Robert Kennedy College takes immense pride to share a recent development in the university rankings world. Our exclusive partner – the University of Cumbria – has been ranked 8th in the world by Times Higher Education. The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings are the only global performance tables that assess universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The ranking uses 3 calibrated indicators: research, outreach and stewardship to provide comprehensive and balanced comparisons.
At its heart, the UN has 17 Sustainable Development Goals that call for an urgent action by countries –developed and developing – for global partnership. Sustainable Development Goal 4 stands for Quality Education i.e. ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Despite the considerable progress on education access and participation over the past years, 262 million children and youth aged 6 to 17 were still out of school in 2017, and more than half of children and adolescents are not meeting minimum proficiency standards in reading and mathematics.
The Times Higher Education Ranking on SDG 4 – quality education – measures universities’ contribution to early years and lifelong learning, their pedagogy research and their commitment to inclusive education. This second edition includes 766 universities from 85 countries. Metrics and the percentage weightings given to each metric for arriving at the ranking are as follows:
Research on early years and lifelong learning education (27%)
Proportion of graduates with teaching qualification (15.4%)
Lifelong learning measures (26.8%)
Proportion of first-generation students (30.8%)
University of Cumbria – Lancaster Campus
There couldn’t have been a better timing for this impressive ranking to be announced, as we also announce that the University of Cumbria Online MBAs are now being offered 100% online. Yes, you read that right! Now you can study and receive British government approved, Swiss quality education – all 100% Online. This is, however, a limited time offer. Enrol today or chat with one of our advisors on WhatsApp now.
Technology has always been the change catalyst for how we do business and with the rapid changes in communication technology, these changes are now taking place in real-time.
Technology enabling us to work virtually. Photo credit: unsplash.com/Uriel Soberanes
One of the key reasons for the long-term success of big multinational organisations is their ability to obtain business intelligence (BI) from their customers. Most organisations still collect feedback from their customers after a sale or service provided using a standard feedback form that asks typical questions. The information obtained through this method provides valuable information about the customers and their experience, but still the information is very limited, slow to get and process, and depends a lot on the customers’ willingness to give feedback.
Organisations that invest in artificial intelligence (Al) and machine learning (ML) derive a lot of other benefits that can impact and provide business intelligence to multiple departments within the organisation. Furthermore, with the advancement in cloud storage and computing, data and business intelligence can be derived almost in real time.
The following are some of the benefits of AI and ML especially in the era of cloud computing:
Enhanced Customer Experience: Real time intelligence on consumer buying behaviour provides companies with data on a number of key parameters from the spending capabilities of their customers, products that are trending, products that are reaching the end of their lifecycle, seasonal information, etc. Analysis of these data can provide the organisation with insights on the best ways to reach its customers through marketing activities, product pricing, product placement, etc.
Operational Automation: Operations are the backbone of an organisation. Without goods and services being produced or delivered, there is no purpose to the existence of an organisation. This is traditionally where the majority of the workforce is centred around, where the most wastage of resources takes place and is also the highest budgeted department of the organisation. Through the incorporation of AI and ML, the entire department can be streamlined to operate with best efficiency and in a cost and human resource effective manner.
Data Mining: Most organisations produce a mountain load of data every single day and it is not possible to manually go through all the data and extract some kind of BI from it. AI and ML will be able to quickly surface important and relevant patterns and insights during the processing of big data.
Supply Chain Management (SCM) Automation: Like operation automation, the BI derived through AI and ML can help streamline and increase the efficiency of the entire supply chain management process. It will also help in the automation of the entire SCM process.
Recruitment: Most big organisations receive thousands of job applications every month for a handful of job opportunities, making it almost impossible to go through all the applications to find the right person for the job. AI and ML can help (and indeed do already) in analysing the job requirements and the applicants’ data to find the right person for the job.
Trend Analysis: This key BI is applicable across all the departments of the organisation and is available through the analysis of all the data each department generates. By effectively predicting the trend, it will increase the efficiency and reduce the operational cost for an organisation as a whole, and at the same time increase its sales and overall profit.
The above are just some of the more obvious benefits of an AI and ML system. Every day, new BI programmes are being developed. These programmes best utilise the AI and ML systems’ data to provide organisations with unique and valuable data to base future business decisions on.
If you are looking to formalise your AI and ML knowledge, or looking for a jumpstart into a career in Artificial Intelligence, Robert Kennedy College offers a 100% Online MBA Artificial Intelligence through an exclusive partnership with the University of Cumbria, UK. Click here to apply for the programme.
You can also chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on the programmes offered, application process, and for more information on any discounts we might be running in this rather strange period of our lives.
In our effort to spread some positivity amidst the global pandemic, we turn to another success story of a proud RKC graduate – Meg Plooy. Meg graduated from the Online MA Leading Innovation & Change (the programme is now offered at York Business School as a 100% Online MBA Leading Innovation and Change). Let’s hear Meg’s inspirational story.
Who is..
Meg Plooy, MA Leading Innovation and Change Graduate
Meg, with her three “boys”
Meg Plooy, MA Leading Innovation & Change Graduate
A short profile
Vidhi Kapoor (VK):Who are you, really?
