RKC Residency in Zürich – come prepared!

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It is an exciting week for us in RKC – next Monday 29th of Jan we are welcoming a group of almost 50 of our students in our premises in Zürich for a week filled with learning, fun, and camaraderie. We’re looking at a mini United Nations’ week, with three continents and not less than 30 countries represented – woohoo!

 

Now, most of you are already seasoned travelers, so I will not talk about bringing your passport along, or appropriate clothing for Swiss winter, but talking to our team they thought it would be useful to have a quick post on the most important things to bring with you to Zürich in order to make the most of the week. So here goes, in no particular order:

  • an open mind – you will meet colleagues from all over the world, some of which you may know from the online classes – be ready to take advantage of the face to face setting but remember to be respectful of our differences of opinion 🙂
  • a travel adapter for your electronics – you will undoubtedly bring your phone, computer (you need to keep on top of those class forums, don’t you?), but remember the Swiss have a very peculiar type of electrical outlets
  • an alarm clock – classes start early, and while they do not finish too late, after hours tend to be long when you’re in a group of like-minded people – get yourself a “buddy” on the first day, someone who will know how and where to find you should you be missing in class

That’s it, really. The week will focus on research skills, and preparing you for the dissertation, but if you think you are not there yet, don’t worry – the knowledge gained from this week is applicable to your regular online modules too, as it teaches you focus, approaching writing with a critical perspective, understanding different research methods and philosophies (which comes handy when you read someone else’s articles with a critical eye) and helps you think about the future subject of your dissertation with a pragmatic view.

 

The week concludes with small-group discussions of proposal/dissertation ideas – 5 or 6 of you and one of us tutors get together and poke holes in your idea – all in a friendly and constructive manner. For my part, I am roaring to go, and I hope you are too. I will see you on Friday morning for the small-group discussion on your proposal ideas!

P.S. Some of you reading this will undoubtedly have already attended one of our residencies in Zürich and may probably have even better advice to offer to your colleagues – please feel free to let us know what they are in the comments and I will make sure to update the post as needed!

Importance of Time Management for Online College Students

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We all lead busy lives – work, family, friends, school, etc. It’s a never-ending cycle; that’s life.

One of the reasons for choosing an online programme is for the flexibility it offers. It allows you to gain new knowledge and at the same time to earn that qualification you’ve always wanted. But if not managed properly, the very reason you choose an online programme might be what comes back to haunt you.

Time management is one of the biggest challenges that an online student faces. Being able to manage one’s personal and professional life while at the same time getting the space and time to complete all the requirements of the programme – assignments, readings, live classroom sessions, etc. is a problem faced by most online students.

So while online education provides you with the flexibility of work and study, at the same time giving you the opportunity to live your life with minimum disruptions, if you don’t manage time well – putting off assignments till the last minute, not completing the required readings, unable to participate in live classroom sessions – you will inevitably fall behind and struggle to complete the course.

Balancing work-life-study is key to successfully completing an online programme.

  1. Plan – Students need structure. This especially holds true for online students. Make a study calendar; set aside a block of time daily to catch up on your studies, assignments, and other course requirements. Take time to understand the schedule of the module and the programme as a whole— when are assignments due? For when are the online classes scheduled? If unable to attend a live session, when will the recording be available in the archive? What are the topics covered and by when should the study of those topics be undertaken? Work them into your calendar and plan. You might find that all you have to set aside is eight to ten hours a week, and being an online student, you have the flexibility to set this time at your convenience.
  2. Stay Up-To-Date – Don’t cram or leave things for the last minute. If there’s an assignment on a topic, start working on it as soon as the topic is covered, and ensure that you complete the assignment at least two or three days before the due date. Take an active part in the live classroom session and on the online forums. They will help in understanding the subject matter better and allow you to incorporate your discussions with the faculty and students into your assignments.
  3. Log-in Daily – With advancements in mobile technology, you need not constantly sit at a computer or laptop to follow what’s happening. You can log on to the online campus from your mobile phone and check on updates posted on the forums or announcements made. It’s that simple to stay current.
  4. Friends and Family – Online study can be a lonely business. You tend to miss out on the classroom camaraderie and fellowship. While you do have some classroom experience with residency weeks and online live classroom sessions, you are still pretty much doing the programme on your own. Joining with friends, family, or colleagues will not only make the programme more interesting and less lonely but will also result in better time management and better understanding of the subject.
  5. Get ahead of the Programme – Once you have enrolled for the course, you will be given access to all the study materials and to the online library. You will also get the course schedule. If you find yourself ahead of the module being taught and if your assignments are complete, then there is nothing stopping you from getting a head start by doing some advance reading on the next module. But know that there’s a lot you can still learn on the current module from your faculty and fellow students; so keep track of discussions, forums, and classroom session.
  6. Take Ownership – You made the choice to study further. You chose to study online. Online study offers you flexibility, but you are not constantly reminded of your educational responsibilities as you would be in a campus environment. So hold yourself to a higher standard: complete your assignments on time, mark important programmes and course information in your calendar, and keep up to date. If you don’t understand something, reach out and ask for help. Everybody needs help from time to time.

