MBA Awards
The annual MBA Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of the graduating MBA class and bring their talents and skills to the attention of potential employers.
MBAs' successes honoured
The year-end formal event celebrates the successful completion of the MBA program and concludes with a number of awards for excellence in leadership, community service and academic achievement, which are presented to outstanding students selected from a competitive field of nominees.
Awards attributed
Academic Excellence Awards
The Academic Excellence Awards recognise students with outstanding academic performance and are based on the MBA program GPA awarded at the discretion of the MBA Director.
Students who have received credit or exemption for studies completed at another institution and are not completing all MBA courses through UQ Business School are not eligible for consideration.
Aeromech Operational Excellence Prize
The Aeromech Operational Excellence Prize is awarded to recognise an individual who demonstrates both excellence and commitment to Operations in the subject of ‘Operations Design, BISM7807’.
The award is to be given to the student with one of the highest scores and who is also judged to have demonstrated the greatest passion, commitment, participation in and commitment to the course.
The course co-ordinator will nominate students for the award.
Applicants may be asked to interview for the prize.
The prize is valued at AUD $2,000.00.
Collaboration Excellence Award
The Collaboration Excellence Award is awarded each year to a student who is an outstanding performer with strong leadership skills and excels at collaborating with colleagues to achieve common goals. The criteria for this award include:
- Courage
- Dependability
- Flexibility
- Integrity
- Judgement
- Respect for others
Nominations for this award are sought from MBA faculty members, MBA alumni and fellow MBA students.
Nominees may be asked to interview.
Community Impact Award
The Community Impact Award is awarded each year to a student who is an outstanding performer with strong leadership skills and a heart for serving their community. The criteria for this award include:
- Courage
- Dependability
- Flexibility
- Integrity
- Judgement
- Respect for others
Nominations for this award are sought from MBA faculty members, MBA alumni and fellow MBA students.
Nominees may be asked to interview.
Envisage Technology Data Analytics and Technology Excellence Prize
Envisage Technology wishes to recognise and reward graduating MBA students who have demonstrated academic excellence and a true understanding of and passion for the role of technology and data analytics in business
The prize will be awarded based on:
- Academic excellence (minimum grade of 6 in the subject of BISM7808)
- The strength of a personal statement (assessed by a selection panel) demonstrating a genuine desire to drive change through technology and data.
Applicants may be asked to interview for the prize.
The prize is valued at AUD $2,000.00.
Excellence in Leadership Award
The Excellence in Leadership Award is awarded each year to a student who is an outstanding performer with strong leadership skills. The criteria for this award include:
- Courage
- Dependability
- Flexibility
- Integrity
- Judgement
- Respect for others
Nominations for this award are sought from MBA faculty members, MBA alumni and fellow MBA students.
Nominees may be asked to interview.
Excellence in MBA Education Award
This award seeks to recognise a lecturer who has showcased remarkable passion, unwavering dedication, and a talent for inspiring and driving MBA students in their academic and personal journey.
This accolade pays tribute to a lecturer who exceeds their teaching duties, crafting a transformative educational experience for their students. This lecturer possesses an exceptional knack for sparking curiosity, nurturing critical thinking, and instilling a deep love for learning that reaches far beyond the confines of the classroom.
Nominations for this award are sought from MBA students.
Legion Consulting Grit Award
Ancient Romans didn’t know how to lose in the long run. Even if a particular battle was lost or a campaign failed, they kept coming back and had a relentless obsession with achieving their goals, no matter what. That’s what made them such a formidable force.
The Legion Grit Award recognises an MBA student who has demonstrated that same relentless obsession to deliver outstanding work despite challenges, all the while winning the respect of their peers and faculty during the period of their MBA program.
Nominations for this award are sought from MBA students, MBA faculty members, and MBA alumni. Self-nominations are permitted.
Award criteria:
- Graduating MBA student
- Demonstration of resilience and focus on performance despite setbacks
- Well regarded within the cohort and faculty
- Strong academic performance
Nominators will need to:
- Explain how the person meets the award criteria in a story not longer than one page
- Provide two referees from the cohort or faculty who can attest to the nominee’s grit
The award winner will be interviewed by the donor and featured in an article on the donor’s website and social media.
