Australian Institute of Business

The AIB MBA is Australia's largest and most progressive MBA. It was specifically designed with the working adult in mind. Students generally enrol in one subject at a time so they can become immersed in the subject theory and apply the learnings in the workplace. This provides immediate benefit to the student and their employer.[7]

The Master of Management (MMgt) programme at AIB offers a degree, primarily suited to working managers, that combines Master's-level coursework with an in-depth research project. MMgt students often undertake their research project in a subject area related to their current industry or work projects. The programme can be completed in 18 months, but may take up to three years.[8]

The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is a research degree designed for experienced managers. It features a deeper level of business and management training and relates it closely to the workplace needs. Like the PhD, the DBA offers a doctoral qualification but is more directly linked to the world of work.[9]

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the traditional doctoral qualification that is associated with a wide range of subjects in universities across the world. It allows for research to be undertaken in greater depth, and for the outcome to be assessed as a contribution to knowledge. Although it has a theoretical dimension, the research programme at AIB can also enable managers to explore specialist areas of practical application.[10]

AIB is registered as a higher education provider by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA),[11] the sole government body in Australia authorised to register institutions of higher education, including universities. All AIB programmes are accredited within the Australian Qualifications Framework and are internationally recognised.[12]

Emeritus Professor Selva Abraham is the Founder of the Australian Institute of Business. Over the last 40 years, his focus has been on Work-Based Learning, which he has extended into the concept of Work-Applied Learning.[13] This passion for practical learning has evolved into publishing four books on the subjects of work-applied learning, management and action research.[14] A leading scholar in the field, he also regularly contributes to research papers and case studies.

All AIB lecturers hold a PhD, Masters level qualifications, and practical business experience. Many faculty members also undertake further research within the AIB research framework. Many have presented their research and leading domestic and international conferences, including regularly publishing in top-tier management and business journals (ranked under ABDC and HERDEC).[15]

Professor Rod Oxenberry was the previous Chair of the Academic Board of AIB and is also the former Head of the International Graduate School of Management of the University of South Australia. An education and management consultant specialising in higher education recognition, leadership mentoring and management development, Professor Oxenberry was instrumental in the continual development of AIB's programmes.[18]

The current academic board[19] consists of six industry-leading academics and professionals, each of whom has extensive experience in a variety of industries and specialties, as below:

In December 2012 AIB signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Middlesex University to allow both institutions to work together to advance Work-Applied and Work-Based Learning research. This collaboration was highlighted with the inaugural Work-Applied Learning for Change conference, where the two institutions partnered to present a world-first conference on the techniques of Work-Based Learning (WBL). In 2015, AIB in partnership with Emerald Group Publishing launched scholarly and refereed Journal of Work-Applied Management.[25][26]

The conference, held in Adelaide in November 2013, attracted 80 delegates from around the world including then-Vice Chancellor of Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Professor Mazliham Su’ud, as well as academics from Flinders University, Deakin University and Queensland University of Technology.[27] The conference was designed to bring together leading practitioners and scholars to demonstrate the value of learning and application for change in organisations and how senior managers can empower their leaders to learn, apply and introduce change in their workplace, with the option of undertaking studies leading to undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications.[28]

Subject matter experts speaking at the event included Emeritus Professor Selva Abraham from the Australian Institute of Business, Professor Jonathan Garnett and Dr Daryll Bravenboer from Middlesex University, and a series of leading executives from Epic Valley Holdings Group, API Insurance Services and BAE Systems Australia, among others.[29]

The second Work-Applied Learning for Change conference will be held in late 2014.