Meg Plooy (MP):Relentlessly helpful mother, wife, and friend. Innovative business solutions aficionado, Starbucks addict, camping nerd, and (foster) mother of Pitbulls.
Getting back into education
Your story of getting back to do a Master’s degree
VK:What was the driving force behind your enrolling for an online degree? Who inspired you? What motivated you?
MP: I was inspired to enroll for an online degree for a few different reasons. Firstly, to be an inspiration for my young children and show them that truly anything is possible if you work hard. Secondly, to advance my professional opportunities. Taking inspiration from my two sons, who work tremendously hard in everything they do and my sister, who enrolled in her graduate studies just a few weeks earlier.
VK:What were the thoughts/situations/people/challenges holding you back from starting (if any)? How did you overcome them?
MP: There were two significant barriers impacting my decision to apply and enroll. The primary barrier was time: finding adequate time while raising children and working full time. The other significant barrier was cost: as a mature student, enrolling in an international institution there were very few grants or bursaries I qualified for, meaning all the funding was out of pocket.
VK: What surprised you the most when you started your studies?
MP: I was most surprised by how determined I was to succeed.
VK:Do you feel there are unique challenges women face when deciding to get back into education?
MP: Absolutely. I feel there are still substantial gaps in gender parity. Although I have a supportive marital partner, I still feel that a larger portion of the parenting and household responsibilities fall on the female if both parents are working. I also feel that there is a larger need for females to have higher education for a lesser role in order to be seen competitively in the workforce and to reduce wage gaps.
Getting the degree
The work to get the degree – what did you learn, how did you balance, what would you do differently
Meg with her degree certificate, as happy as can be!
VK:Which programme did you do? Why?
MP: Master of Arts, Leading Innovation and Change. I had been researching online Master’s degree programs for quite a while and immediately was drawn to this program because it outlined everything I identified in myself both personally and professionally.
VK:What is the single most important thing you learned during the programme?
MP: That I am capable of accomplishing anything I am determined to complete.
VK: How did you balance work and studies?
MP: A good routine and sticking to a schedule. The best time for me to complete my studies was after the kids were in bed, which gave me anywhere from 2 to 2.5 hours each night. I used Monday through Thursday as “school nights” which ensured I was still getting downtime over the weekends. This helped me to stay focused and manage time effectively.
VK:Any particular challenges to being a woman and studying online, or do you think all students face the same ones?
MP: I feel all mature students, especially ones with family responsibilities, would face the same challenges.
Life post-degree
What changed, if anything?
VK:What’s new in your life since graduating/starting your studies? Any visible impact already?
MP: I feel that since graduating, I have more credibility within the organization I work for.
VK:Anything you are doing differently now because of the things you learned?
MP: Completing my Master’s degree has helped me develop strong skills in critical analysis, which helps me assess a situation more critically, also identifying themes and patterns in certain situations. It has certainly helped me strengthen my professional writing and report-delivery skills.
VK:Do you feel that getting a Master’s degree or doing other online programmes can reduce gender discrimination in the workplace?
MP: I do not believe getting a Master’s degree will reduce gender discrimination in the workplace. I currently work in a male-dominated industry and was recently appointed to our central business unit’s Women’s Council as our organization is looking to achieve gender equity in the workplace. In the council, we discuss many elements that contribute to gender discrimination in the workplace. I believe the best way to mitigate gender discrimination in the workplace is through leadership and inclusive corporate culture.
Advice for other women
Or other students, really.
VK: Imagine you could send a message back in time to your pre-degree self: what would it be?
MP: It will all be worth it in the end, you CAN do this!
VK: Imagine you could send an object back in time to your pre-degree self: what would it be?
MP: A financial grant or bursary that could have helped with tuition payments.
Closing thoughts
VK:Anything else you would like to add that could help with the goal of increasing women’s participation/access to a Master’s degree?
MP: I believe addressing the financial barrier would assist in women accessing higher education. I also feel that developing a platform for online support would be beneficial that may include blog posts, online resources, and motivational content.
If you are truly inspired by Meg’s story today and are ready to take the plunge, do not think twice. It’s the right time to do something positive for your career (no matter the global crisis) and get a Master’s degree you had always dreamt of achieving! Have a look at our list of programmes and see if we have anything that interests you.
Continuing with our Women’s Day series of blog posts featuring our students and asking them to share their experiences – the challenges of getting back to school, of managing work and study along with family, and the unique challenges they faced being female students.
This week we feature Ms. Deidree R. Diño, one of our student ambassadors who is a graduate of our M.Sc. programme in Global Management through our exclusive partnership with the University of Salford, UK. Let us see what she has to say.
Ms. Deidree R. Diño
Who is …
A short profile
Sahil Devasia (SD): Who are you, really?
Deidree R. Diño (DRD): I think of myself as a lifelong learner who is constantly searching for the next meaningful change, especially when it comes to my work.
Getting back into education
Your story of getting back to do a Master’s degree
SD: What was the driving force behind your enrolling for an online degree? Who inspired you? What motivated you?