Above all, good time management requires discipline. And developing this discipline can only come from taking ownership. This will not only hold you in good stead in successfully completing your online programme, but also in life.

Good luck, and enjoy the ride!

Make the Most of Your RKC Experience

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Graduate school programs such as an MBA can provide the advanced skills required to take a career to the next level. They not only offer academic knowledge but also peer interaction to test ideas, hone abilities and gain insights into one another’s strengths. Building and nourishing a strong academic network can form a valuable circle of influence to provide a pool of knowledge and sounding boards for challenging career moments. Academic networking can build upon the theoretical benefits of a graduate degree when applied within practical professional arenas for a lifetime of learning.

Robert Kennedy College (RKC) in Zürich, Switzerland, hosts and manages the online portion of master’s level programs. A notable advantage of the RKC combined online and residency program is the global network of professionals from several universities interacting in the online forums and Campus Café. With over 5,000 students from 130 different countries, the opportunity to build an international professional network is exceptional. These interactions are not only virtual; students also meet face-to-face while attending their residencies.

The Masters level programs bring mid- to senior- level professionals with wide ranging experience and geographical locations together. Within a traditional university, students are all living and working in the city or region. However, at RKC, students live and work in their home country, bringing their local perspectives into each discussion and lesson. Students learn how to effectively collaborate and achieve results within remote working groups. In an ever more international world, developing this flexibility is a unique skill.

Robert Kennedy College students and alumni are able to network with thousands of others opening access and creating career opportunities that otherwise may have been missed.

One example of such post academic business collaboration is Mircea Baldean, MBA, alumni from the University of Wales/Robert Kennedy College program and Carol Aebi, MBA, alumni from the University of Cumbria/Robert Kennedy College program. Carol and Mircea interacted through the RKC online forum then stayed connected after graduation. When Mircea was developing a new business idea, he tapped into his university network for validation and concept development, engaging Carol for her start-up strategic expertise. The two also partner with Gabriel, a Silicon Valley-based geospatial technologist, and their business MeetVibe, Inc. was founded. From Zurich to Toronto to San Francisco, the team works remotely but in a very cohesive and collaborative manner, a valuable skill developed through the RKC program.

RKC Alumni and MeetVibe founders – Mircea Baldean and Carol Aebi, joined by co-founder Gabriel Paun (left) at Web Summit 2017

Their app is the next evolution of social technology, creatively layering IoT interactions with market-validated social technologies into a unified platform. Last year they released the MeetVibe beta for iOS. Students from across programs joined in. Influences such as Asad Imam, Mohamud A. Verjee, Slobodan Bogovac, Joyce Njeri, and Jeremy Hewitt all provided guidance and spread the word. With a network of support, in January 2017 the beta for Android was released.

MeetVibe launched their business offer in July 2017 at the largest tech conference in Asia, and participated in the Web Summit, the biggest tech conference in the world held in Lisbon in November 2017.

Are you maximizing your professional networking opportunities and tapping into this talent pool?

It is not enough to simply collect a list of names or link social media profiles. Meaningful relationships extend beyond the online environment and are built with time and attention. Carol and Mircea’s MeetVibe app can help. Sign up today and share calendar availability and social media profiles with fellow students and alumni. Schedule a virtual meeting, call or get-together to develop valuable relationships.

Make the most of your RKC experience – build a global professional network to support your success!

Dean’s Message for the New Year 2018

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Prof. Dr. iur. David Costa, Dean Robert Kennedy College, wishing all of our graduates, students: current and prospective, a very happy and successful New Year 2018. Encouraging everyone to start something new and achieve new goals.

