available resources and the many libraries in NTU, I gained a new hobby, which is reading!  This was something that was really unexpected!  There were many seminars and networking events which gave me opportunities to break out of my social comfort zone and I started to recognise its importance when I get to know many people. I hope sharing my journey would serve as encouragement, particularly to women who wish to have this invaluable opportunity. Complacency is the obstacle of self-development. Be courageous to step out of your comfort zone and make yourself great not only for the sake of yourself but also for your children and the next generations through being their role models!   Visit https://www.beyondanmba.com/programme-nfmba.aspx to learn more about our programme!

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: SG punches above its weight as a destination for MBA studies

In considering where to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme, international students should give serious thought to the cosmopolitan city state of Singapore. Nicknamed “Singapore Inc”, the country rivals Hong Kong, Shanghai and London as a global business centre. It also boasts world-class education, a multicultural environment, innovative research and scholarship opportunities. Focused on business, investment and entrepreneurship, Singapore has three institutions (Nanyang Business School, NUS Business School and INSEAD) in the top 11 spots of the QS Global MBA Rankings 2018 for Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Last year, Singapore placed 14th in the QS Best Students Cities Rankings, ahead of Zurich, Vienna, Kyoto, Edinburgh and New York. In terms of study finance, foreign students have a range of scholarships, grants and fellowship opportunities to choose from. International students are eligible for grants. While they don’t have to repay the grants, students do have to sign a bond that requires them to work in Singapore for at least three years after graduation. Besides offering MBA specializations (marketing, finance, property, finance, strategy, healthcare management and more), business schools in Singapore also have academic partnerships with overseas institutions. In the case of Nanyang Business School, they include the Wharton School in Philadelphia, Georgetown University and UC Berkeley. In Singapore, MBA graduates enjoy high employability rates, thanks in part to the country’s highly competitive economy. It placed third in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report for 2017-2018, ahead of the Netherlands, Germany and Hong Kong. Indeed, Singapore is host to many multinational companies, many of which have their regional headquarters in the country – a rich source of employment opportunities. That is because of Singapore’s business-friendly environment in which the government makes it easy for companies to be incorporated in a day or two. Last year, the World Bank ranked Singapore number two for ease of doing business. For MBA students who aspire to be entrepreneurs, Singapore is fostering a start-up ecosystem to encourage economic activity and investment. Located in Southeast Asia, Singapore is well poised to play a key role in the development of the so-called Asian Century. As Asian countries will achieve progress in innovation and technological advancements in the years ahead, an MBA from a Singapore institution will doubtlessly benefit business executives and entrepreneurs. As local universities have collaborations with top universities abroad, Singapore has been attracting foreign students, currently hosting some 50,000 of them from around the world, according to Unesco. The diverse population of foreign students will enrich their study experience from the ensuing exchange of ideas and cultural interactions. Away from the campus, life in Singapore will prove to be a breeze for foreign students, as most Singaporeans speak English, the first language for many. Singapore is also one of the safest countries in the world. Its strict laws and low crime rates mean that the city streets are very safe for residents. In addition, Singapore’s transport system is one of the best in the region and transport fees are very affordable. Besides its wide selection of shopping malls, restaurants and bars, Singapore has many cultural attractions and vibrant nightlife. Its geographic location serves as a gateway to the region, where foreign students can take advantage of cheap travels to experience the rich cultures of neighbouring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam.

