Experience Melbourne

Orientation Class of 2013 Mt Eliza Team Building Weekend

2011-08-31T11:19:00.000+10:00

Welcome! Meet the Class of 2013

Team games outside the Mt Eliza campus

'Colour Blind' team building activity

2011 Valedictory Dinner and Graduation Ceremony Highlights

2011-08-12T14:04:00.000+10:00

Keen to be Green? Tip #3

2011-07-15T16:45:00.002+10:00

Keen to be Green? Tip #2
Brought to you by the MBS Net Impact chapter.

Do you like food? We do. What does food have to do with being green? You may not be aware of this fact, but University of Melbourne campus is Melbourne's hub for sustainable eating (just now adorned as such by Net Impact).

It is home to Crêpes á la Carte, the Kere Kere cofftee cart, STREAT, and the Union House Food Co-op.

Crepes a la Carte
Pic source: Crêpes á la Carte

Crêpes á la Carte and Kere Kere are student run businesses and use sustainable products in a variety of ways. The Food Co-Op offers nutritious and ethical food for a reasonable price. Finally, STREAT is a social enterprise that creates opportunities for the homeless through the operation of its food carts that serve up tasty food and coffee. So the next time you are needing a break from the dodgy noodle bar across from MBS, make your lunch dollar go farther by tracking down one of these great sustainable options on campus.

Have a Keen to Be Green tip you'd like to share? Email netimpact@mbs.edu

Meet the Team: Student Services

2011-07-07T12:06:00.000+10:00

Would you like to know more about the lovely ladies (and guy!) at Student Services at MBS? Meet the team in this short video, and go behind the counter to where all the action happens...

&amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;gt;Ha

Keen to be Green? Tip #2

2011-07-01T14:38:00.002+10:00

Keen to be Green? Tip #2
Brought to you by the MBS Net Impact chapter.

Carbon. It's more than just something for politicians to fight about. However it's going to be offset or paid for or not, carbon is still getting generated every day by most everything that we do. Ever wonder how much carbon you're blowing up into space, or want to brag to your friends about how small your footprint is? Check out one of the handy carbon footprint calculators that are online. There are heaps out there, and most are free. Our favourite is the one at www.1degree.com.au. It looks cool, it's pretty easy, and it is tailored to Australia.

Have a Keen to be Green tip you'd like to share? Want to brag to all of MBS about your carbon footprint? Email netimpact@mbs.edu

2011 Women and Management Dinner

2011-06-29T13:12:00.000+10:00

Fore more than 20 years, WAM has become a signature event for Melbourne Business School, bringing female students and graduates together to hear inspirational speakers. It’s also a forum to discuss issues faced by women in management, and to educate the wider business community. This year, Catriona Noble, Managing Director and CEO of McDonald's Australia, joined MBS to discuss women in management and the golden arches. Read more about the 2011 Women and Management Dinner.

The 2011 WAM Dinner was held at Peninsula, a waterfront event space at Melbourne Docklands.

WAM guests had the opportunity to mingle and network at the pre-dinner function.

This year, MBS welcomed keynote speaker, Catriona Noble, Managing Director and CEO of McDonald's Australia.

Catriona Noble is the female figurehead of a company that is exceptional in
Australia for having around 50% female representation at every level,
including senior management and the board.

Keen to go Green? Tip #1

2011-06-24T13:15:00.002+10:00

MBS Net Impact is Keen to go Green. To coincide with the massive launch of its Greening the Campus Committee, a group that will be looking under rocks, behind doors, and in the garbage for ways to help MBS go green, Net Impact wants to help you go green as well with a weekly tip called Keen to go Green.

Here's your first tip:

Did you know that the MBS syndicate rooms have automatic light sensors that help to save energy? It's true! Take a look at the light switch sometime, and you'll see that you can turn it counter clockwise to the 'Auto' setting. This enables the sensor to turn the lights on when someone enters the room and to turn off automatically when you leave. So turn it to Auto and leave it on Auto: Not only does it save energy, it saves you from having to mess with the light switch - a massive time savings that you can put toward fighting with your syndicate group!

If you consider yourself keen to go green and want to contribute a tip, email netimpact@mbs.edu.

Video: MGPG 2010-2011 Melbourne

2011-06-20T12:13:00.000+10:00

Check out this student produced video about MBS and our wonderful city of Melbourne. Many thanks to the students for sharing this with us!

Australian Marketing Simplicity - Luke Naughton Post #5

2011-06-10T14:25:00.002+10:00

The first day of Marketing class at Melbourne Business School we learned about the four P’s: Product, Placement, Promotion, and Price. At the time, I appreciated the four P’s as a nice way to remember a key concept about breaking down a product into some basic components. Then we were thrown the 3 C’s, Company, Competition, and Customers, another analysis tool that looks at how your company is positioned. Soon thereafter, I took strategy class, at which point the quantity of handy concepts started to get decidedly un-handy. On came seven S’s, five forces, PESTs and pyramids. By year two of your MBA, one needs to carry around a copy of the Business School Acronym-to-English dictionary. So what’s a good MBA to do? I say keep it simple, as sometimes the best ideas, the most brilliant and effective, are the simplest. Take the following example: www.informationisbeautiful.net, a fantastic website where the creators take typically boring or overly complex data and boil it down into a nice, neat, easy to understand – and often beautiful – visual presentation.

There are other real business people that agree with my leanings toward simplicity, and I have even found an Australian example during my short time here. I give you, Australian marketing simplicity: Tasty Cheese.

There is not much simpler than labeling your product with the category, cheese in this case, and then prefacing it with a catchy adjective like tasty. Think about the possibilities this concept, which I call the Tasty Cheese Maneuver, brings to the table: McDonald’s next attempt at changing its image could be by introducing the ‘Skinny Burger’, Marlboro’s last ditch effort at salvaging its reputation might be with ‘Healthy Smokes’, and so on it goes.

The adoption of the Tasty variety of cheese has been so successful that all the major cheese manufacturers in Australia use it in lieu of cheddar. They’ve also jettisoned the perfectly useful Sharp and Extra Sharp varieties of cheddar in favor of Extra Tasty and something called Strong and Bitey. They may have gone too far with that one - Strong and Bitey elicits visions of fighting crocs in the Outback, or maybe a nickname you’d give to an overly aggressive former girlfriend, which is probably not the intent. Regardless of that misstep, The Maneuver appears to be spot on. Before we adorn it as the answer to all your product branding problems, however, we must explore some other examples.

One that comes to mind immediately is Good & Plenty. Those Yanks out there should know what I am talking about, but for the rest of you, Good & Plenty is a candy consisting of horrible little knobs of black licorice. Good & Plenty’s success is questionable. On one hand, it has been around since 1893. It stands to reason that this longevity can be attributed solely to the name itself, which hits on that most critical American value proposition, of providing something good to eat and lots of it. On the other hand, if you check the 2010 candy rankings that have been scientifically compiled by the website espn.com, you won’t even find Good & Plenty on the list of the top 40, which is sad considering the top 40 includes the likes of Mr. Goodbar (he’s been washed up for years), Dots (the bane of dentists everywhere), and Smarties of all things (just above candy corn toward the bottom of my candy rankings). Another example of The Maneuver that most people have heard of is Yum! Brands. Yum! Brands calls itself the world’s largest restaurant company, running KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell. Yum! is obviously successful, but the Yum! part is pretty subjective. The best job I ever had was working at The Hut so I’ll abstain from bashing them, but the rest of the Yum! brands are pretty much only acceptable sources of food when you’ve had so much to drink your brain operates on par with a side order of mashed potatoes and your stomach has been stunned into submission.

The examples of Yum! and Good n’ Plenty bring us closer to the conclusion that The Maneuver could be a successful strategy, but there are still question marks. Tasty Cheese is a bit different for some subtle reasons, and because it goes so far as to discard an already useful brand, cheddar, one with tons of awareness and customer loyalty, in favor something different. I decided to ask Mark Ritson, Melbourne Business School Brand Professor to the Stars, his opinion on Tasty Cheese. According to Mark: ‘Once again a total disregard for provenance and heritage by Australian marketers - unless of course Tasty is a small region just North of Bendigo where they make great cheese. Pretty sure it’s the former point.’

Mark’s point made me decide that market testing was needed and could be the deciding factor. I took the Tasty Cheese Maneuver to my house to try it out for myself. I was making dinner one night, chicken and rice of some variety. Cooking for young kids is a thankless job, and to that point, my oldest boy is notorious for the following exchange:

Henry: ‘Dad, what’s for dinner?’
Me: ‘Chicken and rice.’
Henry: ‘Noooooooo.’ Agony. Close to death. Writhing on the floor. ‘I’m not hungry.’

Armed with the new Tasty Cheese Maneuver, I got the following results:

Henry: ‘Dad, what’s for dinner?’
Me: ‘Delicious Food!’
Henry: No response. Confusion. Henry exits.

Disregard for branding basics or not, I’ve found gold! Thank you Tasty Cheese! So the next time you’re tackling a problem and feeling bogged down with details, frameworks and acronyms, remember to keep it simple, and keep it tasty.

2011 Valedictory Dinner, Ormond College Dining Hall

2011-05-27T15:41:00.004+10:00

Dinner service in Ormond College Dining Hall for the graduating Class of 2011.

Ukari Warmann accepts the Egon Zehnder Leadership Prize.

Students enjoy pre dinner drinks and canapés in the Ormond College quad.

Adrian Lu accepts the John Clemenger Memorial Prize.

The Dean's List award winners. The Dean's List recognises the academic achievements of the graduating class.

SRC Spotlight Term 1 2011 - A Day in the Life of an MBS Student

2011-05-16T11:11:00.000+10:00

Meet JC and Alistair - two students from MBS. JC is a full-time student and Alistair is a part-time student. Follow them through their day and see what their student experience is like at MBS.

- The SRC Spotlight Team.

View more videos from the Spotlight Team on the MBS SRC YouTube channel.

Term 1 All Wrapped Up

2011-05-11T16:03:00.001+10:00

That's a Wrap! Term 1 is over for another year. We wish everyone a safe and well-deserved break before Term 2 kicks off in a few weeks.

For many students, the end is near with graduation just around the corner. We look forward to welcoming our graduating students into the MBS alumni community at the 2011 Valedictory Dinner and Graduation Ceremony very soon. We'll be covering these events across our MBS social networks, so follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook for the latest updates and photos.

Let's recap the highlights from Term 1, 2011:

SRC Welcome Back BBQ
The SRC launched the social calendar this year with the traditional SRC Welcome Back BBQ. The BBQ provided a great opportunity for new students to meet and greet with continuing students at MBS.

Net Impact Conference
Mid February saw more than 100 delegates gather to attend the 2011 Australian Net Impact Conference at MBS. The conference was a jam-packed three day event, and brought together passionate members from the wider MBS community to debate and discuss issues of corporate responsibility and engage with the conference theme: ‘Growing. Together. Sustainably.’ View a video from the conference here.

SRC Forum and Club Events
The SRC kicked off formalities with a student forum at the start of term to discuss the strategic direction of the student body for the commencing term. The SRC committed to achieving key objectives across careers and the student experience in Term 1. The subsequent launch of the SRC Innovations Committee and the SRC Careers Committee were the result of this focus. Club events this term included the MUEC Elevator Pitch, tennis tournaments, photography workshops, family BBQ's, and breakfast panel discussions.

End of Mid Term Party/2011MBS Ball
Students marked the end of mid term exams at Feddish Bar at Federation Square. Celebrations continued soon after at the 2011 MBS Ball, decadently themed 'Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory'.

