UN Women NC Australia Scholarships free women to prioritise education

UN Women (NC) Australia exists to raise funds for and awareness of UN Women, a United Nations organisation dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls worldwide.

The Executive Director of the National Committee for UN Women Australia, Janelle Weissman, believes that “the Business School provides an optimal environment in which women can gain the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in their career aspirations”.

Amanda Robbins, the founder of Equity Economics, a female-led policy consultancy, and Deputy-Director of Australia’s largest economic governance program, the Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Economic Governance, was awarded the UN Women Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) Scholarship.

“It can be difficult for people, often women, to prioritise investing in their education with competing pressures on their time, finances and interests,” admitted Ms Robbins. “The scholarship has helped me to make the decision to return to study and make the time to think more deeply about the challenges facing organisations and leadership.”

“Having worked in Jakarta for the last three years I was looking for a course that would bring me home to Sydney while still being connected to the global economy.”

“The University of Sydney’s GEMBA incorporates study in urban and rural Australia, India, America, England and Israel. It’s going to be a fascinating 18 months,” Ms Robbins said.

65 per cent of students so far enrolled in the GEMBA program this year are women. This is the highest level of female participation in the program since it was launched in 2010.

The recipient of the UN Women NC Australia MBA Scholarship is Claire Taylor, the Head of Advocacy and External Relations for Royal Far West which provides integrated health, education and disability services to children in remote and rural Australia.

“It is a tremendous honour to have been awarded the scholarship. The University of Sydney MBA will allow me to bridge the gap between my existing skill set, and the management tools I need to be a stronger leader,” said Mrs Taylor. “The course will also broaden my networks, introduce me to innovative ways of thinking, and encourage me to dream bigger.”

The experiential nature of The University of Sydney Business School’s top ranking MBA was a draw for Mrs Taylor, who is looking forward to the program’s “comradery, networking, and opportunities for deep learning and engagement”.

“Often, the role of a charity is seen as service delivery, capacity building, and advocacy. However, charities also need strong business management, sound financial advice, and a culture of fostering innovation. These are skills I hope to develop through the MBA,” said Mrs Taylor.

With the help of UN Women National Committee (NC) Australia, the Business School’s top ranking MBA program is one of the few in the world to have achieved a gender balance.

Women average between 30 - 35 per cent of MBA participants in Australia and worldwide. With the support of UN Women NC Australia, the Business School aims to address this gap to further women’s education and promote gender equality in leadership.

In 2015, the Business School’s MBA program became the first in the country to admit more females than males and the current commencing cohort is again made up of more than 50% women.