Get inspired with the dean’s message:

 

So let your career take-off and achieve new heights this new year. Our one year online masters’ degree programmes combine quality British education with Swiss ingenuity. Download the catalogue here: https://college.ch/catalogue?j=fbpagemt

 

Importance of Law in Business

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Many Management students might wonder about the need to study Law. After all, they may have joined a management programme with the dream of becoming a manager in a multinational company in which they might assume there will be teams in of lawyers in place to take care of any legal implications.

However, for all profit-driven organisations, reducing costs and increasing bottom-line profits are one of the primary considerations in the decision-making process, and if your organisation is small or has limited resources, there might not be a legal team in place. Even for mid-sized companies, having legal teams in place to cover every eventuality may for practical purposes be out of the question. And in any case, considering the fact that most organisations these days operate multinationally, legal costs can have a considerable impact on the company’s bottom line, so managers do need to have at least basic training in Law.

Many junior managers who may have limited understanding of the legal implications of management decisions may underestimate the importance of the law in the business world. Yet managers are expected to be aware of the legal implications their decisions might have on the organisation. The higher the person in the organisational hierarchy making the decision, the greater the understanding of the legal implications of a decision is expected to be.

A better understanding of legal matters also provides a manager with a framework on which a decision can be made. Indeed, knowing the rights and the protection the law can give to both an individual and a company can be vital managerial information. In today’s almost borderless business environment, understanding the organisation’s rights vis-à-vis its employees, clients, vendors, government, etc., will go a long way to making better, more informed, and profitable business decisions.

In short, a better understanding of Corporate, Consumer, and Commercial Law helps in setting benchmarks in product quality, safety standards, production and operational standards, and human resources, thereby protecting the rights of the organisation, its clients, vendors, and employees.

Robert Kennedy College in an exclusive partnership with the University of Salford, UK offers an Online Master of Laws (LL.M.) programme in International Commercial Law and in a partnership with the University of Cumbria, UK offers Online Master of Laws (LL.M.) programme in International Business Law.

Salford Business School Students Visit The Supreme Court from University Of Salford on Vimeo.

Sam John, MSc Marketing student shares his experience of Residency @ Salford

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                                                                        My Residency….

Being married and having 2 boys… a teenager and a pre-schooler. I almost gave up on studying until I chanced upon RKC @ Salford online MSc programme. It seemed exciting and challenging enough yet manageable. I took the plunge…

I still remember the first assignment vividly … I almost broke down with a sudden realisation that this was a new ball game. Picked myself up and packed up some tools for the long road ahead.

Soon enough the year had gone by, having finished all my modules I was preparing for my Residency. I attended the program week       30 Oct – 3 Nov 2017 @ Salford UK, and what an experience it was!!! All of those who attended this residency were in more or less a similar situation not knowing what to expect. But the Salford team was wonderfully hospitable and the week was an eye-opener. I was just baffled why I didn’t do this much earlier. Our special thanks goes to the team of – A. Deen Eileen, Profs’ – Chris, Tahir, Jonathan, Rasool, Jacque & other staff at the reception desk @ Lady Hale for their guidance & the most courteous Taz from Salford catering team who took care of our global appetites.

We had a fantastic time studying and also having fun there – were able to catch a Man Utd match @ Old Trafford was a bucket-list fulfilment for me. Sightseeing was amazing, sessions with mates @ Uni and many more small but enriching moments. The Atmosphere (Uni Bar), streets, library, eateries, buffets around town @ South African, Brazilian & Chinese outlets – the week ran away too fast. We all went back with good memories and more importantly good friends for life. Keeping in touch is more meaningful as there is a face to the chat. We are helping each other now through the dissertation process. We even started a group naming it CAT – Cronbach Alpha Team (you will know the reason when you attend your Residency 😉 ). We all love to continue this relationship with Salford in our own countries and collaborate on all avenues to stay in touch with the Uni from home.

My own thought from the experience will be to urge fellow students to attend your Residency right after you complete your first module. This will definitely help in your following modules as the whole perspective to approaching your assignments and exams will change tremendously. It will give you the needed guidance and step by step methodology to finding literature, avoiding plagiarism, research tactics, results analysis & even survey strategies. This would certainly help to save time and energy given that most of you are employed full time and are running a family. The experience can improve many fold and so will the outcome!

