Value of an International degree

If you’re looking to pursue a Master’s degree and contemplating that an online course at an international university could be the right choice for you, then I’m sure you’re in the same shoes as our student ambassadors were before they started their Master’s programme with Robert Kennedy College. Have a look what they have to say after having completed their degrees:

 

“The quality of education is world class. The rewards of the programme both professionally and personally are amazing! The MBA programme was special because of the knowledge, values and experiences the international students brought with them which enriched the high level of academic training brought on by our professors. My advice would be to participate often in the class forums, ask questions and help others when they need assistance.”

Lew Figol, Chief Member Services Officer, Your Neighbourhood Credit Union

 

“When I enrolled with RKC my one aim was to achieve the Masters level Degree; however, I underestimated the value of the learning experience, which has been hugely rewarding and personally fulfilling. Further, as a result of the degree I have clearly improved the quality and quantity of my work output which has opened up new and exciting career opportunities. To be clear, obtaining your Masters is a lot of work but the rewards are well worth the effort.”
Christopher Gardner, Senior Project delivery manager, Metro Bank, MSc Financial Services Management

You are thinking of studying online but want to be sure that the degree you earn will be worth your effort.  Well, studying from a university in the UK offers you a world-class education, an internationally respected qualification, and outstanding career prospects.

Apart from the high quality and flexibility of an online programme at Robert Kennedy College, you will gain many benefits from the international exposure you will experience at an on-campus residency for a week where you will interact with people of other nationalities and cultures in an intensive learning environment.

 

The photo represents a truly international class at the Online MSc Programme

For employers, candidates with international experience offer a more rounded set of abilities. Even if such skills may be regarded by potential employers as ‘nice-to- have’ rather than essential, they can make all the difference between two otherwise similar candidates.

In short, it is imperative in today’s competitive business world to have an international degree proving to employers that you have necessary skills they demand. Apply now to gain an internationally recognised degree that can transform you and your career.

Check out all the programme information here: https://college.ch/catalogue?j=fbpagemt

 

 

Make the Most of Your RKC Experience

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

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

 

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

                                                                        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

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

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! ”

 

Congratulations to MALIC 2017 Graduates!

 

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:

 

 

 

Robert Kennedy College Students attend Residential Week in Cumbria

Robert Kennedy College in an exclusive partnership with the University of Cumbria, held the residency programme for our online MBA students. Held at the University of Cumbria’s picturesque Ambleside Campus, the residential week covered the module “Tackling Global-Local Challenges in Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability.”

The residential week gave the students an opportunity to complement their online learning with a conventional classroom experience. And the diverse group of students coming together from different countries, cultures and backgrounds and professional experiences, made the week all the more enriching. The residency was attended by more than 25 international students from countries like Canada, United Arab Emirates, Nigeria and South Africa, to name just a few, for a face-to-face opportunity to enhance their learning experience.

The students participated in various activities and classroom sessions in this action-packed week as well as learning about research methodology for their dissertation. The unique experience left them feeling invigorated and inspired to put the techniques learned during the week into practice. And more importantly, the week gave them an opportunity to connect with their classmates, to forge new friendships and establish relationships with faculty and directors.

“The residential week is an integral part of the course. It’s the only chance the students get to meet one another face to face as opposed to engaging with each other online. The week is really varied. We have a number of education sessions from different guest speakers and faculty throughout the programme. We also have a number of experiential activities and we spend a day enjoying the landscape.” said Emma Watton, Senior Teaching Fellow, (Lancaster University), MBA Leadership and Sustainability Programme graduate.

Students also had the opportunity to explore the idyllic settings of the Cumbria campus and participate in various outdoor team-building activities.

Professor Jem Bendell, Director of the Institute for Leadership and Sustainability, commented, “The residency brings professionals together from around the world. We went with the students on a trail walk that William Wordsworth took and heard about his poem where he talks of letting nature be our teacher. This is something quite unique, a heritage we can explore and find ways of building that into our teaching practice”.

With students from every continent, it was a truly international experience and an opportunity to network with colleagues from all over the world. This unique learning experience left every student with lifetime memories.

 

Celebrating 19 Years of Swiss Quality Education

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 for providing Swiss Quality Education in partnership with top British Universities since last 19 years.

“Having the name of Robert Kennedy College at the center of Times Square, New York was mesmerizing and surreal but more imperative was this unique opportunity to extend thanks to our staff, students and graduates throughout the world”

During the 19 years the college has served thousands of students across over 130 countries. Thanks to proprietary state of the art technology, outstanding teaching and superior student care, the college has pioneered the concept of blended and online learning throughout the world. #RKC instructors are graduates from some of the best universities worldwide. With over 5,000 students from 130 different countries, we are a truly international establishment.

Our online masters’ programmes combine Swiss quality education at a distance with residencies at the college’s premises in Zürich, Switzerland and in England at the campuses of our exclusive partners, the University of Cumbria, University of Salford and York St John University. Thanks to the unique blended learning format, students are able to experience face to face live classes during the one week residential without disrupting their busy careers.

At RKC you are not just a student number. You are part of our online learning community engaged with faculty members and other students. Get more information about our programmes here.