AGSM v MBS Cup
More than 40 MBS participants travelled north to Sydney this March to compete in the annual AGSM v MBS Cup. This year the rounds of competition included a debate, beach volleyball, touch rugby and soccer. Although the MBS team didn't fare so well on the field, the students had a great weekend meeting their Sydney counterparts and competing in some healthy competition. More photos from the weekend can be viewed here (courtesy of Jill Tang), and the SRC Spotlight video can be viewed here (courtesy of the SRC Spotlight Team).

MBS Marketing Association presents 'The Social Network: What the movies teaches us about branding'
This April the MBS Marketing Association in partnership with Net Impact, the SRC and MBS presented 'The Social Network: What the movie teaches us about branding' with Associate Professor of Marketing, Mark Ritson. The fundraiser marketing event filled the Coles Theatre to capacity, as 170 attendees packed into the theatre to hear Mark present and donate to a good cause. Almost $1500 was raised, with money donated to the Red Cross Japan and Pacific Disaster Appeal 2011.

End of Term Party/Student Experience Award
The term rolled around to a close with the End of Term Party hosted at Fashion Lounge in Flinders Lane. Students packed into the event to toast their graduating peers and celebrate the end of Term 1 at MBS. Congratulations to Bonze Cheng who was awarded the Term 1 Student Experience Award. Bonze was voted the winner by her peers for her contribution towards the student experience at MBS.

SRC Spotlight Term 1 2011 - AGSM & MBS Cup 2011

2011-05-05T16:22:00.000+10:00

Follow a group of MBS students as they travel to Sydney for the annual AGSM/MBS Cup. Alas, we lost the debating cup but some argue it was close! A big thank you to all the students listed at the end of the video for representing MBS. Another thank you to AGSM for a great weekend and being great hosts. We look forward to seeing you down in Melbourne in 2012!

Follow a group of MBS students as they travel to Sydney for the annual AGSM/MBS Cup. Alas, we lost the debating cup but some argue it was close! A big thank you to all the students listed at the end of the video for representing MBS.

Another thank you to AGSM for a great weekend and being great hosts. We look forward to seeing you down in Melbourne in 2012!

- The SRC Spotlight Team

A Business School Showdown - The 2011 AGSM Vs MBS Cup

2011-04-01T13:48:00.031+11:00

Check out our fantastic team of MBS students who travelled to Sydney to compete in the annual AGSM v MBS Cup. The fierce rounds of competition included a debate, beach volleyball, touch rugby and soccer. Stay tuned for the upcoming spotlight video!

On the way to Sydney.

The MBS debating team.

The MBS cheer squad.

Out for lunch with the MBS team.

Nelson Chan takes to the floor - Go MBS!

Nice shirts!

The MBS Soccer team.

Connect with MBS Blogosphere:

2011-03-22T09:00:00.011+11:00

MBS Marketing Association
The MBS Marketing Association is a a group of MBS School students and alumni interested in building their marketing skills and networks. The association holds a series of speaker events on topics of interest to marketers and the broader business community. The MBS Marketing Association blog features an up-to-date calendar of marketing events and a careers feed with marketing jobs in Melbourne.

Check out the MBS Marketing Association blog HERE

MBS Entrepreneurship Club
The Melbourne Business School Entrepreneurship Club (MBSEC) is a student run association based at MBS with the mission to build excitement for entrepreneurship amongst the MBS students through stimulating and challenging social activities. The MBSEC blog features upcoming entrepreneurship events at MBS and Melbourne University.

Check out the MBSEC blog HERE

MBS Photography Club
The Photography Club is a club for everyone at MBS, from professionals with SLRs, to absolute beginners with mobile-phone cameras. So long as you’re shutter-button happy and like shooting photographs, this club is for you. The MBS Photography Club Flickr photostream features photos from members of the MBS community.

Check out the MBS Photography Club Flickr Photostream HERE

MBS innovators place in prestigious Canadian comp!

2011-03-16T15:56:00.000+11:00

Congratulations to three MBS students who have placed in the prestigious Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) 'Next Great Innovator Challenge'!

Julia Sevilla, Joel Delmaire and Jacob Hulsbaek were one of five groups selected from a field of top 20 submissions to pitch their innovative concept to a boardroom of senior executives from the RBC.

The students, all of whom attended the Rotman School of Management on exchange in late 2010, were flown back to Toronto by the bank in February to compete in the final of the challenge.

The final result rewarded all their hard work with the team placing as a runner-up. An excellent achievement! Read more...

Julia Sevilla, Jacob Hulsbaek, Joel Delmaire and Austrian exchange student, Wolfgang Sachsenhofer place as runners-up in the Next Great Innovator Challenge.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak visits Melbourne Business School

2011-03-16T13:05:00.002+11:00

In early March this year, more than 80 students had the opportunity to dine with His Excellency, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at MBS.

Prime Minister Razak visited the University of Melbourne on the last day of his official three day visit to Australia. His Excellency took the opportunity to meet University of Melbourne and MBS Malaysian students over lunch at the MBS Gadsden Dining Hall.

His Excellency, Malaysian Prime Minister Razak is greeted by senior University of Melbourne and MBS staff.

Prime Minister Razak addresses the audience.

Staff and students join Prime Minister Razak in the MBS Gadsden Dining Hall.

Prime Minister Razak mingles with University of Melbourne and MBS students after lunch.

Watch the MBS Triathlon Champs in Action!

2011-03-01T14:58:00.002+11:00

Video source: nbrw2011melbourne

2011 Australian Net Impact Conference: Growing. Together. Sustainability.

2011-02-21T16:55:00.001+11:00

Check out the footage from the 2011 Australian Net Impact Conference, held at MBS from 16-18 February and co-hosted by the Net Impact clubs of AGSM and MBS.

MBS Champs Compete in Corporate Triathlon Battle

2011-02-21T16:44:00.001+11:00

Check out our champion MBS triathlon team who competed in the Nissan/BRW Corporate Triathlon on the weekend! Well done everyone on a fantastic performance!

Video: Annual Alumni Dinner 2010

2011-02-15T13:08:00.001+11:00

Were you at the 2010 Annual Alumni Dinner?

The Annual Alumni Dinner is the flagship event for MBS and its global community, and a highlight of the School's social calendar. We hope you had a great night networking with your Alumni community and catching-up with friends!

To read more about the evening, click here.

Pick up a KeepCup

2011-02-14T15:56:00.000+11:00

MBS KeepCup

In a previous and very popular blog entry, MBS Blogger, Luke Naughton, calculated how much $$ the average MBS student would save by utilising the free coffee machine on-campus. It turned out to be quite a lot - but now even more can be saved by purchasing a reusable and sustainable MBS KeepCup.

KeepCup is the first barista standard reusable cup and the number one choice for sustainable coffee consumption - KeepCup.

MBS KeepCups are available to purchase at the MBS cafe or reception desk for $14.00. Save 30 cents off each cup of coffee you purchase at the MBS cafe!

SRC Spotlight Term 1 2011 - Industry Studies in Asia

2011-01-31T14:24:00.003+11:00

Join us as we follow one syndicate group around Shanghai as they undertake the Industry Studies in Asia subject at MBS. Watch as they work, play, shop and eat their way around Shanghai!

Best,
Your SRC

Welcome to MBS: Meet the 2011 January intake

2011-01-14T13:04:00.002+11:00

Full-time Class of 2012

January 2011 Part-time cohort

Top picks: Summer in Melbourne, 2011

2011-01-12T10:43:00.004+11:00

Australia Open champ, Serena Williams.
(pic source: Jayegirl99)

Australian Open 2011

The heat is guaranteed to soar when the world’s best hit the courts in the 2011 Australian Open, Melbourne Park 17-30 January. Let's find a new champion this summer. Ground passes from $20.

Moonlight Cinema

Do you like your films served cult, classic or new release? Moonlight Cinema presents them all. Screened on the banks of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Moonlight Cinema will be hosting the latest and greatest of cinema at sundown until late March. BYO picnic and insect repellent.

Grab the keys, let's go for a drive!

Take advantage of a free weekend before syndicate assignments start rolling in. Visit the Penguin Parade at Phillip Island, the 12 Apostles on the Great Ocean Road (quick, while they’re still standing!), or hire a houseboat on the Murray River.

Federation Square

Got wi-fi? Get wireless at Fed Square, host to the largest free wi-fi network in Australia. Discover The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, a showcase of Australian colonial and contemporary art, or visit ACMI, home to the centre of the moving image and a unique celebration of our digital culture.

SRC Spotlight - Summer Holiday Edition Term 3, 2010

2010-12-16T16:46:00.005+11:00

Exams are over, bring on the holidays! We bring you a very special episode of the SRC Spotlight with holiday messages from faculty, staff and fellow students. Keep watching until the end to see some funny behind the scenes footage from all our episodes this term. Happy holidays and see you all next term!

Your SRC.

Opportunity and the MBA - Luke Naughton Post #4

2010-12-15T09:40:00.002+11:00

A good read...?
Reconciling Work and Family Life
in EU Law and Policy.

Now that, to me, is not a book I am interested in pulling off the shelf at the library to head home to read with a cup of tea and a crumpet. Or even a scone. However to some, it might be...

This small and semi-questionable example helps to illustrate what is exciting about getting an MBA: It is a general degree. While you’ll take a course called Financial Accounting, that one course is not enough to ever actually be a professional accountant, much less a CFO. You’ll also take Financial Management, but there’s a difference between taking that class and trusting one of the students who passed it with your money.

However, an MBA allows you to take all of these parts and pieces and scab them together into the capability to take on a vast number of things, giving an individual the opportunity to follow their interests.
So, while I may want to use my MBA skills to start a non-profit dealing with people growing moustaches (outrageous idea!), someone else may want to apply their business skills to a career involved with work and family life in the EU. Flexibility is cool. Opportunity is cool.

Now if only I could find time between my five classes this term to chase that opportunity.

Woody Lo - Jan '10 (IE Business school - Madrid) Post #3

2010-12-10T13:59:00.003+11:00

Farewell IE Business School...

Retiro park, a part of Madrid I will always remember.

With my exchange to IE Business School in Madrid drawing to a close, it has been a great time to reflect on my past experience and share some personal insight. Like any good courses are punctuated by key take-aways, I was able to spend a Sunday in Madrid strolling down Retiro park (a scenic large park in Madrid that replaced 'the tan' in Melbourne as my jogging track) by myself working out what I learnt. And here are some of them:

1) Greater understanding of diversity. Being a Kiwi Asian that grew up in an isolated corner of the world map for most of my life, I really only understood the Anglo, Taiwanese (which is subtlety different than Chinese) and certain Indian perspectives (the later is more from friends, and my former life in the IT industry). Sure, I read the newspaper and conceive ideas and biases why certain people behave certain ways, but it is only when I worked with people in a foreign environment that I really gained understanding. As future global citizens, and aspiring leaders, I really encourage people to spend some significant time in non-Anglo countries experiencing different perspectives. Personally, my experience being in a school with an abundance of Latinos and non-anglo Europeans has certainly enriched my life.

A subset of my Technology and Business Strategy class at the end of class drinks.