One year is super-fast with this course to challenge you … Enjoy the journey… So ALL THE BEST GUYS!!!
Cheers!
Sam John.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-john-7b21aa11a/

Online education is the future of education system

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It’s a changing world. We live in era of technological innovation, digitization and an internet boom, and the education sector has evolved to a stage which would hardly have been believable a few years ago. Change is often inumbrated by resistance, and bringing about any change to education, likewise has been no simple task. Only a systemic change could prompt the establishment of new teaching methodologies and the application of advanced technology in education. But despite challenges, online learning is making tremendous progress in permeating all pillars of education, from corporate learning, to higher education, to K-12 schooling. Leaders in these areas have discovered some significant ways in which online learning is better than in-person learning, and as a result we’re seeing the widespread implementation of connected technology to drive education initiatives.

With the advent of digital innovation and e-commerce, the world is your oyster where you can get almost anything and everything at the tap of your finger, without leaving the comfort of your home. There is nothing in this world you cannot get online, so why not education? Gone are the days when the only way to learn and advance was to sit through tiresome lectures. As the number of online users grows by the day, more and more people are taking to the internet for their learning needs.

Yet if you’re considering moving to online learning, it’s important to know why you should. Well, there are several reasons why online education continues to grow in popularity and is indisputably the next big thing. The factors range from the wide variety of course offerings, flexibility, and learning pace, to quality of pedagogy and networking opportunities.

Robert Kennedy College has been a pioneer in online education for the last 19 years. Its online masters’ programmes combines Swiss quality education at a distance with residencies at the college’s premises in Zürich, Switzerland or in England at the campuses of the College’s exclusive partners: the University of Cumbria, the University of Salford and York St John University.

The advantages and benefits of online learning offered by Robert Kennedy College make their education unique and stand out from the competition:

  • Wide range of courses offered – Online MBA, MSc and LL.M
  • Blended Learning – Learning opportunity both online and in-person with one-week residency
  • Network building opportunity with peers and colleagues from all over the world
  • Proprietary state of the art technology
  • Outstanding teaching faculty
  • Superior student care

At RKC we are changing lives. Come and be a part of this revolution. Click here to find out more about the online programmes.

Neil Robinson – MSc Project Management Graduate and Winner of 2017 PMI Education Foundation Student Paper of the year award

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Neil Robinson found the Online MSc Project Management programme, as a golden opportunity to steer his Project Management career in a new direction. He says, “The MSc Project Management programme is opening up options and possibilities for me which were previously out of reach as a pure practitioner. As evidenced by the LIAP experience, with the right education, research, academic writing skills and dedication, the world really is your oyster to pursue whatever directions your heart desires, creating and opening your own doors along the way.”

We asked Neil, what is LIAP and what inspired him to write this award winning paper:

“Since leaving my homeland (Australia) twenty years ago I have been fortunate in that my life’s work as a Project Manager has immersed me in an incredible kaleidoscope of diverse cultural experiences. Whilst working in a predominantly blue chip corporate environment, I was increasingly drawn to the case studies of “social good” projects in developing countries and the work of philanthropic bodies such as the PMI Education Foundation. The academic paper “Life is a Project: Project Management as an Enabling Life Skill” was researched and written to coherently document and share with the widest possible audience the LIAP concept, pilot observations and an exploration of the potential benefits of Project Management as an everyday life skill with reference to relevant academic studies and theories of cultural transition. The driving inspiration behind this work is to connect with and motivate an audience of like-minded others who believe in the value of “social good” projects and to inspire them to take action to help “open doors” for others.

How was his experience studying Online with Robert Kennedy College:

“As a mature-age student with substantial practical experience in the field managing Global Projects, the opportunity to return to academic studies at Masters level at RKC (Salford Business School) has been transformational. The academic writing skills I’ve attained through the programme’s learning, assessment and feedback processes have opened doors to forums, audiences, and opportunities which were previously inaccessible.The online learning format of this course, whilst presenting its own unique challenges, has given me the flexibility to study the course materials, whenever I want, wherever I want, accommodating the realities of today’s busy and unpredictable demands. With this format you need to learn to overcome self-doubt and forge ahead with a belief in your own capabilities and interpretation of the task at hand. Self-discipline and time management skills are also critical.”

 

So how did this Masters help Neil in his career development?

“As touched on previously, the academic writing skills I’ve acquired have granted me access to whole new world of opportunities. Moreover, the course content thus far has been incredibly enlightening and relevant in terms of providing theoretical and strategic perspectives to the cross-cultural, international business contexts in which I’ve been managing projects as a practitioner all these years.I’d love the opportunity to take my project management career into the field of meaningful International Development or humanitarian work, preferably in a cross-cultural or developing country environment. This is an aspiration which I know is also dependent on the attainment of a Masters level qualification.”

