MBA Student Profile Dr Catherine Bateman

Why did you choose the University of Sydney?

The University of Sydney has a great reputation and is one of the top universities in the world. 

I was initially attracted to the MBA because of the UN Women Australia MBA scholarship. I was awarded partial funding from the UN Women Australia Scholarship which advocates for women, gender equity and international development. Through opportunities like this, I truly feel the University of Sydney Business School has a strong commitment to promoting inclusivity and positive change.

What makes the Sydney MBA experience unique?

For me, it made more sense to do an MBA rather than medical administration. I work in infection disease control, and the MBA got me through difficult times while working as a frontliner for pandemic response and case and contact management. Juggling these two things helped me debrief, reflect on everyday challenges and make the most out of the opportunity to contribute to the health system.

What I've experienced on the MBA is that it really is about bringing out the absolute best in yourself and those around you, and then giving you the tools alongside that to be able to actually make organisations function well as a whole.

What has been your key takeaway from the MBA? 

I never imagined how transformative, therapeutic, and motivating it would be to pursue an MBA in the middle of my career. Even though I've built a career around medicine, I don't identify as a doctor. I just followed the family path into the field, but it was never where my heart was. I feel so blessed to be able to do an MBA because it has enabled me to meet some wonderful people from various backgrounds who I have been able to study and learn with. Connecting back in with the cohort regularly has allowed us to all learn from each other and see how knowledge has been applied practically in the workplace. That has been the richness of the experience.  

Where do you see yourself after completing the MBA?

I don't have an end point for the MBA, but it's on the trajectory of how I want to live my life. And if it was to go on beside me for the rest of my life, I'd be fine with that. However, when I was younger I did a lot of international voluntary work. I would like to return to the not for profit (NFP) sector by either setting up my own NFP organisation or taking on a board role within an NFP. 

Find out more about the part-time MBA or register for an upcoming MBA information session.