2) How lucky Australia is. We all heard why Australia has been labelled the lucky country blah blah, but again you really know why once you travel even to this part of the world. The problems that the Europeans and particularly the Spaniards are facing is somewhat sad. Every time I read the news there just seem to problems (immigration, financial health, growth prospects, unemployment, protests etc) both domestically and Europe-wide. Even walking around the streets, I can sometimes notice somewhat dire faces.. the long queues at the Lotto line.. people without a fraction of the opportunities all of us (students at MBS) will have. The tyranny of distance sometimes has its advantages in that we (people that live in Australia) can be quite insulated for the chaos in this part of the world. I think my international marketing professor summarised it best: 'Unless Europe really gets back to its hard-working roots that once saw them conquer most of the known world, future generations will come to Europe as a tourist destination, much like you would go to Egypt to see the ruins of a former empire'. It is therefore interesting to think that Australia is still a young versatile country that could take advantage of the shift in the axis of power that will move from the Atlantic to the Pacific, which will hopefully mean a lot of opportunities for MBS graduates relative to our European MBA peers.

3) Human elements of the MBA. I must admit that I had previously undermined the importance of networking and the human elements of the MBA. Especially as the amount of work increased in the MBA, it was really easy for me to focus on getting by (such as getting syndicate work done, study etc). However, it is only when I slowed down that I realised that one of the most enriching parts of my whole MBA (both here and back in Melbourne) are the soft skills that I practiced, such as making presentations, working with people of different backgrounds, group thinking etc. IE, being a different environment to MBS, provided another learning lab for me to further develop these skills, and I will always be forever grateful of this opportunity.

American Thanksgiving party with fellow exchange students.

In a way, I am a little sad to leave. I have made quite a few new friends, but I felt it was not long enough to develop truly deep friendships (good things take time). I know there is Facebook, but I think friendship really works only if you can see people face to face. On the plus side, I also look forward with excitement in regards to what the future will bring, catching up and exchanging stories with the people back in MBS, and finishing off my degree in Melbourne with my starting class. My IE experience has been a blast, and I will always recommend future students to go on exchange. However when it is all said and done, I am still glad that I will be completing my degree in Melbourne Business School, a school on par with IE in my opinion (so don't read too much into rankings).

Merry Christmas,
Woody Lo

Mark Leslie: (McCombs School of Business - Texas) Post #2

2010-12-03T14:20:00.001+11:00

Friends, Football and a little incident involving Firearms

For you avid readers I apologise for the delay in posts, however this town has the ability to consume you with all it has to offer. Since my last post, amongst other things, I have attended a three day music festival in the heart of Austin, visited New Orleans, been caught in the middle of a campus shooting, had some fellow MBS exchange students to Austin to visit, witnessed the demise of a college football super power, and have been swept up by Halloween fever.

Austin City Limits, a three day music festival.

Every year Austin hosts a three day music festival known as Austin City Limits (ACL). The festival attracted 75,000 people through the gates every day with acts like Mike Snow, The Eagles, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Muse, and a little Aussie band called The Temper Trap! I know for a lot of you the term ‘music festival’ conjures up images of delinquents wearing Supre fluro causing destruction out at the showgrounds and the closest you get to going is reading the front page of the Herald Sun on Monday morning to see the ‘scoreboard’ of how many people overdosed versus how many people the cops nabbed for possession. Well there is quite a different feel over here, situated on the lush lawns of Zilker Park with the city of Austin as the back drop and surrounded by people of all ages and all walks of life you can’t help but get swept up in the moment and begin to feel like you truly belong in this place. http://www.aclfestival.com/

Football is kind of a big deal down here. You may have been a member of a capacity crowd at the MCG or Wembley Stadium for a big game; I have, and loved it. However, these crowds no matter how one sided would usually have a split no less than 80/20, and for the stadium to be at capacity it would usually involve a finals game or some sort of occasion. Well, herein lies the difference and also the reason why you must get along to a US College Football game, preferably in Texas. To sit amongst a crowd of 101,399 people all wearing burnt orange (with the exception of about 500 brave souls), is simply electric. Next year they are extending the stadium to hold +118,000! Keep in mind that this isn’t even professional sport.

"To sit amongst a crowd of 101,399 people all wearing burnt orange (with the exception of about 500 brave souls), is simply electric."

Last week I was lucky enough to play host to a couple of ‘Future Business Leaders’ here in Austin; Bryan Leong, Weng Mina, and Stefan Roeske made the journey from their respective US exchange schools for a few days of Texas fun. We were able to take in plenty of music, football, food, and even a couple (read many) of drinks during their time here. It was great to see them again and hear about the experiences that they are having during this semester abroad, the consistent theme was that the exchange program offered by MBS is a truly valuable commodity and one that we have been lucky to have access to. My favourite quote of the weekend was “Why didn’t they tell us about this place in the exchange information session!”

At 6th Street - a historic street and entertainment district in Austin, Texas.

In closing I should touch on the campus shooting incident that took place here at the University of Texas. A quiet 19 year old undergraduate brought an AK-47 assault rifle to campus on a Tuesday morning at 8.15. After firing about 20 shots at random he then made his way into the building that I happened to be in a lecture in and turned the weapon on himself, the university was placed in lock down as there were reports of another shooter. SWAT arrived in a tank and at one point stormed our lecture theatre with guns drawn. It was unsettling to say the least, and I think the fact that this is the US and that history suggests that these things do happen made it all the more terrifying. The upside of the fact that it is the US is that you know they are equipped and trained to respond to these kinds of incidents. We were finally evacuated after about 4 hours in lock down. Full credit should be given to the university staff and the law enforcement agencies for the way they responded. There was an unspoken feeling of respect for each other’s peers around campus in the weeks following the incident, for many I think that feeling of vulnerability evokes a certain clarity and perspective. I won’t go into it here but the question of ‘how does a 19 year old get an AK-47?’ highlights an advantage of having tight gun controls in Australia.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/sharedgen/blogs/austin/blotter/entries/2010/09/28/police_on_scene_of_shooting_on.html

Although I have made little to no mention of academics in my posts there is in fact a great business school here and my next post will consist of a description of the program for those of you that may be considering a semester abroad at the McCombs School of Business.

Reflections of a PhD Student - Joanna Minkiewicz

2010-11-26T12:11:00.004+11:00

Joanna Minkiewicz
Marketing PhD student at MBS

After quite a few years of “to”ing and “fro”ing, the decision towards a change to an academic career was made. Having spent 10+ years working in the service industry, and with a double degree in Arts/Marketing from Monash University, I had spent about 7 of those also tutoring and lecturing in marketing at a number of Melbourne Universities. I was very passionate about teaching, finding it very rewarding, but was unsure that I would enjoy (or indeed be any good at!) the research component of an academic career. However, the love of teaching and the desire towards a more self-managed work-life balance pushed me over the edge.

Four extremely busy years on and there’s no looking back!! In 2007, I completed Marketing honours at Monash University with first class honours. Despite being offered a number of PhD placements and scholarships, MBS was by far the most appealing on a number of fronts. I wanted to conduct industry relevant research and I felt MBS’s close industry links would facilitate this. Many MBS marketing faculty are also world experts in their fields – what better platform to learn world class research skills? I was also fortunate enough to be awarded the three year Ian Kirk Scholarship. The scholarship has proved invaluable in allowing me the luxury to focus on my research, allowing me to craft a research project that has both significant industry and academic sector impact.

My PhD journey at MBS, which started in February 2008, has been nothing short of amazing. For the first few weeks, I must admit that it all felt quite surreal. I wasn’t all that sure that I belonged in the MBS corridors amongst all these super intelligent academics. Now it feels like a second home. The last 2 ½ years has certainly had its ebbs and flows; periods of elation where I felt unbeatable, on top of the world and periods of profound self-doubt about the value of my research and indeed of my ability to be a quality academic. I think that’s the journey of the PhD though. Maybe it’s meant to teach you resilience, perseverance and help you develop a thick skin – all qualities that I believe are integral to a successful academic career.

Three quarters of the way through the journey, I have a research topic that I love and a field that I believe will be my specialist field of academic research throughout my career. My main research focus is around co-creation of experiences, my chosen context being the cultural and leisure sector (museums, zoos, galleries). Co-creation is the mutual creation of the experience between multiple stakeholders, most commonly between the organisation and the consumer. Essentially, co-creation entails intimately involving the consumer in the experience. I have investigated co-creation from an organisational perspective and know that cultural and leisure sector organisations facilitate co-created experiences with visitors. BUT:

Do consumers also co-create their experiences?

Is it in the same way that organisations think they do?

How can you help?

I would love your input into how consumers co-create their experiences. If you have been to a museum, gallery or Zoo (anywhere in the world) in the last 6 months, please take the time to fill out the short survey. The survey will take no longer than 2-3 minutes to complete.

I’ll keep you posted as my PhD journey draws to an end and I open the first chapter of an academic career.

Ivonne Edenton - Full-time Jan '10 (SDA Bocconi)

2010-11-26T11:32:00.001+11:00

My first intention was to write about my exchange experience in three parts as requested, but I missed the deadline for the first one and I thought, “Never mind, I’ll go straight for the middle part”. But before I realised it, my study here in Bocconi was over, since they packed the seven subjects for their MBA students’ last term in two months.

So, of course one of the best things with my experience is that since the term only happened in September and October, is that I got all the time in the world to travel around! After two hectic terms at MBS and diving straight into the term at Bocconi, it feels so out-of-this-world to not have to worry about case studies and assignments in my daily life.

Ivonne at the Colosseum

The other good thing about attending Bocconi was that you got to meet many executives from prominent companies that often came as guest speakers to the classes. Being in the business city of Italy, as well as its reputation as the best business school in the country, put Bocconi in close contacts with major corporations, both multi-nationals and locals. For example, we had an ex-CEO who handled the M&A project in one of our case studies attended the discussion for the case in class.

This advantage also permeates into clubs’ activities. Bocconi clubs often conduct events in join cooperation or sponsorship from big brands, for example Rolex for their annual Regatta Sailing Competition, and company visits to Ferrero (think Ferrero Rocher and Nutella) and Martini (girls, I absolutely recommend Martini Bianco on the rocks!).

At the Rolex Regatta Sailing Competition

But of course, despite all these, I still regard MBS as a better school. For one, the quality of the subjects’ content and in-class discussion. Because it was the last term for the graduating students, most of them are more focused into finding jobs and the lecturers realised this as well. As a result, there were not much lesson that can be taken away from class interaction and the workload was only a quarter of what I used to face in MBS (which I actually was not complaining since I got to travel on the weekends).

The other thing was the culture of Italian timing, which actually reminds me of my Indonesian root, where 15 minutes late means you come on-time. So I started the first week class with my Australian habit of trying to get to class 5-10 minutes early to finishing in the last week by coming to class half an hour late. Most of the classes started about 10-15 minutes after the scheduled time and sometimes even the lecturers were the ones the students were waiting for.

So now that I finished my study for the year, I’m already in the middle of my countries/cities-hopping trip for the next three months. Booking.com and easyjet.com have replaced theage.com.au and FT.com as my daily digests. I am enjoying my second winter of the year right now, but of course, still looking forward for 30-something degree-Melbourne in January!

SRC Spotlight - 2010 International Food Festival Term 3 2010

2010-11-21T16:51:00.003+11:00

Luke Naughton: Sept '10 (Full-time MBA) Post #3

2010-11-19T13:50:00.003+11:00

The Economics of Coffee

Melbourne is very proud of its coffee. The city abounds with cafés - there is seemingly one on every block. And unlike the U.S., they aren’t all called Starbucks - they are little independent jobs that each offers something a bit different in terms of beans or food or décor. Coffee is king here. In fact, Australia was recently declared ‘the best coffee nation in the world!’ by the website Crema. Who knew? Of course Crema is an Australian website, but that’s beside the point. Biased media opinion or not, all the different independent cafés – big, small, mod, grungy, big and bad or hidden down a side alley – definitely add to the addictive laid back culture of Melbourne, and make almost any time a good time to go for a coffee.

