Alexandra Skinner talks to Paul Harrison
Q: What makes Deakin University’s MBA experience unique?
We have designed the Deakin MBA around flexibility, industry relevance, and leadership with real-world impact. We know our students are balancing busy professional and personal lives, so we’ve designed a program that fits around them, whether that means studying on-campus, online, or through immersive experiences like international consulting projects, study tours, or residential intensives, or a bit of all of these.
But for me, the critical thing is that we embrace complexity. Business (and life) isn’t black and white, and leadership isn’t about finding simple answers; it’s about how we navigate uncertainty, competing priorities, and constant change. We challenge students to engage with the real messiness of business, from balancing financial goals with ethical leadership to making strategic decisions in unpredictable contexts and managing teams in socially responsible and financially viable ways.
Q: Can you unpack the MBA pathways and delivery options you offer?
One of the best things about the Deakin MBA is its flexibility. At its core, the foundation of the Deakin MBA is online. So, we’ve built a world-class online learning experience that allows students to study from anywhere, at any time. But flexibility isn’t just about being online; it means different things to different people, and we’ve designed the program to accommodate a wide range of needs and learning styles. For those looking for something different, we offer intensive study options. Our residential programs bring students together for short, high-impact learning experiences where they tackle business challenges as a team. We also have a study tour with international consulting projects, where students apply their skills in a global context, solving complex problems for organisations in different cultural and economic environments.
And there are also the stackable short courses (we refer to them as Masterclasses), which give students even more control over their learning journey. They can start small, build their skills over time, and eventually transition into the MBA when it makes sense for them. The bottom line is that we know our students have different goals, commitments, and ways of learning, so we’ve made sure the Deakin MBA is as flexible as possible without compromising in any way on quality.
“Our students aren’t here to memorise frameworks; they’re here to challenge themselves, refine how they approach problems and gain insights that go beyond their industry.”
Q: Based upon these pathways, who is the Deakin MBA designed for?
At a broad level, I think what makes an MBA unique is that, unlike nearly every other degree, it’s about generalisation, not specialisation. Most degrees focus on developing deep technical expertise in a single field: finance, marketing, science, engineering, law. An MBA is different. It’s for people who are ready to move beyond technical skills and understand the whole organisation; how strategy, leadership, operations, finance, and people all connect. The thing that really defines the Deakin MBA cohort, though, is their mindset. We want students who are curious, open to challenging themselves and driven to do better. If you are someone who wants to grow, who is willing to question what you know, and isn’t afraid to take on complexity, then this is the MBA for you. That’s what makes the learning experience so powerful. Everyone brings their own background and perspective, but they’re all here to push themselves and each other to think bigger.
There’s no single type of person who does an MBA, as people enrol for a variety of reasons. Some want security, so they are looking for a qualification that future-proofs their career and gives them the confidence that they’ll always have options. Others are more focused on moving up in their current workplace, stepping into leadership roles or transitioning into new industries. And some come into the MBA because they want to make a bigger impact; they’re thinking beyond their career and looking at how they can contribute to meaningful change, whether through social impact, sustainability, or transforming industries from the inside.
Q: Increasingly, students want to align educational outcomes with career goals via specialisations. With this in mind, to what extent can students personalise their MBA journey?
Personalisation is a big focus for us because we know that everyone comes into an MBA with different career ambitions. Some students want to go deep into leadership and strategy, while others are more focused on digital transformation, finance, marketing, or entrepreneurship. That’s why we give students the ability to shape their learning experience, whether that’s specialising through their electives, industry projects, global consulting work, or short courses that let them build their expertise in areas that matter most to them. But we also encourage students to go even further than that. An MBA can be specialised for those who want to think about the role of business in a more connected way. That’s why we encourage our students to consider other discipline units when developing their electives suite. Are there other areas they’re curious about? Science, philosophy, human behaviour? They’re at one of the best universities in the world; why not take advantage of that? Because if we’re truly encouraging curiosity and critical thinking, we’re going to do better as a society. The best leaders aren’t just great at business; they can take ideas from different disciplines, challenge their own assumptions, and apply what they’ve learned in unexpected ways. That’s what makes this MBA different.
