Meeting the global business challenge
View(s):In today’s competitive global economy many university graduates recognise the intrinsic value of a tertiary education that will help them one their technical abilities and build valuable soft skills that include international business relations and cultural awareness coveted by employers.
Sankitha Samaraweera
A world class postgraduate degree from an internationally respected institution, such as Australia’s leading university the University of Melbourne*, can enable graduates to stand out from the crowd in their journey towards an international career.
University of Melbourne graduate, Sankitha Samaraweera considers a global focus essential for his future success, “I believe that in the age of globalisation, understanding international business is vital. It’s an understanding that businesses need not only to grow, but to survive, and to do that you have to go global.”
Sankitha’s international journey began with undergraduate studies at the University of Melbourne.After graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance),he achieved early professional success landing full-time employment at an accounting software company.
Sankitha decided to return to University as a Master of International Business student at the University of Melbourne’s internationally recognised, Melbourne Business School. The Melbourne Business school is the home of Australia’s top MBA according to the QS Global MBA Rankings 2021.
Seeking to supplement his professional work experience with postgraduate study, Sankitha is set to take advantage of the University’s extensive practical learning opportunities and strong industry connections, the Melbourne Business School boasts 42 alumni chapters around the world.
“I want to apply my accounting skills in a global setting, looking at business in a broad way. In my undergraduate studies I built a really strong foundation and learnt some fantastic technical skills, and now at the postgraduate level I’m taking on big-picture management skills such as communication and leadership. I think these skills are necessary for every industry, as is accounting,” says Sankitha.
Positive employment outcomes are common for University of Melbourne graduates. The University is ranked number seven globally for graduate employability according to the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2021 with 80% of the University’s, Bachelor of Commerce graduates employed full-time in the first four months of their graduation. 34% of Bachelor of Commerce graduates secure employment with industry leaders EY, Deloitte, KPMG, PwC or the National Australia Bank.
Work experience and interdisciplinary focus have provided Sankitha with the rare opportunity of being placed at the forefront of industry technology, as he considers some of the emerging business challenges and their impact on the accountant and management roles of the future. “The company I work for now has a project that includes working with artificial intelligence to develop new software for accountants. There’s a lot of fear around this technology, with the idea that computers will have capacity to do everything in a few years leading to fewer employment opportunities for accountants,” he explains.
With his globally recognised education and skills, Sankitha is optimistic about the future of work and sees the uptake of technology as an opportunity, “The truth is we will still need someone to drive those programmes. The data input, what goes into the program, is still a very human decision. I think these programmes will make accountants jobs easier, rather than eliminate them.”
The University welcomes international students from more than 130 countries each year. Learn more about studying with the University of Melbourne at: Your Future In Focus, a series of undergraduate and graduate webinars on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 February 2021. Register today: http://go.unimelb.edu.au/7zii Applications now open
for July, 2021 (Semester 2). For enrolments and more information please contact: Edlocate (Pvt) Ltd – 0771 770361
*Times Higher Education, World University Rankings 2021