DRD: I knew that at some point I would want to move on and not remain stagnant. I realize that to be competitive, I had to have a higher level of education and a stronger theoretical background to complement my work experience in different industries. I know of people who were able to study and work full-time and despite the challenges, they never regretted it.
SD: What were the thoughts/situations/people/challenges holding you back from starting (if any)? How did you overcome them?
DRD: Finances and time were both serious constraints. While I don’t have children, I support my mother and pay for the house in which she lives in S.E. Asia. I also have to pay my own bills here in Europe. I was already a department head and leadership team member, which meant I was working at least 50 hours a week. I had to study part-time so completing my master’s degree took longer, but I did not want to work or study half-heartedly. It was important to do both to the best of my abilities.
SD: What surprised you the most when you started your studies?
DRD: I already knew how challenging it would be but I was pleasantly surprised at the frameworks and theories I learned. I also appreciated the strict requirements on researching for and writing papers. The dissertation was difficult to write but it was good to have gone through that process.
SD: Do you feel there are unique challenges women face when deciding to get back into education?
DRD: It’s particularly difficult for women who want to have children, study, and work, especially if they want to do well. It’s impossible to do all three without the support of their spouses or immediate family members. The reality of a running biological clock puts more pressure on women to set aside their career and educational goals in order to have and raise children.
Getting the degree
The work to get the degree – what did you learn, how did you balance, what would you do differently
SD: Which programme did you do? Why?
DRD: I completed the MSc in Global Management program. My career choices and work experiences have led me to believe that understanding management frameworks and effective practices in different contexts, in international organizations, and across industries will be a significant advantage if I change careers.
SD: What is the single most important thing you learned during the programme?
DRD: Effectively managing people and resources is key to organizational success.
SD: How did you balance work and studies?
DRD: I could not work part-time so I had to study part-time and use my vacation days to revise and complete papers and assignments. I decided not to go on real holidays and travel as much as I used to.
SD: Any particular challenges to being a woman and studying online, or do you think all students face the same ones?
DRD: Even while studying online is more flexible than going to classes, for women with management jobs and family obligations, it can still be very difficult and even frustrating.
Life post degree
What changed, if anything?
SD: What’s new in your life since graduating / starting your studies? Any visible impact already?
DRD: I applied several concepts I learned to my own work and even shared the knowledge with peers. I also decided to change employers – not at all for money but to learn something new and find out if I can handle different challenges.
SD: Anything you are doing differently now because of the things you learned?
DRD: I think what I learned mostly validated the knowledge and skills I acquired through my work experience. Having said that, I think I’m a more effective leader and my ability to foresee possible problems and complications has improved.
SD: Do you feel that getting a Master’s degree or doing other online programmes can reduce gender discrimination in the work place?
DRD: Indirectly, yes, the flexibility and accessibility afforded by online programs, especially Master’s degrees, ensures that women can earn higher qualifications that will help make them more competitive when it comes to job advancement and career opportunities.
Advice for other women
Or other students, really.
SD: Imagine you could send a message back in time to your pre-degree self: what would it be?
DRD: Getting an advanced degree is anything but easy – in fact it’s excruciatingly hard – but it is worth it. Investing in education and continuing to learn is a hundred times better than staying where / how you are and regretting it.
SD: Imagine you could send an object back in time to your pre-degree self: what would it be?
DRD: A copy of my Master’s transcript and diploma.
Closing thoughts
SD: Anything else you would like to add that could help with the goal of increasing women’s participation/access to a Master’s degree?
DRD: You’re never too old to learn; if you have the opportunity, take it.
Our own little contribution: As we continue to celebrate Women in Education, we are pleased to continue to offer bursaries of up to 4’000 CHF
We, at RKC, are proud to play a part in the ongoing efforts in reducing the gender disparity in education. We have already announced a special bursary on the tuition fees for all female applicants #EachforEqual!
During these difficult times, as we practice social distancing to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19), we are pleased to extend the bursary to all our applicants. We hope this will help keep you occupied, help you learn something new and when this crisis is over and you get back to work, help improve your career prospects.
These are difficult and scary times, and at least for me, it just highlights how much I depend on the strength of the women in my life to see me through. I pray and hope that all our readers are being safe, taking precautions, practicing social distancing and doing their little bit to fight the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Be safe!
As we continue with these Women’s Day series of blog posts, we asked some of our students to share their experiences with us – the challenges of getting back to school, of managing work and study along with family, and the unique challenges they faced being female students.
Ms. Iulia Maria Garbacea
Ms. Iulia Maria Garbacea is one of our student ambassadors and is a graduate of our M.Sc. programme in Marketing through our exclusive partnership with the University of Salford, UK. Let us see what she has to say:
Who is …
A short profile
Sahil Devasia (SD): Who are you, really?
Iulia Maria Garbacea (IMG): I am a 28 year old Romanian woman, living in Bucharest. I am a bit younger than the average graduate (or at least was when I graduated) but would not change it for the world. Professionally, I am working on the implementation of a new ERP project for a big telecom company.
Getting back into education
Your story of getting back to do a Master’s degree
SD: What was the driving force behind your enrolling for an online degree? Who inspired you? What motivated you?