Unfortunately the majority of full time Melbourne Business School students are short on cash. Leaving your comfy paying job - or being deemed redundant, as was my case - to expand your educational horizons has the unfortunate side effect of making you poor for a couple of years.

Exercising your Melbournian right to have a daily kickback session at a sunshiny café, to chat about the lousy performance of the US dollar or the effects of the Global Financial Crisis on the Asia-Pacific region, (OK, honestly most MBA students spend their time discussing the pain induced by the Data & Decisions midterm, or deciding who is growing the best moustache for Mo’vember) just isn’t practical from a financial or time management point of view. So, how does an MBA student keep from missing out on the daily coffee and a bit of coffee talk? I give you the student lounge coffee machine, perhaps one of the best perks (sorry) of being an MBS student.

And it makes Cappuchino!

Are you a latté person? Creamy-lishous. Too-cool espresso traditionalist? Dig it. Need some warm milk to help you catch up on sleep on one of the lounge couches? Nighty-night. All drinks are made with freshly ground beans, and even better than that, far better than that? The drinks are free, so enjoy all you want. Having free caffeine-based drinks has the effect of drawing lots of students to the lounge as well, making it a social hub. There’s always bound to be someone there that you can talk to about the weather – or the effects of marginal cost on the elasticity of demand.

Being an MBA student, and a bit of a tool, I’ve even gone so far as to calculate the cost savings I have been afforded by having free coffee available. Assuming an average price per cup of coffee in Australia is $3.22 (per the 28/09/10 Sydney Morning Herald), and that I average about two cups per day, five days a week, I am saving $2,456 over the course of my MBA by enjoying the lounge coffee. Melbourne Business School needs to include this figure in their promotional literature…

So despite the fact that that it’s not quite a sunny café on a leafy side street somewhere in the city, and that the lounge coffee is only average on a good day, my wallet and my psyche take solace in the fact that the coffee and the socializing is all free.

Woody Lo (IE Business School) Life in Spain (cont.) Post #2

2010-11-19T11:38:00.001+11:00

Woody at Gaudi's masterpiece, Sagrada Familia.
A masterpiece that to this day, some 85 years after
his death, it is still incomplete, but is the focal point
of Barcelona and Catalan architecture.

I stay in Salamanca, Madrid, the same suburb as the school. Salamanca is widely regarded as the nicest suburb in Madrid, but my apartment is only very modest, and very cheap compared to Melbourne. I stay with three other IE students, two Mexicans and a Lebanese. Unfortunately (for my Spanish) they all speak good English, and I rarely see them as my classes don’t finish till 10pm, four days a week.

In saying that, I look forward to spending some more time with them over the next term, and trading stories and cuisines (I promised to cook some tofu and Asian fish dishes for them as a return favour for the delicious Mexican beans one of them cooked for me). I also drew great parallels between the Latino family-centric cultures with that of my Asian heritage in many of the conversations I have with them.

Woody with other exchange students in the
Rioja country - a Spanish wine region
four hours from Madrid.

My friend circle here is centred predominantly around exchange students (especially Paul and Smrithi that are also from MBS). I guess not surprisingly, the largest group of exchange students here are from United States, and they are not hard to spot in a crowd. No disrespect to Americans (as I do have quite a few American friends) but for someone that has already worked in an American multi-national company (Accenture), I was conscious that I needed to spread my networks further to become a truly global citizen. So I am happy to report that I have met a good mix of cultures in IE.

Just a summary of quirks/tales I can remember:

In talking to an exchange student who graduated from Princeton, she thought that New Zealand and Australia were connected by a long bridge!
After one of my classes, I bumped into a Colombian girl from my Strategic HR classes. She asked me if I was having lunch and next thing I know we're having Colombian coffee at a nearby café sharing stories of where we came from, while practicing my broken Spanish. It is these opportunities that makes visiting such a multi-cultural school very interesting, and help breaks down stereotypes that anchor my thinking. I left the lunch having a greater appreciation that Columbia is more than just agriculture produce, Bogota and a famous nightclub.
Eating dinner at 10pm. The Spaniards have different timing with when they eat, sleep and party relative to the rest of the world. Even after 6 weeks, it is still hard for me to get used to.I am currently in the middle of a two week travel holiday through Northern Spain and France. In my next blog (due sometimes next month), I will update everyone with more travel and/or cultural stories, and perhaps tie my experience to some key life learnings.

Luke Naughton: Sept '10 (Full-time MBA) Post #2

2010-11-12T10:40:00.004+11:00

This MBA Doesn’t Leave Time For Australian TV

One of the first television shows I had an opportunity to watch when I first came to Australia was called 'RBT', which is short for Random Breath Test. As you can imagine from the name, it is a reality show that revolves around filming cops pulling over drivers that are riding up on the curb or people that are stumbling along the median. Those unlucky enough to appear on the show inevitably wind up telling the cops that they were ‘just down at a mates house having 7 beers’ or ‘I did drink a bottle of grain alcohol, but it was a couple hours ago’. They then take the breath test, and the show goes to commercial right when they are about to reveal the results. High drama. It turns out that 'RBT' is a semi-popular show (here’s a nice review) in its time slot, which I guess isn’t surprising to me considering that the majority of Australian TV that I’ve experienced to date has been about the same calibre.

I don’t have to worry about TV too much, as I am in the midst of Term 1 of the Melbourne Business School (MBS) MBA. I am taking the obligatory five core courses: Marketing, Managing People for High Performance, Data and Decisions, Financial Accounting, and Managerial Economics. They all require lots of reading, which for me is painful since I read at a ridiculously slow pace, and a couple require homework to be turned in weekly. Throw in major term projects for four of them. Please do get involved in one of the 20-odd clubs as well. Write a blog in your spare time. Don’t forget to have a social life in there somewhere – meeting your classmates is important. And in my case, there’s my family that would like me to hang around the house every so often. If you want to be challenged, the MBS MBA is for you.

Just to further prove the point, here is a typical day, Luke Naughton style:

6:30 am - Get up, make breakfast for my two sons. I make tasty pancakes

7:00 am - Change a diaper. Or not, and leave it until my wife wakes up

7:10 am - Build a submarine out of a bunk bed, blankets, and two chairs

7:30 am - Review material for the day’s classes (OK, I’m actually showering)

8:30 am - 4:30 pm - Six hours of class, lunch and breaks in there somewhere

4:32 pm - Meet with my syndicate group to go over group projects

5:30 pm - Check out the latest company presentation or club event

6:45 pm - Re-introduce myself to my family and eat dinner

8:00 pm - Dismantle submarine, read books, and put kids to bed

8:30 pm - ? A little class prep for the next day?

My days are challenging indeed, often exciting, definitely never boring. I would expect nothing less from a quality MBA program.

So I don’t have time for Australian TV. Fortunately, I am not missing anything.

Samuel Hayton (CBS) "The good, the bad, and the ugly!" Post #2

2010-11-06T11:47:00.000+11:00

Welcome to Part 2 of my blog where I attempt to summarise 2 months in 2 minutes! While the first 2-3 weeks seemed to go on forever, the subsequent weeks have flown by and I’m already getting nervous that I won’t be able to fit everything in. Study has finally taken a more prominent position on the priority list, although it still remains a challenge to describe my exchange experience without focusing solely on the extracurricular.

One of CBS buildings – with rooms referenced
relative to coloured ends of the building.

To guide my discussion, I thought I’d briefly compare the two schools – the good, the bad and the ugly. As with much of Copenhagen, the facilities at CBS are spanking new with ultra modern designs and unique layouts. However, classrooms can be hard to find – especially those identified by colour or some other confusing label. What happened to a simple floor\room number!

The semester period is much longer here at CBS, with subjects starting and finishing at various dates over a 6 month period. This has the benefits of allowing students to fit in travel and part time work, but also makes it hard to really knuckle down together and work hard for 12 weeks like we do at MBS.

Which reminds me of the one thing I miss most about MBS - the classroom style. It’s more intimate, more interactive and on occasions can be quite entertaining! The learning environment is clearly stronger at MBS. There are no name tags here at CBS and the professor-student relationship is barely present. My guess is that this is a result of the schools rapid growth and the number of students it’s trying to accommodate. If you thought it was bad getting a syndicate room at MBS, try having to book days sometimes weeks in advance! The school covers everything from undergraduate to masters and almost any field related to business, and so the MBA program represents only a small fraction of what the school has on offer. But again, I miss being surrounded by students in the same boat as me working towards a similar goal.

What I love about CBS is that this large number of students allows the school to support a greater variety of subjects – with my favourite being Socially Responsible Consumer Marketing. We are the test dummies for this subject as it has never been taught before. What I also love is the thriving club and social scene. There is never a shortage of people attending events and most presentations are fully booked out. The school even runs its own club night with waiting times to get in sometimes topping 2-3 hours!

So if I haven’t lost you already, I thought I’d quickly mention the favourite part of my exchange so far - a ten day trip to Russia. Our trip to Russia started in Stockholm and soon took us to Estonia. With images of the Estonian MBS case from Term 2 in my head, I was expecting to see a place prospering from a telecommunications industry boom but was pleasantly greeted with a medieval town frozen in time where I got to feast one night on bear, elk, bore and rabbit.

As we crossed the border into Russia, one of the students “lost” their passport so we were forced to spend 6 hours stuck between Estonia and Russia, unable to move anywhere. Fast forward through St Petersburg – ice hockey, shopping, the Hermitage and other sightseeing – and we ended up in Moscow. After feeling so welcomed in Copenhagen and with English being so common, the hostility in Russia was certainly felt. And yet in a way, I kind of respected the lack of interest in adopting western ways and the English language. However, the power of consumerism was already beginning to take hold and I’m sure the next generation will grow up with a more global attitude. I did my part by spending a whole day shopping in Moscow and updated my entire wardrobe. With prices half that of Melbourne, I couldn’t resist!

Red Square, Moscow, Russia

I fell in love with Moscow and the only thing stopping me from moving there is the weather, that, and the Russian government. The weather in Copenhagen is also starting to get really cold and miserable so I’m sure most of the students not on exchange can stop being jealous right about now. The best time to be in Melbourne is just beginning!

The MBS Wine & Philosophy Club

2010-11-04T09:50:00.002+11:00

The Wine & Philosophy Club took the Yarra Valley by storm in October, visiting three beautiful and diverse wineries during a whirl-wind day trip. We started out with a tasting and some lunch at a relatively new winery called Mandala, which has been getting rave reviews in foodie circles. Then it was on to Graeme Miller Wine. Graeme has been producing amazing wine in the Yarra since the 60s (he won the Jimmy Watson in 1978) and was quite happy to show us around the working winery. We finished the day at Sticks, which in addition to beautiful wines treated us with spectacular views of the valley just as the sun broke through. Thanks to all who joined us, and keep your eye out for the next winery tour!

Members of the Wine & Philosophy Club enjoy the fine food and wine on the Yarra Valley wine tour.

The Yarra Valley is well-known for its world class, cool climate wineries.

Exchange Blog - School Life and Classes at IE Business School

2010-10-29T09:58:00.003+11:00

Woody Lo

Hola, Que tal (How is it going?) Greetings again!

