We have recently launched a PhD in Business Administration which we run in collaboration with Sheffield Hallam University, one of the most propulsive modern universities in the UK.
Borna Jalšenjak is a Senior Lecturer in Business Ethics and Leadership at the Zagreb School of Economics and Management (ZSEM) and is one of the PhD students in business administration at ZSEM and Sheffield Hallam University. He is an invited teacher at St. Ambrose University – College of Business (USA) in the Master of Organizational Leadership (MOL) program, and has been studying at the IESE Business School in Spain.
In the field of leadership and business ethics, he held numerous trainings and trainings to various companies in Croatia and abroad. We talked with Bor Jalsenjak about the state of higher education in Croatia and the new PhD in Business Administration.
How do you evaluate the situation in the Croatian higher education system and can it find its place on the international scene?
In the international education scene, business schools face increasing challenges and increasing competition. This also applies to all schools in Croatia. Schools must devote themselves to the quality of programs and lecturers in order to succeed in such a context.
In order to prove its quality, ZSEM has aligned its business with the standards of the prestigious AACSB accreditation (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), thus joining 5% of the best business schools in the world. AACSB is the oldest international organization for the improvement of business education quality. For a useful comparison, it is worth mentioning that there are universities such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford in the AACSB accredited school community.
Recently ZSEM launched a Doctoral degree in Business Administration, which is run in collaboration with Sheffield Hallam University. How did this collaboration come about and how was the study conceived?
That’s right, this year the first generation of PhD students has started, and we’re very proud of that. For a long time ZSEM has been trying to find a way to enable those interested to further their professional education in the field of business administration at the highest level of education, ie doctoral studies.
We recognized the opportunity at the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Business School at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. This university is ranked among the most propulsive modern universities in the UK with a large research budget and experience in international exchange. When all this is taken into account, it did not take long for ZSEM to accept the partnership role and join their doctoral program.
The study is designed to allow students to align and balance their business careers while successfully completing their studies. It lasts four years and time is divided between teaching and independent research under the guidance of a mentor. The place of instruction is Great Britain and Croatia. Teachers and mentors of the program are selected scholars and experts with international experience from ZSEM and Sheffield Hallam University. Each of the program participants is assigned a mentor to guide them through their studies.
Schools must devote themselves to the quality of programs and lecturers in order to succeed.
Who is the doctorate for and what are the opportunities open to those who complete it?
The program is intended for anyone who wants to pursue a scientific and professional education after completing a master’s degree and enables students to improve and enrich their academic and practical knowledge. Upon completion of the doctoral program, the title of Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) at Sheffield Hallam University is acquired, which is equivalent to the highest, doctoral, degree in formal education. This, in turn, opens up career opportunities in the academic world, in many business colleges and colleges, and in various positions in the economy where top-level knowledge and specialization are required.
Interlocutor: Asst. dr. Ph.D. Borna Jalsenjak
Journalist: Borivoje Dokler