IMG:Well, I wanted to see how other education systems worked. I did my Bachelor’s in Romania, but for my master’s wanted something different.
SD: What were the thoughts/situations/people/challenges holding you back from starting (if any)? How did you overcome them?
IMG:It was intimidating having to balance a full-time job with studies, so it took me some time to decide to go for it. And I won’t lie, it wasn’t easy. I had to do a lot of work on myself – to avoid procrastination, to not be late with submitting my papers, to study on weekends, to take days off so that I could finish my papers.
SD:What surprised you the most when you started your studies?
IMG:That I can learn much more by researching articles/topics for my papers than I ever did by memorizing information.
SD:Do you feel there are unique challenges women face when deciding to get back into education?
IMG:It depends a lot I think on the period of life in which you decide to go back to school. In my case it was easier, since I did not have anybody else to care for (children) and I could use the free time to focus on my studies. But I think that even if it might be more challenging for women later in life, they are setting an example for their children – studying at any age is possible. I think it is important to invest in our children, by investing in ourselves.
Getting the degree
The work to get the degree – what did you learn, how did you balance, what would you do differently
SD: Which programme did you do? Why?
IMG:I studied Marketing because I believe this field has a lot of potential. I believe a good marketer is like a psychologist.
SD:What is the single most important thing you learned during the programme?
IMG:In my case, the most important lesson was not an academic one, it was one of personal development. I proved to myself that I am smart and determined enough to study in a language different from my own. I also had the luck to meet and make friends with people from around the world at our residency in Zurich. It was so much fun! 🙂
SD:How did you balance work and studies?
IMG:This was the most challenging part, especially when writing the dissertation. I worked on my assignments in my spare time, and also sometimes at work. I listened to a looooot of focus music to help keep my mind from wandering.
SD:Any particular challenges to being a woman and studying online, or do you think all students face the same ones?
IMG:Personally, I did not feel like I had it harder than my male colleagues. It was a very gender-neutral environment. We were all students in front of the professors.
Life post degree
What changed, if anything?
SD: What’s new in your life since graduating / starting your studies? Any visible impact already?
IMG:I switched from a more commercial role, into a more IT-focused position.
SD: Anything you are doing differently now because of the things you learned?
IMG:Yes, I am able to organize my projects better, to keep up with my commitments, and to be on time with delivery.
SD: Do you feel that getting a Master’s degree or doing other online programmes can reduce gender discrimination in the work place?
IMG:I feel that any type of studies can help reduce gender discrimination in the workplace. As far as I am concerned, the online programmes are a way of keeping up with the modern world. We can do almost anything online nowadays, why not study? As people start working, it is very difficult for them to attend night-schools, or weekend schools if they want to study in parallel. But studying online means that you can listen to courses while commuting, or while taking a break from work.
Advice for other women
Or other students, really.
SD: Imagine you could send a message back in time to your pre-degree self: what would it be?
IMG:It takes a lot of commitment and a lot of hard work, but at the end, the knowledge you gain is something that no one can ever take away from you. Also, those annoying focus music tracks from YouTube – they are a life changer. I still use them today when I need to work on important things.
SD: Imagine you could send an object back in time to your pre-degree self: what would it be?
IMG:The ‘How to write you dissertation’ handbook – absolutely necessary!
Closing thoughts
SD: Anything else you would like to add that could help with the goal of increasing women’s participation/access to a Master’s degree?
IMG:Just that investing in a woman is an investment in a generation of people.
Our own little contribution: March Women’s bursaries of up to 2’500 CHF!
We, at RKC, are proud to play a part in the ongoing efforts in reducing the gender disparity in education. We have already announced a special bursary on the tuition fees for all female applicants during the month of March in celebration of the International Women’s Day, only a few days to go, don’t lose out! #EachforEqual!
If you have been thinking about getting your master’s degree, proving to yourself and others that you CAN do it, now would be a good time to take the plunge. Have a look at our list of programmes and see if we have anything that could help.
As we continue the International Women’s Day series, this week we are talking about Derrylee M. Rankin – a double RKC Graduate. Without further ado, let’s hear her inspirational story.
Vidhi Kapoor (VK):Who are you, really?
Derrylee M. Rankin (DMR): Learning is an integral part of growing. My aspiration in life is to continue crafting my passions, building interpersonal relationships and being a leader who leads by example.
I thrive in culture and commerce environments geared towards outstanding results that lead to profitability and overall success for any organization that I am part of. I prefer to work on tasks that challenge me intellectually.
Akin to raising my two sons Fabio and Jacob as a single mother; the same dedication was applied to my decision of becoming a Graduate student. I obtained a Master’s Degree in Leading Innovation and Change from York St. John University in York, England and a PG Diploma in International Commercial Law at the University of Salford, Manchester. [Editor’s note: both degrees in exclusive partnership with RKC]
VK: Which programme did you do? Why?
DMR: MA Leading Innovation and Change
PG Diploma International Commercial Law
VK: What was the driving force behind your enrolling for an online degree? Who inspired you? What motivated you?