It's been around a month since I wrote my last contribution to the MBS blog, and what a month it has been. With this blog, I’d like to provide some insight to what school and life is like here, and the cultures I have experienced.

School Life and Classes:

The first thing you notice is the diversity of the student body here. There are upward of 60 different nationalities in the IE intake that I am part of. It makes syndicate meetings very interesting. For example, in my Advanced Strategic Management class, our group comprising of a German, Uruguayan, Indian, Brazilian, Spaniard, Brit, American, Italian and a Kiwi Taiwanese (myself) had to provide corporate recommendations about the direction of Samsung. You could really see the contrast in styles and thinking when you work in this type of diverse environment.

Celebrating a flatmate's birthday at an Irish pub.

Contrary to my last blog, I ended up taking six instead of four papers. I guess it probably wasn’t the smartest time-management strategy (especially since I also take Spanish classes outside IE, and travel most weekends), but I really figured the electives here are very enjoyable, and the workload is a lot lighter than the MBS core papers. The classes are very collaborative and case-based, with most of my lecturers from industry. Many of the assessments here are tailored towards incentivising participation (up to 50% participation), which I had some issues with at the start (because sometimes people talk just for the sake of talking), but soon believed it created a good environment to learn and test ideas. It works because the calibre of some of the students here are very high (many students are sponsored by companies like McKinsey) reflective of a top 10 FT ranked school.

Some enjoyable memories in class have been:

1) Conducting a class presentation for 45 minutes with a Spanish girl on Euro Area Policy (it feels like EPP II, where the lecturer was a true economist. Thank God I read the Economist to get me through Q&A time).

2) Presenting class presentations on a middle-ware platform strategy for Samsung, and how to not be Evil for Google (in my Advanced Strategic Management Class).

3) Talking International Marketing with my Argentine lecturer (a funny and politically incorrect marketing manager). He uses a unique style of teaching marketing with war analogies and cultural stereotypes.

4) Pressing the wrong slide-mover button as I started my business pitch about the UK small wind industry. I thought the slide show was broken, only to have someone correct me. Basically a what-not-to-do experience.

Stay posted for Part 2 of Woody's blog: Life in Spain.

Introducing Luke Naughton: Sep '10 (Full-time MBA) Post #1

2010-10-26T16:31:00.002+11:00

Come On the Mental Journey With Me

1998 was a good year. My hair was blonder back then. I went on an 800km cycling trip. While travelling in the Middle East, I had the pleasure of being chased from Aqaba, Jordan by angry taxi drivers. I watched the World Cup, and despite France winning it was still the world’s greatest sporting event and a highlight. And who could forget the Asian Financial Crisis, the war in Serbia and the most popular band in the U.S., The Backstreet Boys? Good times. (Full disclosure: I had no involvement with the AFC, any wars, or any boy bands.)

Me, circa 1998.

That’s probably a good place to end the nostalgia, aside from one more thing: 1998 was also the last time I was in school, wrapping up my undergraduate studies in Engineering at Iowa State University in the U.S. My last class was Ballroom Dance and I got an A, despite the fact that my version of the Salsa was, and still is, beyond repair. Why is that important? Because here I am, 12 years later, back in school.

In August I commenced studies in the full-time MBA program at Melbourne Business School in Melbourne, Australia. I received lots of curious looks from people when I announced my decision to move the family halfway across the world to go to a school I’d never visited, to a city I’d only been to for a day – not normally something that is good practice. I suppose I cannot blame them: Australia is a long way from anything, especially where I come from in Iowa, and I did have a couple of nice places I could have studied back in the U.S. But Melbourne Business School is very highly regarded, it’s clearly not in the U.S. (a definite draw for some of us), Melbourne seemed quite nice that day I visited back in 2004, and why not? The two years until my visa expires and they kick me out should be an experience. It’ll be tough to match in terms of family and school and life – it is not often you get presented with this kind of opportunity. Hopefully I will be able to convey some of the fun and absurdity of it all through this blog.

"If the Backstreet Boys can make a comeback, so can I."
(Pic source: Flickr)

Going back to school, I feel as though I’ve come full circle. It’s like 1998 all over again. Maybe my hair will lighten up a bit. France didn’t win a game in the World Cup this year, so maybe 2010 is going to end up being better than 1998. The bottom line is that if the Backstreet Boys can make a comeback, so can I. So, in the words of David Trende, my professor of Financial Accounting at Melbourne Business School, keep reading and ‘come on the mental journey with me’. It should indeed be mental.

Summer, just around the corner...

2010-10-22T16:28:00.000+11:00

As another week comes to an end, summer is fast approaching as temperatures topped a balmy 29 degrees in Melbourne today. MBS and University of Melbourne students enjoyed the Friday afternoon sun at University Square, kicking the ball and lazing on the grass. Enjoy the weekend!

Students playing football and soccer at University Square.

Studying in the sun, a welcome change from the cold winter months.

Catch-up with the SRC & SRC Spotlight (David Michell)

2010-10-14T14:41:00.002+11:00

Catch-up with the latest news and events from the SRC on MBSdirect! View the latest edition of SouRCe, and read our student council and class rep profiles. Stay connected by emailing us, checking out our Facebook page and tuning into YouTube for interesting SRC Spotlight videos which feature short interviews with staff, students, faculty and alumni from MBS.

In the first episode of SRC Spotlight for Term 3, we chat with David Michell, Manager of Alumni Relations and a recent graduate from the Class of 2009. David shares his experience as a past student, and the importance of the alumni community at MBS.

Regards,
The SRC

2010 Annual Alumni Dinner

2010-10-06T15:00:00.002+11:00

On 4 October 2010, more than 500 guests gathered at the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre to celebrate the MBS 2010 Annual Alumni Dinner. The inaugural Charles Goode Oration was delivered by Jillian Broadbent AO.

Thanks to all who attended the dinner and made it, once again, the highlight of the MBS events calendar.

The premier '6 Star Green Star' Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre.

Guests enjoying the pre-dinner function at the 2010 Annual Alumni Dinner.

Cathy Walter AM presents the 2010 Outstanding Recent Alumnus Award to Nerida Caesar.

Woody Lo - Jan '10 (IE Business school - Madrid)

2010-09-17T11:30:00.018+10:00

Woody Lo

Hola!

Greetings from warm Madrid. So glad to be here rather than be subject to the nasty winter that Melbourne has thrown at us the last few months.

I am fortunate enough to be on exchange to IE Business school (Instituto de Empresa), a prestigious business school in continental Europe. My first thoughts when I first touched down in Madrid was 'what do I do next'. Travelling to a non English/Mandarin speaking country by myself for the first time, it was easy to be very nervous. How do I communicate, how do I catch the taxi?

Woody Lo on exchange in Madrid, at the IE Business School.

Sitting in the taxi travelling through Madrid on a Sunday, my initial thoughts were that this like a quiet town. There weren't many people on the roads.. where did they all go? The taxi driver, in a mixture of broken English coupled with simple Spanish explained to me that people were having a siesta (nap), and many have escaped the city until summer was over. It was then that it really hit me that I was in Madrid.

My image of Spain so far has been the following:

1) Lovely tapas and food
2) Late night dinners (dinner doesn't start till 10pm). I usually don't sleep till 1am
3) Siestas (midday naps)
4) The people and how they look
5) Amazing architecture, buildings, palace squared and parks

I have yet to do the museum circuit, and I am sure it will blow me away too.

The school aesthetically with its Spanish terra-cotta architecture, is a sight to behold. With around 1000 full time students here a year, one can really be immersed in the student life style.

As for me, I am slowly meeting some good friends and life-time contacts, from many different corners of the world. The people I have met so far are naturally also exchange students, probably because we all meet each other at orientation day.

As for my subjects, I really love the subjects I am taking.

Having electives for the first time in the MBA (and not being constrained to core subjects), I really took the opportunity to advance my knowledge on strategy, technology, international marketing and European and international economics. With over 100 elective courses to choose from (around 1/2 of them in English), I managed to settle on seven I liked. This being:

1) International marketing (which was strongly recommended by the last student that attended IE from MBS). This turned out to be a sensational course taught by a marketing director for Telefonica, a large Spanish telco giant.

2) European Union, present and future. Taught by a Spanish economist who helped form the Euro a good decade ago. Only had one class, but I could tell I will learn a lot from him just from his experience alone.

3) Strategic management in a technology intensive environment. Another flagship paper taught by someone with management and country director background. This was probably the paper most suited to me given my technology background, and where I see myself in the future.

4) Renewable energy resources.. why not. Spain is one of the world leader's in renewable energy (along with Germany), and the lecturer have been extensively involved in multiple renewable projects around the world. Again, a really enjoyable class, and one where everything I learnt was absolutely new. With somewhere like 70% of the class being engineers, I try my best to keep up with the pace.

The above are the subjects I am taking now. I will be taking 3 more subjects in the 2nd half of my Madrid experience, which I will surely blog about next time.

As for travels.. I have Valencia planned this weekend, and Munich the weekend after...

Till next time.

Woody.

Samuel Hayton: Jan '10 (CBS - Copenhagen Business School)

2010-09-17T11:17:00.005+10:00

Departing Melbourne the day after the end of exams party with less than a couple of hours sleep, I was looking forward to the plane ride to get some much needed rest. Expecting to be living on a budget of 2 minute noodles after being warned of the cost of living in Copenhagen, I took full advantage of every meal offered on the flights.

I arrived in Copenhagen to a blonde Danish girl holding a sign with my name on it. Feeling a little blue after my hurried departure from Melbourne, it was nice to feel welcomed to my new home, and so far, consistent with all the travel advice I’d received, all the girls were blonde.

Samuel visiting the famous canals of Copenhagen

Arriving at my dorm I was feeling nervous and excited. I would be sharing a room with someone in true college form and my roommate could make or break my experience. What I later discovered would be a godsend, my roommate didn’t drink. This is because the Danish students, the Copenhagen Business School and the dorm residents organised so many parties in the first 2 weeks that I began to feel a little nervous as to how I would focus on my studies if this was to be an ongoing trend throughout the semester.

Aside from the parties each night, we had Danish culture presentations, tours around the city and the Business School and excursions to popular Copenhagen destinations such as the Zoo and the Amusement Park. The students also organised many day trips to visit the parks, the canals, the shopping strips and not to be left out – Christiana (a must see!)

What has impressed me most about Copenhagen is the bicycles and public transport. Very few people drive and almost everyone owns a bicycle; which goes for the ladies too. A pair of high heels and a mini skirt is no excuse! Bicycles are kings of the road and after borrowing a bike from a fellow student from MBS I was ready to become a true Dane. Biggest hurdle: riding on the right hand side of the road. It doesn’t seem like a difficult adjustment to make, but in the first week I had many close calls as I worked on re-programming my natural instincts.

Classes began in small trickles in my second week with the rest of my subjects to begin in week 3. With a bank account setup, my phone, my bike and my local supermarket sourced I was almost ready to put my thinking cap back on and get back into study mode - almost.

Mark Leslie: Full-time Sep '09 (McCombs School of Business - Texas)

2010-09-17T11:00:00.000+10:00

When I found out that I had been accepted into the ‘McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin’ I was not sure exactly what to expect. I had heard many good things about both the school and Austin; and was buoyed and perhaps left a little curious as my American MBS classmates said with a grin “Oh yeah, you are gonna have some fun down there.”

