Monash MBA has come a long way

This year the Monash MBA celebrates its 40th anniversary, a milestone that only a relatively few MBA programs outside North America have reached.

The Monash University program has come a long way since it originated as a Master of Administration Degree in 1968 attracting graduates from both industry and the public sector.

It has progressed to become one of the top MBA programs not only in Australia but in the entire Asia Pacific region.  In 2007 it was the only Australian MBA program ranked in the world top 50 in the Economist Intelligence Unit's ranking survey. Most impressively, the Monash MBA was placed second in the world in the category 'personal development and educational experience' placing it ahead of high profile institutions such as INSEAD and Yale in this category.

"It is most rewarding to see that our MBA program has been recognised in such a respected MBA ranking survey" said Associate Professor Peter Reed, MBA Director.  "We have emphasised leadership development over the last several years and believe that, over above the intellectual knowledge that is gained by studying an MBA, it is equally important for MBA students to maximise their personal and professional capabilities".

The MBA Leadership Program underpins the formal MBA curriculum and students participate in a number of leadership forums and workshops.  At the outset of the program they undertake a number of self awareness tests including graduate skill assessment and psychographic assessment which are used as input for the development of personal and professional strategies.  "Monash MBA students have the ability to tailor their MBA program to suit their individual personal and career aspirations by selecting a professional track (a sequence of electives) or in some cases a double degree."

The current emphasises towards leadership is a culmination of a continuous process of program review and adaptation that has occurred over time.  In the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s the emphasis was on the creation of a quality degree dedicated to raising the level of management education in Australia.  During this phase, the brand image of the Monash MBA became firmly established under the leadership of Professors Keith Collins and Peter FitzRoy.

In the 1980s and 1990s administrative responsibility for the MBA was transferred initially to the newly created Graduate School of Management and then the MBA Division was accorded the status of a department in its own right. During this phase, under the leadership of Professor Allen Fels and Associate Professor Mike Knowles, the first survey of the Australian MBAs was undertaken and the Monash MBA was ranked equal first.

In the mid 1990s the Monash Mt Eliza Business School was created as a merger between the MBA Division and the Australian Management College which was based at Mt Eliza. The Business School was an independent legal entity in which Monash University had a majority shareholding, and its headquarters were located on the Caulfield Campus of the University. Monash withdrew from the partnership in 2000 and the MBA returned to the Faculty of Business and Economics in 2001.

Professor Rob Willis was appointed MBA Director and Associate Professor Peter Reed was appointed Director of MBA Operations.  A number of changes were made at his time including broadening the MBA program to enable students to take electives from across the university. At the same time a number of double MBA and specialist master's degrees were introduced that linked the MBA with other Monash faculties such Law, Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, Arts and Information Technology.

The Monash GSB was established in 2004 as a Graduate School of Business integrated within the Faculty of Business and Economics. The MBA today is a premium product in the wide range of masters programs offered by the GSB.

Associate Professor Peter Reed became MBA director in 2005 and under his guidance the Monash MBA has achieved accreditation with AMBA, internationally recognised as the global standard for all MBA programs.
 
Historical synopsis:

1968 - M.Admin established in the Department of Administration at Clayton campus

1984 - MBA program part of the Graduate School of Management (GSM), Director Professor Allan Fels

1995-2000 - Administered by Mt Eliza Business School

2001 - Re-absorbed into the Faculty of Business and Economics

2004 - Establishment of the GSB within the faculty

2006 - Awarded AMBA accreditation

2007 - Monash MBA rises in the rankings to 43rd in the world's top 100 full-time MBA programs and second in the world in the category 'Personal development and education experience'