DMR: For years, I was prevented from receiving promotions or salary increases because I had not obtained a college degree. This was quite stressful and embarrassing as I was capable of doing the job, in fact in some cases I was already doing the job, just not being paid or recognized.
My two sons were witnessing me working two and sometimes three jobs and I knew it had a negative effect on them. I was determined to make a positive change in our lives and further my education.
VK:What were the thoughts/situations/people/challenges holding you back from starting (if any)? How did you overcome them?
DMR: Unfortunately, I dropped out of college twice due to my struggles as a single parent suffering from depression. Depression affected my motivation and commitment. The lack of funds and family support was also a factor. I realized that it was time to find the strength and courage to get my degree and have a positive influence on my two sons.
VK:Do you feel there are unique challenges women face when deciding to get back into education?
DMR: My challenge as a woman was a combination of working a fulltime job and raising my children. I had to find ways to prioritize my school projects, submitting work deadlines on time while handling all of the responsibilities as a fulltime single mother. There were many long nights.
VK:Any particular challenges to being a woman and studying online, or do you think all students face the same ones?
DMR: I believe we all face particular challenges while studying.
VK: Anything else you would like to add that could help with the goal of increasing women’s participation/access to a Master’s degree?
DMR: Do your research, ask many questions and seek help from your professors and classmates.
My professors were extremely helpful and very encouraging, I am forever grateful.
VK:What surprised you the most when you started your studies?
DMR: I was surprised by the support that I received from my classmates and professors. They pushed me to overcome many obstacles.
VK:What is the single most important thing you learned during the programme?
DMR: I learned that self-value and confidence come from within. My classmates and professors were very supportive and inspired me to push forward. Our group projects also helped me to express myself and contribute my ideas with confidence.
VK:How did you balance work and studies?
DMR: I had to do most of my studies at night and on the weekends. I was also fortunate to be working for a Government Department that offered a few study leave days.
VK:What’s new in your life since graduating/starting your studies? Any visible impact already?
DMR: Since graduating I see myself as a worthy individual. I have been given workforce opportunities that I could not have imagined prior to obtaining my degree.
VK:Anything you are doing differently now because of the things you learned?
DMR: Yes, I have improved my leading/management skills. I communicate much better and always aim to ensure that my objectives are clear and concise.
VK:Do you feel that getting a Master’s degree or doing other online programmes can reduce gender discrimination in the workplace?
DMR: Absolutely.
VK:Imagine you could send a message back in time to your pre-degree self: what would it be?
DMR: Have the confidence to believe in yourself and do not procrastinate.
VK:Imagine you could send an object back in time to your pre-degree self: what would it be?
DMR: My framed Master’s Degree. 🙂
I don’t know about you, but hearing the truly powerful and inspirational stories of these two MALIC graduates (Renata and Derrylee), I feel encouraged and motivated to take bolder steps to make a better life for myself and my family. Watch this space as more motivational stories are coming your way.
If you too feel a Master’s degree may help improve your career progression opportunities, your self-confidence and self-worth, now’s as good a time as ever to get started. Sure, the times are particularly uncertain these days with half the world on lockdown and the other half biding their time, but we and our University partners are doing our best to support students during this period even adapting the face-to-face requirements to allow for online delivery using technology. Talk to our team of Educational Advisers today and see what we can do for you.
Dear readers welcome to the women’s Day special series. We reckon that just a day is not enough – so we will be celebrating women, their courage and their achievements throughout this month. I am excited about this series of blogs that we are presenting to you here featuring RKC’s women ambassadors from diverse backgrounds having their own unique story to tell.
Full disclosure – the students we are featuring on the blog this month are all RKC ambassadors. The RKC ambassadors programme is an internal project aimed at facilitating prospective students’ decisions about studying with us – ambassadors are not remunerated but decided they wanted to vouch for us and their respective programmes of study. So we must be doing something right!
We asked a few of our female ambassadors questions about their personal journey before they enrolled for the Master’s programme, their challenges, their struggles and joys. Though we are dedicating this series to women out there, men can probably benefit from the advice too.
Let’s meet: Renata Takac
Vidhi Kapoor (VK): Who you are, really?
Renata Takac (RT):Excellent question! I was born in ex-Yugoslavia – now Croatia and spent my childhood in Pakistan. I travelled quite a bit and loved discovering other cultures. I dedicated the first half of my professional life to corporations (marketing and sales), and the second one, since 2006, to human resources and organizational development. I graduated MALIC [Editor’s note: Master of Arts in Leading Innovation and Change] in 2013, and my next huge step in professional development is a Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy, which I started three years ago.
Personally, I am a mother of a grown-up daughter, a wife and a friend. I enjoy sports – I was a marathoner once upon a time, and now I swim, row, etc. I love singing, travel, books and movies and many more. In agreement with this question – who I really am – I enjoy discovering who I am, really, apart from all the mentioned functions and roles.
From L to R: Renata travelling to Gordan Lederer Memorial, Hrvatska Kostajnica, Croatia; With family at the exhibition dedicated to Nikola Tesla (a bird’s-eye view); As a fictional character Kara Thrace from SF TV show Battlestar Galactica; Team coaching training with David Clutterbuck; Swimming gear
VK: Which programme did you do? Why?