McCombs School of Business

In the lead up I was a distracted with finishing up my internship with Social Ventures Australia, packing up my apartment, and celebrating my engagement; but then all of a sudden I was sitting on a plane bound for Austin, relieved and excited. The first thing that hit me when we finally arrived was the heat, it was 88F (31C) at 10:30 at night. I would soon learn that this was as cool as it would get for a month or so, with every day in August, bar 2, exceeding 100F (38C).

After a few days of heavy administration that included buying a car, finding an apartment, and a phone, I finally felt settled into this fantastic town. Austin is like no other city I have been to. Insulated somewhat from the staunchly conservative state of Texas that surrounds it, the city is a melting pot of different music, races, ideals, sexual tendencies, and lifestyles. For example, Austin has the highest number of tattoos per capita in the USA, so we will assume the world; the USA is the centre of the world, right?

The Dean put it perfectly at our welcome lunch: “So y’all think you have been to Texas now?...Well you haven’t, this isn’t Texas, this is Austin.”

Did I mention that Obama spoke at campus on my second day here?

Football season is about to start, my next post will consist of mainly music and football, the staple of any Austinite.

Welcome to MBS: Meet our 2010 exchange students

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The international exchange students are welcomed during their student orientation.

MBS By Numbers

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'MBS By Numbers' was produced as a thank you to the Alumni of MBS. This video celebrates the history of MBS and the people who have contributed to its growth over the past five decades. If you have a memory of MBS that you'd like to share we welcome your comments below.

Melbourne in the Springtime

2010-09-06T16:45:00.001+10:00

After one of the coldest and wettest winters in Melbourne for quite a while, spring has finally arrived. Enjoy the warmer weather and discover what's on in Melbourne this season, before the action of Term 3 starts (one week to go)!

Singapore Film Festival Melbourne
A five-day event hosting seven award-winning films from the Singapore Film Festival.

European Masters: Städel Museum, 19th – 20th Century
The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) presents its Masterpieces series with an exhibition from the collection of Frankfurt's Städel Museum.

The 2010 Melbourne Fringe Festival
Experience vibrant and contemporary art and performance at many venues throughout the city.

2010 AFL Premiership Season
Melbourne lives and breathes sport - you can't escape the AFL finals this September.

How did you spend your term break?

Class of 2010 Graduation Highlights

2010-09-06T16:15:00.002+10:00

Videos from the graduating class of 2010 are now available on the MBScarlton YouTube channel. Check out the highlights from the Graduation Ceremony and Valedictory Dinner, including student and faculty toasts and student vox pops.

Hail to the Queen

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I love the Queen Victoria market. For those new to Melbourne, the market is a five minute walk from the Carlton campus. It’s been open for over 130 years and is a Melbourne institution.

View Larger Map

Split into sheds and halls the 'Queen Vic' is the go-to place for fresh produce, prime meats, amazing cheeses and yummy deli goods. A trade market features everything from Twilight movie posters printed on giant bath towels to beautiful handcrafted wooden sculptures.

It takes a bit of hunting to uncover the gems, but that’s part of the fun. For every stall selling weird items there’s two selling items you actually want to buy. The range on offer constantly amazes me.

Open on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the market is always busy but I always find Tuesday’s a little less hectic. Today I resisted temptation, avoided the trade market and headed straight to the fresh food halls. Good call. I left with some nice cheeses and lunch in tow (for those interested: a still-warm Turkish bread roll and a scoop of the most delicious chili and capsicum dip). Not bad for 20 minutes work.

More information on the Queen Vic market can be found on the official website (they have night markets, cooking classes and market tours on offer). For those who’ve never been before – go! For those who haven’t been in awhile – go back!

Snaps from today’s market visit (food hall only).

Clockwise from top: the best organic veg in Melbourne, cheese delights, a spruiking war in the meat hall and free tastings!

Cheap Tuesday

2010-07-22T16:08:00.000+10:00

I often feel that Tuesday’s are a little ‘flat’. I’ve thought long and hard about this – my colleagues all know that (for me anyway) Tuesday has been renamed ‘Flat Tuesday’.

It’s logical really—nothing really exciting seems to happen on a Tuesday. As days of the week go, Tuesday's a little boring.

In contrast, Monday’s are all about catching up after the weekend, commiserating about the fact that it is Monday and planning the week ahead. Wednesday is colloquially known as ‘hump day’—survive the speed hump that is Wednesday and you’re halfway through the working week. On Thursday you begin to plan your weekend; it’s there on the horizon, tantalizingly close. And Friday? Do I need to go into detail?

So the question presents itself – how do you solve a problem like Tuesday?

Thankfully others have put some thought into this (it's good to know I'm not alone). The creation of ‘Cheap Tuesday’ deals aim to coax the masses out of their ‘Flat Tuesday’ cocoons.

Melbourne has a host of ‘cheap Tuesday’ options. One of the most popular is cheap ticket night at the movies. With a standard adult movie ticket edging towards $20 these days, an opportunity to see the latest releases for a reduced rate shouldn’t be missed. All the big chains offer reduced ticket prices on a Tuesday; visit your local to see what’s on offer.

Other industries are also getting on the cheap Tuesday bandwagon. Currently several Docklands eateries are offering a ‘Super Tuesday Dining Promotion’ with participating restaurants and cafes offering up to 50% off the total food bill.

Most pubs have special menu deals on Tuesday nights and happy hours to go with them. Incidentally, Tuesday is a great night to get a group together to tackle the pub trivia scene. Or perhaps you’d fancy a nice, friendly bowl (at a reduced rate, of course)?

For those who want to make peace with Flat Tuesday earlier in the day there are free Tai Chi classes at Fed Square every Tuesday morning. This event has to be the ‘cheap Tuesday’ winner - you can’t get any cheaper than free!

Things to do when it’s cold and rainy

2010-06-22T14:49:00.000+10:00

We’ve had a cold snap this past week in Melbourne. I’m talking snow in suburbia and repeating hailstorms over the CBD. Admittedly the suburban snow didn’t stick for long -but it did snow. It’s hard to imagine that earlier this year the city was sweltering through 40 degree plus days. Weirder still is the fact that today I’m looking out my window at blue sky and sun.

I like winter in the city - it’s not all doom and gloom and red noses. For a start I’ve noticed the welcome return of scarves and hats (I’ve missed you!) and the return of soup to many a café menu. There’s also plenty to do when it gets cold. Here’s a sampling of some winter warmers. Suggestions most welcome.

Head to your local for a pub meal

I could probably write an entire post ranking the best pub meals in Melbourne. There’s nothing better than settling in with a glass of red, friends and comfort food while the rain pelts down outside. I like the rooftop restaurant at The Corner in Richmond. Retreat inside and settle down with the shepherds pie, pasta or gigantic hamburger.

Get cultured

Winter art installations/exhibitions in Melbourne are an institution. This year the NGV International winter exhibition features Salvador Dali. There’s plenty to check out also at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at

Federation Square

Another option is the theatre. You can go ‘old school’ with Shakespeare (the Bell Shakespeare company is staging Pericles this winter) or go see one of the ‘big’ shows on in town – Wicked (hurry last tickets on sale now), Chicago and/or Avenue Q.

Get active

Don’t let the cold weather get you down. Retaliate with activity. Run The Tan at the Botanic Gardens, swim at the Melbourne City Baths (thankfully undercover), climb at Hardrock, walk around Albert Park Lake. The list goes on.

Relax

After all that activity take some time out to relax. See a movie, some live music or just spend an entire Sunday kicking back at your favourite café with some hot chocolate.

See, winter’s not all bad?

10 cool Melbourne city bars

2010-01-07T10:21:00.000+11:00

I present for your consideration (in no particular order) a list of 10 cool city bars. This is a good selection to start with for newbie’s eager to experience some Melbourne nightlife. Seasoned Melburnians reading this blog will have their own opinions after months of extensive research. Feel free to add any haunts you feel should make the list. Thanks to thatsmelbourne.com.au and venue websites for summaries.

Cookie
Unit S2, Level 1,

252 Swanston Street, Melbourne

VIC 3000View map
To describe Cookie as a beer hall is to ignore the vision of the beautiful deco space. French doors and tiny Juliet balconies separate you from the

Swanston Street

crowd and the large space is divided to give a sense of intimacy. The cocktail bar is dim and private and there are 10 beers on tap.

The Emerald Peacock
Floor 1,

233-237 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

VIC 3000View map
The Emerald Peacock is the amazing new venture from the people who brought you ‘The Red Hummingbird’. The Emerald Peacock boasts a cocktail lounge, a restaurant serving simple tapas and wood-fired pizzas and a candlelit rooftop adorned with recycled wood and natural tones.

Baroq House

9-13 Drewery Lane, Melbourne

Vic 3000View map
Nestled in a cobbled laneway between Melbourne Central and QV, Baroq House is sculpting Melbourne’s nightlife with its novel approach to presentation and service. It is Melbourne’s most luxurious mansion-style bar and lounge, offering an extravagant yet intimate space over two levels.

1806

169-171 Exhibition Street, Melbourne

VIC 3000View map
In 1806 the word cocktail was first defined in print and the bar 1806 is about all things cocktails, especially the history of the amazing creations we sip every day. With a collection of vintage cocktail shakers, equipment and a cocktail list that includes at least one drink for every decade from 1806 to now, the bar has a drink for everyone.

The Croft Institute
21-25 Croft Alley, Melbourne VIC 3000View map
A Melbourne institution—The Croft Institute is tucked at the end of a winding Chinatown alley well off the beaten track. Getting there is part of the experience as you wander past street art covered walls and the back entrances of some of Melbourne’s finest Chinese restaurants. Spread over three levels with licensed bars on the ground and second floors; there is no cooler place to chill.

Loop 23
Ground,

19-23 Meyers Place, Melbourne

VIC 3000View map
Loop 23 is an intimate project space and bar exuding style, sophistication and ambience. Discreetly tucked away in one of Melbourne's oldest laneways, Loop boasts superb audio visual facilities and is the ultimate multipurpose venue for your next function.

Madame Brussels
Floor

3, 59-63 Bourke Street, Melbourne

VIC 3000View map
This is one of Melbourne’s better known outdoor bars. Madame Brussels will excite and delight with her “rather fancy terrace and public house”. Staff dress in Fred Perry tennis whites and serve pitchers of Pimms Number One with garnishes that you could mistake for a meal. Come and relax, take your shoes off and rub your feet on the astroturf. Life’s one big party at Madame Brussels!

Miss Libertines

34 Franklin Street, Melbourne

VIC 3000View map
Surrounded by universities and shopping strips Miss Libertine operates as a music venue hosting a range of emerging and established artists from varied backgrounds with one underlying theme—to provide the most innovative and quality music and artistry.

Workshop
Level

1, 413-417 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne

VIC 3000View map
Workshop is a new cutting edge bar situated within an old mechanics workshop. A large section of the roof has been removed providing a brilliantly secluded outdoor playground in the heart of the city. Part art space, part daytime hangout, Workshop is always different from everything else. DJs and live acts play most nights and provide the vibe that Melbourne is famous for.

Silk Road
Ground & Mezzanine,

425 Collins Street, Melbourne

VIC 3000View map
The moment you walk through the vaulted double doors at Silk Road you are immersed in a realm of flashing crystal. As the name suggests the venue draws inspiration from the famous trade route, with an impressive fusion of European, Middle Eastern and Asian design and food. Silk Road features eight bars, including a wine and cheese room, and a cognac, champagne, cocktail and caviar room.

Melbourne Business School Class of 2009 Graduation

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Good luck for exams!

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Good luck to all students taking exams this week. Check out this video from last year – proof that exams do end. Could Cynthia be any happier?

