Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/80527
tional pedagogy, can reassure people about the standard of programs we deliver. We develop our multidisciplinary courses with teams that include aca- demics, education and media experts, and external assessors. We also offer high-quality support systems, which include financial assistance, tutoring from associate lecturers, access to an online library, and a thriving online com- munity. We also invest in the best tech- nology to support our students wherever they are in the world. What advantages does OUBS offer over more traditional brick- and-mortar schools? Our students have a totally different experience from those at traditional universities. We have a flexible model of teaching supported by 40 years of experience in delivering distance learning through cutting-edge technology. Many of our students are working while they attend school, so they not only learn theory, but also how to put it into practice. This means that their return on investment is immediate. Seventy-one percent of our MBA graduates say that they, their organizations, and their col- leagues benefit from the program while they're studying. Our model allows us to deliver cost- effectively and at scale. At OUBS, an MBA costs about £16,000 for U.K. students and £19,000 for overseas students, which in U.S. dollars is approximately $25,000 and $29,500, respectively. In a recent dean's message you men- tioned some of your priorities for the coming year, such as boosting OUBS' international presence and strengthen- ing its alumni network. How do you plan to go about these tasks? The international ambition is not just a priority for the business school, but also for the university, so the strategy is already under way. The vision for alumni stems from the fact that we have more than 84,000 Rebecca Taylor graduates from our management pro- grams. Our alumni are a great resource for the school as well as each other, so we are continually looking for more ways that we can improve and develop this network. For instance, we plan to launch an alumni program that offers more post- graduate career support. What specific challenges do you see ahead? One of our biggest challenges is deter- mining how we can stand out in an increasingly crowded market. It is also vital that we remain relevant to our stu- dents and their needs, as well as the needs of businesses. Traditional business schools have adopted many of the characteristics of online providers, such as digital delivery, shorter programs, and customized edu- cation. How will OUBS respond to make sure it stays competitive? Other higher education providers are looking to our model because more busi- nesses and employees require a flexible approach to management education. This means we need to continue to invest in our programs. This year, for example, we are launch- ing a new MBA curriculum. Because we wanted to offer a program with maximum flexibility, we reduced the completion time to two-and-a-half years. We also completely revised the elective modules. This allows us to offer a more relevant curriculum that reflects current manage- ment themes, such as sustainable cre- ative management. It also enables our students to align their MBAs with their interests and career ambitions. We also constantly invest in our sup- port services, our technology, our infra- structure, and our people. In this issue, Daniel Szpiro quotes Peter Drucker, who said that "Thirty years from now, big university cam- puses will be relics." Do you agree with that prediction? I agree that the higher education sector is seeing a shift from traditional, class- room-based programs to more flexible programs that can integrate learning into the workplace. This is particularly true for postgraduate qualifications such as the MBA. I think students want the content and the community at their fingertips, and see the tutor or lecturer as the enabler rather than the expert. If you were choosing a business school program to attend today, what factors would you consider? Any potential student should investi- gate the options, because any program comes with a cost investment as well as a time investment. I would look for quality markers such as accreditation, and I would consider an institution's reputation and level of research. I would find out which schools offered programs that matched my inter- ests and that allowed me to study in a way that worked for me. Finally, I would find out what the people who study at a school are saying about it. At OUBS, our most passionate advocates are our alumni. In a recent alumni survey, 96 percent said that they would recommend us to employees and colleagues; of these, 83 percent said they had already done so within the past two years. I think that speaks for itself. BizEd September/October 2012 31 PHOTO COURTESY OF OPEN UNIVERSITY