RT: I did MALIC, because leadership was my primary interest at that time, and change and innovation were bonuses 🙂
VK:What was the driving force behind your enrolling for an online degree? Who inspired you? What motivated you?
RT: Actually my path towards MALIC was several years long – I was looking for a program that would be a good match with my job (coaching, mentoring, training, etc.) and at least partly online. After I chose MALIC, I needed the money to fund it 🙂 so it took me some time to earn it. Finally, after I enrolled, I spent the first several weeks working in Malta; so the start was fiery, but I fell in love with the program and that was it! It’s perhaps an interesting fact that I enrolled in 2011 when I was in my prime – 48 years young.
VK: What were the thoughts/situations/people/challenges holding you back from starting (if any)? How did you overcome them?
RT: I partly answered this in the previous question; once I decided that MALIC was my choice, the only obstacle was money. But I was lucky enough to be able to earn it, and I had my family’s support regarding the idea that such money is well invested. Besides that, the program, of course, required the time and effort. However, it was such a perfect match with my professional interests that I did it with pleasure.
VK: Do you feel there are unique challenges women face when deciding to get back into education?
RT: Of course, many. From my experience, I was able to enroll in such a challenging program only after my daughter grew up and I left my previous corporate job. I can imagine it could be much more difficult if I had to fight opposition from family members, or similar.
VK: Anything else you would like to add that could help with the goal of increasing women’s participation/access to a Master’s degree?
RT: I remember one of our female colleagues telling me at the end of the York module [Editor’s note: a one-week residential (face to face) module during an otherwise fully online programme] that she was greatly encouraged to remain with the programme. Before coming to York she was not sure she can continue with the studies and graduate, but that week strengthened her resolve.
Perhaps sharing other female students’ experiences can encourage others in their belief that they can.
VK: What surprised you the most when you started your studies?
RT: The freedom – the choice of when, how to learn, etc. was great! Furthermore, the teachers’ support and respect for our previous knowledge and experience.
VK: Any particular challenges to being a woman and studying online, or do you think all students face the same ones?
RT: I did not notice any gender-specific challenges regarding the online study. On the other hand, I did notice that all our professors were male.
VK: What is the single most important thing you learned during the programme?
RT: Oh, that is a difficult one. Perhaps the notion that I can do it! Besides that, the whole programme was so packed with intriguing, real-life related, 21st-century ideas and knowledge. For instance, the idea of ongoing change we discussed in 2012 really quickly transferred to today’s VUCA world.
VK: How did you balance work and studies?
RT: At the time of my studies I worked mainly on projects, so I was able to adjust the work to MALIC deadlines. However, now that I think about it, today I work 9-hours workdays and I still manage my psychotherapy studies… so I guess it’s a matter of motivation and dedication.
VK: What’s new in your life since graduating/starting your studies? Any visible impact already?
RT: It is important to me that I can support my competencies with a degree in leadership. For many of my clients, a recent master’s degree is decisive because it signifies knowledge in recent leadership studies.
VK: Anything you are doing differently now because of the things you learned?
RT: Many things – starting from reading (I don’t feel pressure to read the whole book or paper anymore in case I need only part of it), critical thinking, up to the content of my training, the leadership models I mention to my coaching clients, etc.
VK: Do you feel that getting a Master’s degree or doing other online programmes can reduce gender discrimination in the workplace?
RT: I would say yes. As long as any program is more accessible, it means it is even more accessible to women, due to usual restrains (demands of the job, family life, etc.). The connection between a Master’s degree and better job opportunities is positive, I guess.
VK: Imagine you could send a message back in time to your pre-degree self: what would it be?
RT: 1. Enjoy yourself! It is demanding and stretching but at the same time an enjoyable experience.
2. Use the chance to communicate with the professors. They are great and can help you immensely.
3. You’ll make some long-term friends (Bert Lee, Brenda Jiaying Hobin, looking at you!)
4. Make your study visit to York close to the end of the programme. You will know much more and be closer to your research and thesis.
VK: Imagine you could send an object back in time to your pre-degree self: what would it be?
RT: My witch doll. It is not only a symbol of female power but the message to myself: Be yourself. You’re a survivor!
Hope you enjoyed reading the first blog in the series celebrating womanhood. I really hope her story draws inspiration and courage in you to take the next big step to transform your career and make your own mark. Just like Renata, you will learn that yes, you can do it! And as she rightly points out, we also believe that sharing other female student’s experiences can help others strengthen their belief that they too can! So share your experience here and let your story be an inspiration for many women Master’s aspirants.
Next week we will talk about Derrylee M. Rankin, another MALIC graduate and PG Diploma holder in International Commercial Law, sharing her story, so stay tuned!
One day! – to celebrate the mothers, wives, sisters and daughters in our lives. We say we live in modern times and consider ourselves enlightened and educated, but even now, in many parts of the world women are discriminated against, not being given even basic human freedoms. And I am not just talking about third world countries: even in the so called “first world nations” women are discriminated against, looked at as objects and paid only a fraction of what is paid to a man for the same job.
