Gary Delaney is current student of IEâ??s Global MBA program and talks about his impressions of the program. Gary is involved in technical security and risk management being an SME in architecture, incident management, forensics and security strategy. He worked in financial institutions and security consultancies in Ireland, UK and Australia and is currently employed at National Australia Bank in Sydney. Gary owns a BSc (Hons) Economics and Graduate Diploma in Business and holds several professional qualifications including CISSP and SANS.
Q: Gary, why did you choose the Global MBA at IE Business School instead of a local part-time program in Australia? Where is for you the value added to do it with IE?
A: I chose the GMBA for a number of reasons: (1) the ranking and reputation of the business school is far higher than the two major Australian institutions. (2) I felt that IE and the Global MBA would have a more international focus than these institutions. (3) The online delivery allowed me to manage my time more efficiently. The prescribed 18 month completion time frame made the programme more attractive than the more flexible Australian offerings.
Q: How is the learning experience?
A: The learning experience is very good. The interaction with fellow students is excellent through the various technologies available to us including the Online Campus, Skype, Messenger etc. The experience on a course by course basis is very much a function of the level of participation of the professor. When the professor is highly active in the forum I find the level of knowledge acquisition to be at its highest.
Additionally, I would categorise the course as intense with a big commitment in terms of time and effort. I would suggest that the quality of learning is highly dependent on how well the student engages with the programme.
Q: Can you network online?
A: Yes, surprisingly effectively using ieCommunities, Facebook, Skype and email. It is not a substitute for face to face discussions but it does allow you to establish effective relationships.
Q: How does your employer value this program?
A: My employer is probably neutral on the program. They have provided some financial support but they perhaps struggle to identify how the MBA can be practically applied within the business unit that I work. It is my job to show them how 🙂
Thank you very much, Gary, for your contributions!
The IE Global MBA is considered one of the best distance learning programs in the world (Economist Intelligence Unit, January 2007) and runs as an online program during 16 months with the full MBA syllabus and a strong focus on Entrepreneurship. If you wish to learn more about the program, please visit the Global MBA website.
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