Win: The IMAGE MBA Scholarship to the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School

Are you ready to take the next step in your career? Read on to find out what an MBA can offer you and how you can apply for a full scholarship worth up to €34,500 for the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School full-time or executive (part-time) MBA programme.

Maria Barry, executive MBA student, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School; and senior medical information manager, Novartis

I decided to undertake an EMBA while working in medical communications for global pharmaceutical company Novartis. As a qualified pharmacist, my career has focused on the medical side of things and I was keen to develop my business and leadership skills.

The EMBA has a strong international focus and the most exciting moments have been the diverse travel opportunities. I was a member of the first Smurfit team to win the John Molson MBA International Case Competition in Montreal this year, partook in an international business trip to Singapore and Vietnam in March, and will be attending a one-week programme on the “Behavioural Science of Management” in Yale in June. 

The EMBA class is a diverse mix of professional and cultural backgrounds. Focusing on what you can bring to class discussions and your unique offering is important. The support and advice offered by classmates, who are also juggling busy jobs and lives is invaluable, not to mention the support provided by lecturers and staff.

My advice to anyone deciding whether to go for the part-time or full-time MBA would be to go for it – the opportunities an MBA offers to expand your horizons, to network with people from diverse backgrounds and increase your personal development are incredible. Try to take every opportunity that comes your way – you never know what future opportunities come from saying “yes”.

Orla Nugent, MBA programme director, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School

Continuous improvement is a cornerstone of the MBA and preparing students for the future workplace is key. The UCD MBA is an international and experiential programme and our reach goes beyond the classroom because we believe our students need to be global ready. We all need the ability to collaborate effectively across cultures and geographies. During the MBA, students participate in Global Network weeks and Global Virtual Teams (working virtually with teams from other universities around the globe on projects and simulations). Students represent us at Yale and Molson international case study competitions. Congratulations to Maria and her team on winning the Molson competition, showcasing our MBA students’ internationally recognised expertise. They participate in modules such as doing business in international markets, where they gain first-hand experience of how people manage and lead in different geographies. They also have the opportunity to participate in the International Consulting Project; last year, around 70 students went to Iceland, requiring them to work in teams to solve real-life business problems for real firms. Learning to work with cultural differences, industry mindsets, and personalities is further developed within the Leadership Development Programme. This is achieved through developing self-awareness, leadership, and influencing skills, complementing the rigorous and experiential academic programme.

Diversity is a key part of the class composition, enriching the learning environment through different perspectives. Gender is a key part of this; we also look at nationality, work experience, interests and previous academic studies. Currently, both programmes have 34 per cent female representation and we’d like to see this increase to 50 per cent.

What I think would surprise applicants most about the Smurfit MBA is the network – it’s phenomenal and available to you when you join the programme, starting with your own learning group and class. The exposure to global thought through the international and experiential nature of the programme is facilitated through partnerships such as the Global Network of Advanced Management (GNAM), a network of 32 leading business schools from diverse regions, countries, cultures, and economies in different phases of development. Our focus is to unlock your potential to develop well-rounded graduates, IQ and EQ, through the Academic Curriculum and Leadership Development Programme. Finally, the MBA careers service enhances your skills and strengthens your network so you can manage your career long after the MBA.

MBA alumni often reflect on their experience of the programme as one of the most challenging of their lives; they also reflect on the friendships and connections they made. Their MBA journey continues as part of a network of MBAs with shared experiences representing a diverse range of industries, geographies, cultures and generations. MBA alumni remain engaged with our global alumni network. We encourage our alumni community to share their knowledge and experience with students, helping strengthen our MBA community through their personal and professional contributions.

Don’t hesitate – apply now. As soon as you start, you are making a positive step to move to the next phase. If you have any questions, contact us at mba@ucd.ie or 01 716 4306.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO…

For full details on the IMAGE MBA Scholarship competition and how to enter, visit smurfitschool.ie/image.

Applications are open now and deadline is April 27, so don’t wait!

Terms and conditions: The scholarship can only be used towards tuition fees on the full-time or executive (part-time) MBA programme at UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.