The prize is valued at AUD $2,000.00.
MBA Applied Mastery Prize
The MBA Applied Mastery Prize is awarded to recognise and encourage outstanding and positive outcomes as a result of applying MBA learnings to organisational practice whilst studying (i.e. through discrete projects, work experience, internships, applied learning). The criteria for this award include:
- Impact delivered - quality of the work delivered or project worked on e.g. cost saving or revenue growth identified, number of people helped in a NFP environment.
- Value delivered to the organisation where the work took place.
- Direct link to skills and knowledge acquired during the MBA and how these were applied.
- Innovative nature of solution/ application.
- Must be completed whilst actively studying towards the MBA.
Nominations for this award are sought from MBA faculty members, MBA alumni and fellow MBA students or self-nominations.
Applicants may be asked to interview for the prize.
The prize is valued at AUD $1,000.00.
MBA Citizenship Award
The MBA Citizenship Award is to be awarded to a member of the cohort who goes above and beyond in giving back to other members of the MBA family – enhancing the experience of their fellow MBAs as they navigate the program. The criteria for this award include:
- Courage
- Dependability
- Flexibility
- Integrity
- Judgement
- Respect for others
Nominations for this award are sought from MBA faculty members, MBA alumni and fellow MBA students.
Nominees may be asked to interview.
MBA Women's Leadership Impact Prize
Established in 2018, by MBA Alumna Stephanie Elwin and co-supported in 2019 by MBA Alumna A/Prof Tim Kastelle, the MBA Women's Leadership Impact Prize is awarded to the best and brightest female talent within the MBA program. The prize aligns with the Donors' collective wish to nurture women who aspire to action diversity programs within the broader community.
The prize will be awarded to the most outstanding candidate, based on academic and leadership performance throughout the MBA as evidenced in the application.
How to apply
Submit a personal statement to the MBA Program Team Leader, which addresses the following topics:
- Involvement in community service activities;
- Leadership achievements;
- Integrity of character;
- Evidence of or action plan to create diversity programs within the broader community.
Interview
Applicants may be asked to interview for the prize.
The prize is valued at AUD $2,000.00.
Overall Excellence Award
The Overall Excellence Award is awarded to a graduating student who not only achieves academic excellence across all MBA courses but who is considered a worthy ambassador for the UQ Business School MBA.
Selection will be made by a panel including the MBA director, MBA faculty members and MBA Alumni. Feedback from staff and students may be sought and the final decision is at the discretion of the MBA Director. Students who have received credit for studies completed at another institution and are not completing all MBA courses through UQ Business School are not eligible for consideration.
Personal Transformation Award
The Personal Transformation Award is awarded each year to a student who embraces the MBA experience with gusto; someone who redefines their meaning of success, increases their awareness and knowledge, shifts their limiting beliefs, understands and begins to live their values, someone who opens the door to constructive feedback and new experiences. This award recognises the student who best crafts a new vision for their life and career through the program.
The Dr Margaret Mittelheuser AM and Morgans Prize in MBA Accounting and Finance
This award was established in 2006 in honour of Dr Margaret Mittelheuser AM, the first female stockbroker in Australia, and maintained by the income of a perpetual endowment fund, established by gifts from Morgans and from her sister, Dr Cathryn Mittelheuser AM.
The recipient of this prize must:
- Graduate with the MBA in the year of the award; and
- Achieve the highest combined marks in the first attempt of both ACCT7804 Accounting & Business Analysis and FINM7805 Financial Management.
The prize is valued at AUD $1,000.00.
NB students granted an exemption for either course listed above are not eligible for consideration. If two or more students achieve the same combined marks, the prize will be awarded to the student, who has, in addition, also achieved the highest cumulative GPA within the MBA program.
UQ Business School Dean's Medal of Merit
The UQ Business School Dean's Medal of Merit is the highest of the MBA Awards. The Medal of Merit is not an annual award but reserved to honour students of the highest calibre. The Medal of Merit is bestowed upon graduating MBA students who exemplify outstanding virtue and service to country.