I do not understand the reason for this discrimination. My father was an officer in the merchant navy, which meant that for most of my childhood he was away at sea and that meant my mother was the one who looked after all our landbound affairs, and I can tell you that if my father was in charge, things wouldn’t have gone nearly as smoothly as they did.
We have made some progress already – things are better today than they were in the past. Women were considered the weaker sex and seen only as a companion, caregiver, housekeeper, cook and breeder. Men on the other hand were stronger, the hunter, the protector, the main bread winner and because of this they were given some education and seen as smarter. There was no need to educate women as it would have been a waste of money and would not have been in their job description. I can’t believe this is what men thought and, in some cases, still think!
In fact, some western countries gave women the right to vote only about 50 to 100 years ago, mostly during the interwar period – Canada (1917), Britain and Germany (1918), Austria and the Netherlands (1919) and the United States (1920). Notable exceptions in Europe were France, where women could not vote until 1944, Greece (1952), and Switzerland (1971).
Women have had to fight at every step for the right to be treated as equals to men.
Gender Pay Gap
Female filmmakers protesting the gender pay gap and other inequalities in the film industry, during the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
Even today, in several countries (including in “enlightened” first world countries), women are not paid on par with men for doing the same job and just as competently. There are a number of social reasons given for this disparity in income – from motherhood (perception that women cannot work as long or as hard as men) to jobs that are perceived to be male dominated (construction, manufacturing, mining, transportation, etc.).
For example, the following graphic shows the women’s weekly earnings, employment, and percentage of men’s earnings, by industry, in 2009, in the United states.
The OECD was showing the following gender pay gaps (unadjusted) in 2008.
The unadjusted gender gap according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 2008.
There’s been positive change since, with numbers from 2015-2019 showing improvement overall. Lower numbers are better – and Belgium is leading the pack.
Gender Education Gap
What is more shocking than this disparity in income, is the disparity in education.
Learning is the cornerstone for growth and self-discovery, so what happens if educations is denied or restricted to a part of the population. This part of the population will not have any growth or self-actualisation.
A world map showing countries by gender difference in literacy rate. A detailed Robinson projection SVG map shaded by country using two equally distributed colour palettes (red and blue) according to the difference in literacy rate between men and women (i.e. higher rates for males denoting positive numbers). x = difference in literacy rate and countries without data are light grey. The figures represented are almost entirely collected by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) on behalf of UNESCO with 2015 estimates based on people aged 15 or over who can read and write.
The countries with the largest difference between men’s and women’s average years of schooling are Afghanistan and India.
Top 10 Countries with the biggest difference in mean years of schooling (2017)
Country
Male
Female
Difference
Afghanistan
6
1.9
4.1
India
8.2
4.8
3.4
Equatorial Guinea
7.3
4
3.3
Togo
6.5
3.3
3.2
Congo (Democratic Republic of the)
8.4
5.3
3.1
Cameroon
7.6
4.7
2.9
Nepal
6.4
3.6
2.8
Pakistan
6.5
3.8
2.7
Liberia
6.1
3.5
2.6
Central African Republic
5.6
3
2.6
Human Development Data (1990–2017); www.hdr.undp.org (as on 15 October 2018)
Even in developed countries, according to OECD 71% of men graduates with a science degree work as professionals in physics, mathematics and engineering, whereas only 43% women work as professionals and fewer than 1 in 3 engineering graduates and lesser than 1 in 5 computer science graduates are female.
Moving forward
It saddens me that in this day and age, there is still so much sexual discrimination both at work and in education. Doesn’t this get you worked up? What can we do to change this status quo?
We at Robert Kennedy College are pleased to see an upward trend in the number of women students enrolling for our online master’s degree programmes in management. Over the past 7 years, we have seen a steady year on year (YOY) increase in the women to men ratio, shown below – we are off to a flying start in 2020 (Jan and Feb numbers counted so far), so we hope to see this trend continue and this disparity in education between men and women being greatly reduced in the years to come.
The trend of the percentage of female students over time. Color shows relative year on year (YOY) change in this value. After a slight dip in 2011-2013, the trend is clearly upwards, with 2020 (based on just Jan/Feb so far, of course) showing an encouraging spike towards the 50-50 line.
Our own little contribution: March Women’s bursaries of up to 2’500 CHF!
We are proud to play a part in the ongoing efforts in reducing the gender disparity in education, and today we are announcing a special bursary on the tuition fees for all female applicants during the month of March in celebration of the International Women’s Day! #EachforEqual!
* the button above will connect you with our team over Whatsapp.
If you have been thinking about getting your Master degree, proving to yourself and others that you CAN do it, now would be a good time to take the plunge. Have a look at our list of programmes and see if we have anything that could help.
2020 is a leap year and Saturday, 29th of February marks the leap day: an extra day in our lives that we encounter every four years. Walking through February 29 is almost like walking through a rare portal that is only accessible to us every four years. Well, when I dug a little deeper into the history of how we actually came to have 29 days in the second month of the year, I found some very interesting facts about this day.