Bookworms take note!

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As I look out my window this afternoon it is pouring with rain outside. I have to admit – Melbourne’s looking pretty gloomy today (those looking for an escape might want to revisit the Cheap Tuesday and/or Rainy Day posts).

For the lucky few tucked up at home, it’s the perfect afternoon to curl up with a mug of tea and a good book. The weather presents an opportunity to get a head start on your reading list ahead of the 2009 Melbourne Writers Festival (MWF).

Hundreds of authors attend the MWF each year and it is the flagship literary event for the State of Victoria. This year the Festival runs from the 21st to the 30th of August. Most sessions are held in the CBD and there are panels, topics, classes and events to suit everyone. Visit the official website for more details.

Film fans take note!

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The 2009 Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is fast approaching.

This massively popular event runs from Friday the 24^th July to Sunday the 9^th of August.

The program for 2009 was launched last Friday (10/07) and tickets are now on sale. Like many Melbourne events, I encourage you to get in early. The showcase movie sessions sell out early so it pays to put a little thought into planning. Particularly popular are the opening and closing night films. Opening night 2009 has already sold out and closing night won’t be far behind.

However, this festival is much bigger than the flagship opening and closing night movies. In fact, some of the more interesting films I’ve seen are those I’ve had to ‘resort to’ because the bigger films had sold out. Take a chance and see something different. The program is wide-ranging and showcases cinema from all over the world. From quirky Anime to German drama – you have access to it all.

Individual tickets are reasonably priced but true film buffs might want to buy in bulk and save. It’s easy to spot a seasoned MIFF fan– they’re the ones carrying the credit card sized festival passes. True devotes carry the coveted festival passport. This magic pass is available to MIFF members only and grants access to most screenings. It may seem a little pricey at $330 but I know people who plan their festival meticulously and put this pass to good use. If you’re a true film buff set on watching as many films as possible it’s definitely worth it.

Session times vary and movies screen in the morning, afternoon and evenings on weekdays and weekends. Current students will be preparing for exams but—let’s face it—everyone needs a break. If you need more convincing then the festival conveniently concludes a week before the official MBS exam period commences so there’s plenty of time to see some eye opening cinema and fit it a spot of studying.

Happy viewing!

Reserve Sunday July 19th in your diaries!

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Melbourne Open House 2009 throws open the doors of some of Melbourne’s most interesting buildings to the public. I attended last year and had such a good time that this year I’m telling anyone I can about this ‘backstage pass’.

Basically, it is sanctioned snooping; a rare chance to peek behind the façades of some of Melbourne’s gothic, modern and wonderfully quirky buildings. If you’ve ever wandered past a building and thought ‘I wonder what goes on in there?’ then this is the event for you.

It proved so popular last year that this year the number of buildings ‘open for inspection’ have increased from 8 to 30. From the Melbourne City Baths to the T&G Building, there’s enough range here to suit everyone. The best bit is that you don’t need to be an architecture student to appreciate the buildings. If anything, the day is aimed at the wider public.

The facts
Date: Sunday July 19th, 2009
Details: Visit the official website for details and a listing of the participating buildings.
Cost: The event is free. I’ll say that again – FREE!
Transport: Most buildings are located in the CBD so walking and taking public transport is your best bet (I recommend purchase of the Sunday Saver Metcard to see you through the day)

A final note – it was hard enough planning last year with 8 buildings open. Given that there are 30 this year, a bit of pre planning is probably a good idea. Make sure to make time for lunch!

City Baths, CBD and Tasma Terrace, East Melbourne

O-Week and initial impressions

2009-06-30T10:13:00.001+10:00

New video: Tim talks about O-Week and his initial impressions of MBS.

Day tripping, Melbourne style

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Melbourne provides an excellent base for day trips. There are literally hundreds of interesting places to visit within driving distance of the city.Tour companies provide day trip excursions to traditional favourites such as the Penguin Parade, the Great Ocean Road and Bellarine Peninsula.

However, if coach travel isn’t your style another option is to get a group together and go it alone. Hire a car, select your road trip music and you’re off.

MBS students on a winter road trip to Phillip Island

The advantages are obvious, you get to set the agenda and stop when and where you want to. Visit Victoria has compiled great self drive itineraries and has also provided links to local tour companies for those who prefer a guided option. It’s not all about run-of-the-mill coach travel either—there are links here to more unique tour options ranging from hot air ballooning to classic Corvette tours.

To get you thinking about your next great road trip here are my top 5 Melbourne day trip destinations and experiences. Of course this list is completely subjective - I welcome your thoughts and suggestions.

Visit the Dandenong RangesLocated approximately one hour out of Melbourne, the Dandenong Ranges provide some excellent day trip experiences. Options include: driving the scenic Mt. Dandenong tourist route, picnicking in one of the many parks, riding on the Puffing Billy steam train, indulging in a spot of traditional Devonshire Tea, walking the many bush tracks or (my favourite) viewing Melbourne from the lofty SkyHigh observatory.

Relax in DaylesfordDaylesford is famous for its mineral springs, day spa retreats and scenery. A short drive from Melbourne, the town is an ideal getaway spot. This is a town where you can indulge the senses by sampling the fabulous restaurants, walks and galleries. The spas are destinations all on their own and deserve some serious attention.

Visit Africa (in a day)The Werribee Open Range Zoo is a 30 minute drive from Melbourne. There are many ways to experience the zoo: ride around in an open jeep on the safari tour encountering giraffes, hippos and monkeys, walk around the designated tracks, or perhaps attend one of the zoo’s special events such as the ‘safari slumber’ or the concerts in the summer. Don’t miss the meerkats. Too cute.

Taste some good wine in the Yarra ValleyThis is one option where a guided tour is probably best. Kick back and relax as you spend a day in the Yarra Valley visiting some of the best wineries in the state. From the big vineyards to the boutique operations, a specialised winery tour will ensure you experience the best vino that Melbourne has to offer.

Trek to the top of spooky Hanging Rock
Made famous by the 1975 movie, Hanging Rock is an atmospheric spot that really does feel a little spooky. Before you start to climb, a trip to the visitor’s centre will set the scene and give you the real background story.

It’s not too hard a climb to the top and the views along the way are definitely worth it. Once you’ve made the return journey to the top and back, settle in for a picnic and enjoy watching the wild kangaroos as they keep an equally curious eye on you.

A warning: I’ve yet to make the climb without hearing at least one person utter the cry made famous in the movie: ‘Miranda! Where are you Miranda?’ Just go with it – it adds to the eerie atmosphere.

Music and the City

2009-06-19T10:20:00.003+10:00

From big international touring acts to smaller indie bands—Melbourne’s got it covered with a thriving music scene. No matter what your taste, you’ll find something that suits you.

Venues

The ‘big’ acts tend to book the larger arenas in Melbourne—Rod Laver Arena, Etihad Stadium and occasionally, The MCG. Most tours offer a range of seating options and ticket prices. It pays to get in quick to buy your tickets, so keep an eye out otherwise you may miss out. Shows are announced well in advance. Check the ‘touring’ sections of the daily papers and pick up a copy of the street press so that you stay in the know. A good tip is to sign up to ticket outlets Ticketek and Ticketmaster for email notifications of tour announcements.

Some of the best concerts in Melbourne are held in smaller venues. The spectacle may be smaller but the vibe is more intense and intimate. You can also get much closer to the artists and not break the bank while doing it. Some favourite small to medium venues around town include the Hi-Fi Bar, Manchester Lane, The Forum and (my favourite) The Palais. Intrepid types can venture away from the CBD and encounter gems such as The Northcote Social Club, The Corner, The Espy and The Prince. Many of the bars mentioned in my earlier post are also amazing music venues.

Festivals

One of the biggest popular music festivals held in Melbourne each year is the aptly named Big Day Out. It’s held every January. This mammoth festival features several stages and almost 100 acts ranging from headlining superstars to local bands who’ve won a spot in the line-up. Other festivals of note include the increasingly popular Summadayze and Parklife festivals, the quirky Chill Island festival and funky St Kilda festival. If you’re up for a road trip make sure to put the Port Fairy, Meredith and Falls festivals on your lists as well.

Study music?

A favourite pastime of many a Melburnian involves hanging out for an hour (or three) at a favourite music store. One of the more popular stores is the JB-HI FI chain where you can pick up decently priced CDs, DVDs and other techie gadgets. It’s busy and noisy and the perfect place to get lost on a Saturday afternoon. If you’re looking for a different experience take some time to visit Dixons for recycled items (you never know what gold you might uncover here) or descend down the stairs at Basement Discs for a unique shopping experience then pop back up for a coffee in the famous Block Arcade when you’re done.

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Another MBS student (Ronjon) on living and studying in Melbourne.

Living in Melbourne - Cyntha

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MBS student Cynthia on living and studying in Melbourne

Blogs, blogs, blogs

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Keen to read more about the Melbourne experience? Spend some time catching up with the MBS community online. MBS graduate Ameel maintains a comprehensive list of MBS bloggers. Here you can read first-hand accounts from current students and alumni about their experiences living and studying in Melbourne.

These blogs cover interesting territory. Ronjon, for example, writes about topics ranging from managerial economics to training for the Melbourne Marathon. Diverse stuff!

O-Week 2008

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Check out our YouTube page for more videos (link on the right.)

Demystifying ‘the footy’

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One of the best things about Australian Rules Football (AFL) or ‘the footy’ is that you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy it. After growing up with the game I still sometimes come unstuck when the uninitiated ask me, ‘why’d that happen?’ When I don’t know the answer, my usual response is to join in with the rest of the crowd yelling at the umpire. It drives my footy literate friends mad.

I strongly believe that you don’t have to be an aficionado to appreciate the spectacle. It’s enough just to turn up, hang out with your mates and enjoy a night out or an afternoon in the sun. However, if you want to enhance the experience it helps if you have at least a basic understanding of the rules. It doesn’t hurt to choose a side to support either.

For the curious, the best place to learn more is the official website of the Australian Football League. Here you’ll find all sorts of information: links to the team websites, results, info on upcoming games and lots more. You’ll also find the ‘laws of Australian Football 2009’—a comprehensive summary of all the rules of play. This document runs to 90 pages and I doubt you will be that curious. You might want to start with the handy summary put together by the Sydney Swans football team. It’s on the smaller side and provides a basic overview.

If you’re new to Melbourne you really should attend at least one game, just so that you can see what all the fuss is about. To get the best experience I recommend a visit to the Melbourne Cricket Ground, also known as the MGC or, simply, “the ‘G”. This stadium is over 150 years old, really easy to get to and has hosted royal visits, the Olympic Games and of course, AFL matches. It’s where the AFL grand final is played every year. During the footy season, matches are held at the ‘G on selected Thursdays and most Friday’s, Saturday’s and Sunday’s. See the MCG website for the fixtures and information on ticket s and seating plans.

MBS Students outside the 'G

Your experience at the game will depend on whether you end up sitting in the sun in the afternoon or rugged up under the lights for a night game. Each has its advantages. Make sure to dress warmly, it can get very cold, even when it’s deceptively sunny (it is winter after all). Also, try to get tickets for one of the ‘big’ match events during the footy season—being a part of the annual ANZAC day match between Essendon and Collingwood, for example, is an amazing experience.

GO ROOS!

It’s the Queen’s birthday holiday here in Melbourne this weekend, the perfect opportunity to get out amongst it and watch some football. As if you needed an excuse!

What’s for breakfast?