Any words of wisdom for our future students Neil?

“The moral of this story is that Education really can “open doors” and with programmes like this, it’s never too late to “follow the dream”. As a mature age student, without an undergraduate degree, I harboured secret doubts about my own ability to study, research and write academically at this level. But so far, so good. I have to say thank you to RKC and Salford University for providing me with this life changing opportunity. I now see myself continuing to study, research, and write indefinitely as a means of saying what I want to say to the world, and being heard, in this project called Life. My advice to your prospective students? Don’t think it’s going to be easy, it’s not. But if you’re motivated, reasonably intelligent and capable, disciplined, able to work independently and serious about committing the time and effort….just do it! ”

 

Live session on Money Management at Robert Kennedy College, Zurich, Switzerland

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Robert Kennedy College as part of its residency week in Zurich, Switzerland conducted a lecture in Money Management for its students which was also broadcasted live on Facebook to all students, current and prospective. Through this Facebook Live Session, students could get a feel of how the residency week is conducted at the college and at the same time give them a deeper understanding of Money Management.

This class which was facilitated by the Dean of the college, Prof. Dr. iur. David Costa, had attendees with different professional backgrounds from all over the world. Hence he followed a clear-cut agenda starting with the Basics of Money Management and then delved deep into the most common assets i.e. Commodities, Stocks, Bonds etc. while also discussing briefly about Cash, Real Estate and Cryptocurrency in brief.


Dr. Costa spoke of stocks as one of the best investment option as investors can study the market and the companies and then invest in the stocks of companies, thereby becoming owners of a certain stake in those companies. He illustrated this by giving real life examples of companies whose share prices had gone through a turbulent period in the stock market and pointed ways to analyse the situation and arrive at a decision on whether to hold or sell.

Keeping the session interactive and responding to a question on Real Estate as an investment option, Prof. Costa said that Real Estate is like any other investment and is subject to the same risks and rewards, just because it’s tangible, it does not mean that the property prices cannot crash. He advised that everybody’s first major investments should be in their home, a property for you and your family, and every investment made before buying this property should go towards this purchase.

Speaking on speculative investment options, Dr. Costa compared it to a lesser form of gambling but also stressed on the fact that the higher the risk an investor takes, greater the reward can be.

When considering an investment, Dr. Costa advised to always plan! and ask, ‘Why am I investing?’, ‘What kind of risk can I take?’, ‘How long can I be locked in?’ and ‘Where do I invest?’

Click here for more information on the programmes in finance and business offered by Robert Kennedy College.

Congratulations to MALIC 2017 Graduates!

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Congratulations to the students of Robert Kennedy College who graduated in early November in the stunning setting of York Minster with a Masters degree in Leading Innovation and Change, a programme in RKC’s exclusive partnership with York St John University.

Students graduated alongside an array of leading figures in the charity sector, conservation, psychology, business, sport, music, television and the Deaf community, who were awarded honorary degrees. Recipients included children’s campaigner Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE, actress Dame Penelope Wilton, and Steve Rowe, Chief Executive of Marks & Spencer. Also recognised were the Yorkshire Rows, the oldest all-female crew to row across the Atlantic who started learning to row at the Guy Fawkes Boat Club in York.

Professor Karen Stanton, Vice Chancellor of York St John University, said: “This year’s honorary graduates are an especially motivational group of people.”

The graduation ceremony was streamed live from York Minster (in the video above, take a look at the ‘view’ our graduates get when they take to the stage to receive their degrees). Some students, for this special occasion, wore their national costume under their graduation gowns.

There were different entry points for the guests and the graduating students. While the guests entered the Minster by the Great West Door (facing Deansgate), the graduating students entered by the South Door (near the Roman Column and the statue of Constantine). At the appropriate time, they were directed onto the stage where their award was conferred with a handshake, and as the new graduates they joined the academic procession at the end of the ceremony. Both the students and the guests then came together for refreshments and visited a series of exhibitions at Holgate.

 

At this formal graduation ceremony, 16 students from Robert Kennedy College came together from around the world.                          (RKC announcement begins at 26:50). It was a truly diverse group with students from countries like Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore, Ghana, Mexico, Jordan, Cyprus, Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden and Guatemala. They depicted the truly global student community that Robert Kennedy College produces year after year. You too can be a proud graduate and part of this global community by enrolling into our Online Masters programme. Don’t take our word for it, have a look at the group of happy RKC graduates for yourself:

 

 

 

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