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: THE NANYANG FELLOWS MBA EXPERIENCE BY EGERTON

Idehen Egerton Osaretin, Nigerian I decided to pursue a full-time MBA programme at the age of 45, many thought I was crazy, partly because, in their opinion, what does he still have to learn? After all, he already has two post graduate degrees and numerous executive trainings. Fast-forward a year later, the transformation is glaring for all to see and many have already started attesting to this. Nanyang Business School (NBS) and indeed the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), where I experienced this transformation, I must admit, is the world best kept secret! I have over 12-year management level experience, with 6 years at senior management level, within the Telecommunications industry in Nigeria, and have managed large complex teams and projects, yet I felt the need to undergo an MBA programme, so I can be more effective in my current position and be more strategic as I journey professionally towards my ultimate goal of being a top executive or a business owner. For me, I had three key success factors namely, How well I can learn in practical ways, new business concepts and best business practices with Asian markets success stories of particular interest. How much of networking opportunities and conversion of such opportunities to social capital. How much the MBA would enhance my marketability in the business place. All these questions were answered in a stellar way during the course of the Nanyang Fellows MBA at the Nanyang Business School. I have two business prospects that I am about to represent and replicate in Nigeria, and these came about due to the networking opportunities availed me by the programme. The overall learning experience was mind-blowing; amalgams of rigorous academic programme and fun approaches to learning. I remember dreading courses like finance and Accounting as I figured that I am not a numbers person. My fears were allayed through the unique style of concepts dissemination by the school, which takes consideration the different academic backgrounds of students. Now, reading through financial statements and making sense of different financial and business models is a fun process for me. The Business Study Mission in Spain and the exposure to the pragmatism of the U.S education as evidenced by the three Universities programmes incorporated into the MBA structures, further served to boost my learning experience. I have come away from this programme, feeling more equipped to function in any capacity as an executive or even a CEO. The Nanyang Fellows MBA is highly recommended to experienced executives who are interested in studying for an MBA. For me, NBS was well worth my every time and investment both from personal and professional points of view.   Visit https://www.beyondanmba.com/programme-nfmba.aspx to learn more about our programme!

FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Last Food and Tours Club Outing – Indian Curry Fish Head

Article contributed by Leo Tan. What a way to kick off the new year with another food and tours club outing! The theme for this time was none other than “Indian Food”. Despite the intense workload that we had, the outing had a decent turn up of about 10 persons. The fact that it was the last outing could have also been a motivating factor for some to come. The place that was chosen was none other than Karu’s Indian Banana Leaf Restaurant located at Sime Darby Centre. We arrived at the restaurant at about 1.30pm in the afternoon under the blistering hot sun. Nevertheless, all these guys came with an empty stomach and they were ready as ever to get started. Once the menus were flipped open, orders kept coming. We ordered so much, and then some more. We had two huge bowls of curry fish head, chicken tikka, tandoori prawns, naan plus several others that totaled up to about 12 dishes. Our Colombian friend, Santiago, wanted to add something else from the 3pm menu but to no avail. “No, now cannot. Only 3pm.” the staff replied. The look of disappointment on Santiago’s face was obvious. The famous Curry Fish Head Basmati rice was the first to be served on banana leaves instead of plates. Nobody attempted to eat with their hands though despite my best efforts (it’s apparently a south Indian custom). Then came the vegetable sides dishes and papadum to go with the rice. Thereafter, orders started coming in at a furious pace. The curry fish head was huge. And then several meat dishes were served shortly after. Chicken, prawn, naan, mushroom, mutton etc. We had a plethora of dishes coming up and too little table space to fit everything. It was a sight to behold actually – 10 hungry MBA students attacking 12 Indian dishes. Curry fish head with vegetable briyani appalam and papadum Everybody dug into the food and the table went silent for a while. Nods of approval were given from my Indian classmates and I knew that my job was done for the day. Yet another success for the food and tours club. The moment was also bittersweet though, knowing that it was going to be the last outing for the club. I was just happy that we ordered enough food to feed these 10 hungry stomachs. It was by no means a small feat, that I can assure you. Conversation topics were interesting as well. We talked a little bit about how North Indian food differed from South Indian food. And then Santiago shared some interesting facts about engineers and their reputation and the misclassification of engineering degrees in Colombian universities. Jokes were cracked while a few sipped on their sweet lassis. There were definitely moments when our noise level was a tad on the high side I’m sure. Chicken Tikka and Chicken Sheehk Kebab We also reflected on how time flew, and how quickly the second trimester will be coming to an end in a few weeks’ time. A few of us will be heading off to Tokyo in mid-March for the Nanyang-Waseda program. This also encouraged us to make full use of the remaining time that we have here in Singapore with our fellow course mates. I can safely say that spending the Sunday afternoon chilling out at an Indian restaurant isn’t really my usual thing to do but having an outing with my fellow classmates made it special. It’s not everyday that you get to have 6 different nationalities sitting at the same table and just chilling. Final parting shot with my fellow co-chair, Chao Yang, and the attendees for the day!