UQ Bachelor of Agribusiness students headed to China recently to hone their business skills in the international marketplace.
As part of the agribusiness program, final-year students are commissioned by an agribusiness firm to complete a market research project in an Asian country, giving them the opportunity to apply their skills to a real-life business question.
Student Stephanie Saxton said the agribusiness program had been an excellent choice of business degree.
“The structure of the degree has allowed my classmates and I to grow into confident and competent young business professionals,” Miss Saxton said.
“The regular field trips and industry visits allow us to gain insight into different businesses and their organisational culture, as well as providing us with contacts for the future.
“The knowledge and skills that I have learnt throughout the program have given me the ability to become a team leader for our research trip to China, which was both challenging and rewarding.”
Course co-ordinator Associate Professor Tony Dunne said the project gave students the opportunity to apply their business skills in a commercial environment.
“Each group is presented with a commercial project with commercial outcomes and they have to do the research to determine if the proposal is viable,” Dr Dunne said.
“There are few business degrees where students are given the chance to apply the business skills they have developed in the last three years in a foreign country.
“Due to the working relationships that the students establish with their client throughout the project it is common for students to be offered jobs with these companies prior to graduation.”
Stanbroke Beef and Gayndah Packers Co-operative commissioned the 2009 graduating co-hort to conduct market research projects, the results of which will be presented to their clients in November.
The program, now in its 17th year, has taken more 350 students to 16 countries on behalf of 50 different companies, many of which have become repeat customers.
For more information on the Bachelor of Agribusiness visit http://www.uq.edu.au/study/program.html?acad_prog=2007
Media: Erin Pearl at the Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Veterinary Science (07 5460 1229, e.pearl@uq.edu.au)
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