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Most of us are lucky if we grab half a slice of toast and a gulp of coffee as we rush out the door during the week. The weekends and those rare mid-week days off are another matter. Here, we can take our time. I love heading out with friends on the weekend for a long, lazy breakfast and in Melbourne, we’re spoiled for choice.

Here are some favourite Melbourne ‘brekkie’ destinations. Go on, treat yourself.

Replete Providore

302 Barkers Road

, Hawthorn VIC 3122
Here you’ll find the Breakfast café of the year 2006 & Breakfast dish of the year 2007 award winner. This Edwardian building is a great place to enjoy breakfast. Make sure you sample the ricotta hotcakes and freshly squeezed OJ.

Close to: strip.

Glenferrie Road

shopping

Babka Café

358 Brunswick St

Fitzroy VIC 3065

Babka is a busy bakery cafe serving breakfasts and light meals with an Eastern European flavour. Expect warm, yeasty, freshly baked bread smells, boosted by the sweetness of cakes and savoury aromas. For breakfast try the chai tea with soy and Arabian nights pancakes with pistachio and orange flower yogurt. Yum.
Close to:

Brunswick, Gertrude and Smith

Street shopping strips

. (Smith St is a great place to visit for factory outlet stores).

The Green Grocer

217 St Georges Road

Fitzroy North VIC 3068

This organic store serves a hearty organic breakfast. Visit for fresh organic food (including what some call the best granola in Melbourne), a groovy kitchen garden courtyard and the opportunity to shop in the grocer store once you’re done.

Close to: Edinburgh gardens.

The Botanical

69 Domain Road South Yarra, VIC

3141

Please don’t leave here without trying the champagne mimosa and the best Eggs Benedict ever. The Botanical is an institution and serves brekkie Monday to Friday from 7am and Saturday and Sunday from 8am. A warning – the weekends are really busy. It pays to book. Once you’re ‘in’ sit back, enjoy the food and marvel at the view.

Close to: The Royal Botanic Gardens and the famous Tan Track.

The European

161 Spring Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

If great coffee is what you’re after then you’ll find it at The European. You’ll also find fluffy swimmer crab omelettes, organic free-range eggs and the famous European set breakfast.

Close to: Treasury and Fitzroy gardens, Collins place (for shopping and movies).

Circa, the Prince

2 Acland Street

, St Kilda VIC 3182

Soak in the St. Kilda vibe while you devour Spanish omelettes, smoked trout, baked Lebanese eggs and pretty much anything else on the menu — it’s all that good. Located in St Kilda’s Prince complex, this venue offers an upscale breakfast experience.

Close to:

Fitzroy Street

and The Esplanade (for people watching), The Espy (for after breakfast drinks) and Port Philip Bay.

Palate

132 Greville Street

, Prahran VIC 3181

This funky eatery offers a relaxed mood and low-fuss service. A popular hangout for the locals, it boasts fabulous coffee, bang-for-buck breakfasts and — importantly — an all-day breakfast menu.

Close to: Chapel and shopping strips.

Greville Street

Globe Café

218 Chapel Street

, Prahran VIC 3181

Located in the Old Prahran Courthouse, this roomy café is open seven days a week from 7am to late. The breakfast menu is extensive and may require repeat visits to do it justice. Breakfast is served all day and the eggs are all free range.

Close to: shopping.

Chapel Street

Kanteen

150 Alexandra Avenue, South Yarra VIC 3141

For something a little different check out Kanteen for breakfast. Located on the banks of the Yarra this venue is unique. Sit outside with the locals and watch rowers pass as you tuck into the amazing breakfast pide (Turkish flatbread).

Close to: Yarra River, Como Park and Herring Island Sculpture Park.

Where to buy (or sell) cheap stuff!

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Setting up a student house can be fun. There’s furniture to buy, shelves to stack and multiple lay-out options to try. In your mind’s eye you can visualise the effect—a handcrafted Barcelona chair in the corner, an antique chaise lounge over by the window and a 10-seat dinning setting in the kitchen. However, in reality, a student set-up is usually a lot less fancy. Firstly, space is scarce and secondly, a student budget will dictate what you can afford—this probably won’t include a handcrafted Barcelona chair.

In Melbourne there are plenty of places where students can find decent furniture. There’s the line-up of usual suspects that deal in single pieces and ‘package’ deals that bundle together bedroom and living room furniture. These include Fantastic Furniture, Plush and Early Settler. Of course no affordable furniture list is complete without mentioning IKEA. Melbourne has one IKEA store which is located in Richmond. There’s plenty of parking onsite and the store is accessible via the number 109, 24 or 42 trams (be careful getting all that flat packed furniture home by tram. You may want to investigate IKEA’s delivery service!). IKEA is located on the corner of Victoria and Burnely streets in Richmond:

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There are other options that can save you lots of cash. Online classified sites such as tradingpost.com.au and Gumtree Melbourne allow you to shop at home without all the running about. I’ve mentioned Gumtree Melbourne before in this blog and for good reason. You can find almost anything on this site. Categories range from homewares to musical instruments.

Cheap furniture stores can also be found along Victoria Street in Richmond. The 109 tram (the same tram that stops at IKEA) will take you there. Suite Deals in Church Street, Richmond
offers ex-display home furniture for sale at reduced prices. There are also many opportunity shops ‘OpShops’ sprinkled around Melbourne that sell second hand furniture. Popular OpShops include St Vincent de Paul, Savers, and The Salvation Army. A tip is to visit mid-week when they receive new stock.

Every year thousands of students arrive in Melbourne to begin their studies. On the flipside thousands of students pack up house and begin their post-uni lives. Putting the two groups in contact is www.goinghomesale.com. This site has been set up so that sellers reach buyers and buyers have access to cheap items. Because the sellers are mostly ex-students the prices are realistic.

So, whether you’re setting up or shipping out, it’s handy to know where to go to buy/sell cheap stuff. Remember that money saved on furniture can be spent experiencing Melbourne. Who needs a Barcelona chair anyway?

Getting around town — public transport in Melbourne.

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Melbourne public transport comprises a train, tram and bus network. The Metcard ticketing system allows you to use one ticket across all three networks. This means that you can begin your journey on a tram, hop onto a train and then end your journey on a bus — all using the same ticket. It’s a convenient way to experience Melbourne and saves you having to juggle different tickets.

Which ticket?

Metcards are cardboard tickets and can be purchased to cover two hour, daily, weekly, monthly and yearly time periods. If you plan to use public transport regularly, the weekly, monthly and yearly tickets are usually more cost effective options.

The public transport system is split into two zones — Zone 1 (the CBD and inner city suburbs) and Zone 2 (the outer suburbs).

The ticket that you purchase will depend on when you plan to travel and whether you’re travelling in one zone only or across two. You can purchase single zone tickets or a zone 1/2 combination. Melbourne Business School is located in Zone 1.

There are also special ‘bundle’ tickets available that cater to early bird travellers and travellers journeying on the weekend or during off-peak periods. Metlink has put together a table that lists each ticket available.

Tickets can be bought online, at train stations (either via automated machines or over-the-counter at staffed stations), on trams (using the automated ticket machines on board) and on buses from the driver. It’s often handy to buy several tickets at once and keep a few spares in your purse/wallet.

If you’re the intrepid type and are planning to use public transport to visit regional Victoria or interstate, visit the Metlink V/Line and regional bus network web pages.

Ticket machines

Ticket machines are located at train stations and onboard trams (note that the tram machines accept coins only). The Metlink website has a four-step guide that demonstrates how to purchase your ticket.

Once your ticket is purchased you need to validate it before you commence your journey.

Validate! Validate! Validate!

Always remember to validate your ticket before you enter a train platform and once you board a tram or bus. You’re required by law to validate your ticket before each journey and zealous ticketing inspectors often perform spot checks. If you’re found without a valid ticket you’re liable for a nasty fine. It pays to learn more about validating your Metcard.

Train, tram and bus networks

The Metlink website is the place to visit for public transport maps and timetables .

Public transport tips

Around town, Melbourne’s public transport system is a hot topic of discussion. There are daily articles in the newspapers about overcrowding and efficiency and just about everyone has a view about how the situation can be improved. However, no matter your opinion, one thing is certain — we all have to get from A to B.

There are some simple courtesies that go a long way towards making journeys easier. Here’s a quick list I’ve compiled on my travels:

Stand to the left of escalators in train stations so that those in a hurry can dash past you on the right hand side.
Have your Metcard out and ready to validate as you approach the barriers.
If the train/bus/tram is filling with people, move along the centre aisle to create space.
Let people exit the train/bus/tram before you try to board.
If people are trying to exit the train/bus/tram step off briefly to allow them to exit easily.
If you must talk on your mobile phone try and do it quietly.

It doesn’t take much to travel in harmony with your fellow Melburnians!

Each evening a free newspaper is distributed throughout the network. The MX provides a healthy dose of news, politics, entertainment and sport for those on the journey home. Make sure you collect yours from the MX staff at major train stations or from the distinctive yellow ‘pick me up’ points sprinkled throughout the city.

A final note — the Metlink website is the place to visit to find out more about public transport in Melbourne. Here you’ll find more information on travelling in Melbourne, information on accessible public transport for people with disabilities and information in languages other than English.

Home sweet home?

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Congratulations, you’ve been accepted at Melbourne Business School! Your first priority will - of course - involve celebrating with friends and family. This is a big deal and you should savour the moment.

However, once the celebrations end, the tough task of planning commences. If you’re a new full-time student moving to Melbourne you have more to do than most. You’re moving your entire life to a new country. Before you can even think about opening a text book or attending your first syndicate meeting you’ll need to have the basics in place.

If you’re a list maker like me, you’ll soon have an intimidating list of ‘to do’ items to contend with. At the top of that list will be one of the more pressing items – finding a place to live.

Where you live will have a bearing on how you experience Melbourne. The inner city suburbs are easy to get to and most are close to campus. For this reason most Melbourne students aim to rent in the inner city. Do you want to live in Carlton – five minutes walk from MBS? How about the CBD – surrounded by the buzz (and noise) of the city? Perhaps you’ll prefer the leafier suburbs in Melbourne’s east, the funky northern suburbs, or the bayside suburbs?

The hunt for a Melbourne base will present you with an amazing amount of choice. Your personal preferences, circumstances and budget considerations will help narrow the list but it can still be intimidating. Luckily, resources are available to make the search a little easier.

Many students from overseas and interstate choose to stay in furnished student accommodation leased through providers such as UniLodge. These buildings are located throughout the city and are purpose-built with students in mind. Single and share apartments are available.

There are other options. Many students prefer to strike out on their own and rent houses or apartments. Online real estate resources such as realestate.com.au and domain.com.au are good places to start. Both have dedicated sites for those wishing to rent or to share with others.

Another good place to visit is Melbourne Gumtree, a local classifieds site where you can search for a house to rent or a place to share. Take the time to explore Gumtree’s other categories - you’ll find cars, computers, telephones and all sorts of other items for sale. If you’re looking to buy something, chances are you’ll find it here.

Some students decide to live in temporary accommodation while they find their feet in Melbourne. There are many short-term accommodation options available. The temporary accommodation section of the MBS website lists some of the options.

The most important apoint to remember when looking for a rental in Melbourne is to begin early and to do your research. Spend time pouring over maps of Melbourne, visit the accommodation section of the MBS website and talk to the admissions department at the School. Remember that each year a new group of students arrive in Melbourne eager to set up house. If you get in early you can avoid frustration. Begin your Melbourne experience by finding the perfect place to live.