The history of Feb 29th (and/or of Feb 28th for that matter)
A leap year was needed to correct calendar drift because the Earth orbits the Sun every 365.242 days, a number that is fairly difficult to accommodate on a calendar. And it was a lot of trial and error before the world could settle for the modern-day leap year system. Many ancient cultures had taken on to the practice of adding extra days, or even months, to round out the calendar year.
The National Geographic News explains the Roman civilization would add months to try to correct the drift of the lunar calendar. But this system was sloppy. In the modern sophisticated society, all kinds of things such as paying rent or interest accruing on loans would all mess up.
Egyptians were the first to determine the true length of the solar year and brought the reformation. Egypt adopted a leap-year system, with an extra day every four years, during the Greek rule of the Ptolemaic Dynasty (305 to 30 BC).
In 46 BC, the Julian calendar came to be used as a reformed calendar after what came to be known as the Year of Confusion. But there was an inherent flaw that caused the drifted Julian calendar to drift 10 days by the late 16th century. In 1582 the Gregorian calendar was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, and it slowly but surely became the main calendar system for most of the world.
Now you might be wondering why I am talking about the history of leap years? Well, apart from its historic relevance, I consider the leap days significant as the day of reflection and reminiscence.
A day for reflection
A wise person would say, don’t live in the past nor the future, stay in your present. However, it is important to foresee the future to identify the goals you want to achieve and reflect on the past to see how far you have come along your planned path, appreciate your achievements, recognize the pitfalls and improve upon them.
Reflection is a key part of learning – it is not dwelling or beating yourself up for past events, but rather recognizing the pros and cons of past experience. Standing on the leap day today, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the achievements and memorable moments for Robert Kennedy College and its exclusive partners, during the last 4 years of imparting Swiss quality education online.
Scroll through the slides to see some of my favourite highlights of RKC history..
University of Salford awarded business school of the year award
Prof. Dr. iur. David Costa, Dean Robert Kennedy College and Stefano Costa MBA, Finance Director Robert Kennedy College (RKC), visited NASDAQ New York to commemorate the success of RKC in providing Swiss Quality Education in partnership with top British Universities for the last 19 years.
Celebrating 50 years of University of Salford
To mark the occasion for our residential students, Robert Kennedy College hosted an exclusive live masterclass conducted by Prof. Spicer and Richard Dron, Technical Innovation Officer at Salford Business School. The celebrations continued through to the evening and concluded with a gala dinner that also included our residential students.
Neil Robinson – MSc Project Management Graduate – Wins PMI Education Foundation Student Paper of the year award in 2017
University of Cumbria ranked 28th in 2019 WhatUni Student Choice Rankings
The University of Cumbria Law ranks 1st in the North West and 8th in the UK!
Mobile App launched for University of Cumbria in May 2019
Mobile App launched for York St John University in June 2019
Celebrating our Graduates – University of Cumbria
Celebrating our Graduates – York St John University
Celebrating our Graduates – York St John University
Celebrating our Graduates – University of Salford
To top it all here’s a short University of Cumbria 2019 graduation video. I hope this inspires you to take the walk as a proud master’s graduate yourself one day (hopefully before the next leap year in 2024!)
So I would encourage you all to take the opportunity that this great day, that comes once in 4 years, has to offer. Reflect, plan, set your intentions and take the plunge! For any guidance that you might seek on our Master’s programme, just reach out to our dedicated education advisors.
From the very start of my time with RKC, one of the questions I get asked the most is: What differentiates RKC’s online programmes from those offered by other universities?
I used to answer that RKC has been around in online education for more than 20 years, has developed the experience and technology to deliver a top-quality online education experience and has exclusive partnerships with three very recognisable and government accredited British universities, all of which are very valid and important points.
However, in my opinion and, more importantly, in the opinion of a vast majority of our students, the biggest differentiator is the one-week residency programme we conduct either at the college campus in Zürich, Switzerland or at the university campus in the United Kingdom.
This is a mandatory part of most of the programmes we offer (we have just launched a range of fully online ones too though) and you will have to attended one such week if you intend to graduate with the master’s degree. Now, I know that traveling for the residency is not easy: you will have to take time off, there is the added cost of stay, flight tickets, visa, local travel and food, etc. But the response to this part of the programme has been overwhelmingly positive from our students.
Most of our students haven’t been in a classroom environment in a very long time and this one week is exciting. You get to go back in time and relive your school/ college experience, but in a whole new light, with the added benefit of experience and the confidence of an accomplished professional life.
You enjoy interacting face to face with the professors and fellow students, clarifying doubts and having fun doing it. Most times the focus of the residency is on preparing you to start your dissertation – research methods, discussion of actual ideas with colleagues and professors. You also get to network with your fellow students, not only forming lifelong friendships beyond this one week but also potential future business partnerships.
Here is a short video of our students talking about their residency experience, you can judge for yourself the value and takeaways our students derive from the residency programme.
So, which programme is right for you? Not a question I am able to answer via a blog post, I’m afraid, but if you want to find out, you can get in touch with our team of admission advisers who can have a look at your profile and give you some advice.
Explore the number of specialised master’s degree programmes offered by Robert Kennedy College through exclusive partnerships with top British universities. Or, if you have already made up your mind, click here to apply.