“We’re making sure our students have the skills and knowledge to not just keep up with change but to drive it.”
Q: What does this mean in terms of ROI—employability, industry readiness, and career future-proofing?
The biggest advantage of an MBA isn’t just the technical knowledge but learning how to think at a higher level, make better decisions, and lead through complexity. Our students aren’t here to memorise frameworks; they’re here to challenge themselves, refine how they approach problems and gain insights that go beyond their industry. One of our graduates, Gioia Zitslaff, came into the MBA with a background in neuroscience, working in scientific research and development. The MBA gave her the strategic, commercial, and leadership skills to make a bold career move, transitioning into a senior marketing role in the cutting-edge field of cell and gene therapy at Miltenyi Biotech. She was able to bridge the gap between science and business, bringing a unique perspective to a highly specialised industry. By expanding her understanding of business strategy, market positioning, and organisational leadership, she was not just changing jobs—she was positioning herself at the forefront of an industry that is transforming modern medicine.
I think this is what sets our graduates apart. They don’t just leave with a degree. They leave with a more sophisticated, future-focused way of thinking that allows them to navigate uncertainty, manage large-scale change, and lead with confidence. This is why so many of our students move into C-suite roles, take on board positions, or drive major business transformations before they have even completed the program. Beyond immediate career impact, our MBA is about ensuring long-term relevance. The world of work is shifting. Artificial intelligence, automation, digital transformation, and sustainability pressures are redefining industries. Leaders who understand these forces, who can adapt, innovate, and think strategically, will be the ones who shape the future of business.
Q: How important are industry partnerships, and to what extent do they inform the curriculum?
Industry partnerships are central to what we do. We have an incredibly connected Advisory Board with MBA alumni and business experts across digital technology, public health, marketing, public policy, and law. We don’t just bring industry into the classroom—we send our students out into the real world to work on live projects and solve real business challenges. For example, our students recently worked with ActionAid Italy to help develop a new market strategy around segmentation. We’ve examined the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre’s Journeys Café on social enterprise models. We’ve partnered with the Stroke Foundation and Beyond Blue to explore behavioural change challenges in healthcare. And we’ve worked closely with businesses like The Gospel Distillers, founded by Deakin MBA alumni Andrew Fitzgerald, which is a great example of how entrepreneurship and business strategy come together in the real world. These partnerships make sure our curriculum stays relevant, but more importantly, they give our students the chance to apply their skills, make connections, and gain experience that makes them stand out in the job market.
“We don’t just bring industry into the classroom—we send our students out into the real world to work on live projects and solve real business challenges.”
Q: Looking ahead, what can current and future students expect from Deakin over the next 12-18 months?
We’ve got some exciting changes on the way. The MBA is about to launch a major refresh to ensure it’s even more future-focused. We’re expanding industry partnerships, embedding sustainability and alternative forms of knowledge into the curriculum, creating more opportunities for hands-on learning, and continuing to evolve how we deliver the program so students have even more flexibility. One of the biggest shifts I am particularly proud of is the increased focus on sustainability, ethical and responsible management, and governance. We know that businesses today need leaders who can balance profit with purpose; people who can make smart, ethical decisions and navigate the challenges of environmental and social responsibility. That’s going to be embedded throughout the curriculum. At the same time, we’re also incorporating the emerging areas of digital transformation and data analytics. Leaders today need to be comfortable working with technology, whether AI, big data, or emerging digital business models. We’re making sure our students have the skills and knowledge to not just keep up with change but to drive it.
Beyond that, we’re working with colleagues at four of our partner universities to develop exciting new initiatives for First Nations business leaders, which we’re really proud of. It’s about creating a pathway for Indigenous business leaders and making sure the future of business leadership in Australia is collaborative, diverse, inclusive, and deeply connected to the community.
“The biggest advantage of an MBA isn’t just the technical knowledge but learning how to think at a higher level, make better decisions, and lead through complexity.”
Biography
MBA Director Paul Harrison is a senior lecturer and the Unit Chair of Consumer Behaviour in the Department of Marketing in Deakin Business School.
