2024 Network Awards – International Engagement
Winner:
RMIT University College of Business and Law
Judges’ comments
This initiative innovatively brings international alumni together. Judges were impressed with the collaboration between the College of Business and Law and industry partners such as Adobe, IBM, and the Singapore Red Cross in delivering the series. The initiative demonstrated scalability, delivering the series in four countries, including Singapore. Strong evidence was given for the series’ impact on alumni by building students’ business readiness and offering internships and mentoring.
The initiative
RMIT University’s College of Business and Law (CoBL) has fostered over 50 strategic partnerships with global industry organisations, delivering real-world learning experiences that provide value to both international alumni and student cohorts. Central to the initiative is the Future Ready Business Series, a thought-leadership series where international alumni and industry partners collaborate with CoBL to stay updated on industry trends and developments. The scalable initiative has, over the past four years, across 26 initiatives in more than four countries (including Singapore), offered alumni access to cutting-edge insights and strategies across various business domains, significantly enhancing their professional trajectories and connectivity.
In the past two years alone, the Singapore series has attracted over 300 alumni, industry and government guests, and has enabled CoBL to share academic research while gaining insights into its real-world applications. One of the events in the series shared a newly developed index for sustainable procurement disclosure, delivered in partnership with the Singapore peak body CILTS and researchers from Vietnam, Melbourne, Malaysia and India.
The innovative series serves as a catalyst for increasing international engagement with industry partners and alumni – as they contribute to students’ business-readiness, offering internships, mentoring, and co-design and development of curriculum.
How it was implemented
The Future Ready Business Series was implemented through a structured, phased approach, leveraging established partnerships with global companies such as Adobe, IBM, and the Singapore Red Cross, deeply involved in co-designing and delivering the CoBL’s Bachelor of Business. For example, Adobe offers access to industry-standard tools and platforms, enhancing students’ digital agility, while over 800 students have participated in industry challenges, developing solutions for the Singapore Red Cross Academy that address the needs of the elderly amid demographic changes.
These partnerships are underpinned by the Partnership Evaluation Framework, a framework ensuring collaborations are rooted in shared values, mutual respect, and a joint vision, moving beyond transactional relationships to foster deeper connections.
Innovation in this initiative is evident in the way it connects alumni with industry partners to create a dynamic ecosystem of learning, mentorship, and collaboration. The Future Ready Business Series takes a pioneering approach, where alumni benefit not just from one-time engagement, but from continuous interaction with industry, which aligns with RMIT’s commitment to life-long learning and career development.
“[I loved] catching up with old friends and coming back to the alumni group to see what other areas I can contribute” – RMIT alumni
Excellence in international engagement is demonstrated by CoBL’s ability to provide timely, relevant, market-tailored opportunities for alumni to address global challenges. Events are specifically designed to address regional and industry-specific needs, such as the recent Singapore-based panel on staff retention, which brought together academic insights and practical expertise from industry leaders.
Measurable outcomes
Alumni can network with industry leaders on critical issues such as sustainable procurement, talent management, and gender equity, fostering continuous learning by providing access to the latest research-backed insights. By integrating pressing topics into the Future Ready Business Series, alumni stay at the forefront of industry developments, strengthening leadership roles.
Jerald Chua, an RMIT Economics alumnus, transitioned from working in a private bank to advising them at a start-up. “The RMIT Future Ready Business Series was insightful, adding depth to my understanding of sustainable procurement and logistics.”
The initiative has facilitated direct alumni-industry collaborations, with 100% of attendees at these events indicating they would participate in future RMIT engagements, and a 4.66 out of 5 satisfaction rating for the quality of topics and speakers. This engagement reflects the success of RMIT’s innovative approach to maintaining lasting connections between alumni and industry.
The impact on alumni careers has been profound, with graduates making up 2% of Singapore’s workforce, and many occupying senior roles sustainability, finance, and communications. Positions held by alumni include VP at UOB Commercial Bank, Head of Sustainability at EVCo, and Director at EY, demonstrating the initiative’s ability to prepare alumni for leadership in industries pivotal to societal advancement.
The initiative’s societal impact extends beyond alumni career progression. By addressing industry-wide challenges like gender equity and sustainability, these efforts benefit graduates and contribute to more inclusive and sustainable practices across industries. This alignment of academic learning with industry needs creates a ripple effect of positive change, reinforcing CoBL and RMIT’s leadership in international engagement.
