A message from the Dean 

A warm welcome to this edition of Sydney Business Connect. 

We've had an exciting year so far, with our Master of International Business ranking 1st in Australia and 21st globally in the QS International Trade Rankings 2024. We've also risen to 18th place in the QS World University Rankings 2025.

Emboldened by our community, which continues to drive social and industrial change, we have awarded MBA scholarships to Elena Pak, Kate Woods, Michael Quach, Belinda Craig and Belinda Murdoch. With backgrounds in health, the not-for-profit sector and Indigenous education and engagement, our MBA scholarship recipients embody the ambitious goals of our 2023-2027 strategy in their commitment to lifelong learning and passion for improving and enhancing their communities. 

We also celebrate the inaugural cohort of our flagship Indigenous Supplier Development Program, which is a joint initiative of the Business School, and the NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce designed to prepare businesses to tender for government contracts.

Over 70 Australian and global leaders and executives contributed to the new 2025 Skills Horizon report from Sydney Executive Plus that has identified the challenges facing leaders in the immediate future and the skills key to futureproofing, ranging from the urgent to the unexpected. 

To continue helping you unlock your leadership potential and thrive in complex environments, we've launched the Sydney Leadership Accelerator Program. This program will build the key capabilities of new and experienced managers to challenge traditional managerial approaches and lead change successfully in the digital age. We are thrilled to offer this program with an alumni exclusive discount of 50% off, as we know it’ll be of great benefit to the community.  

Futureproof your career with our flexible digital sprint courses focused on executive and leadership development, learning the strategies and tools for navigating geopolitical risk and how to make the transition to net zero. Build capabilities with artificial intelligence to lead in a rapidly changing world, or understand the power of identity to improve and lead in brand.

Our researchers continue to trailblaze with Centre Director Professor Rae Cooper AO and Deputy Director Professor Elizabeth Hill, launching the new Australian Centre for Gender Equality and Inclusion @ Work. The new multidisciplinary research centre leverages several decades of research expertise on women’s working lives to offer unique, research-informed insights, and produce targeted and effective gender equality interventions. 
 
There will be great opportunities to connect with our global alumni network at one of the upcoming alumni events in London, Singapore, Toronto, Los Angeles and China. I encourage you to also save the date for our annual Alumni Festival later this year.

Professor Leisa Sargent
Dean, The University of Sydney Business School