Australian Institute of Business

History and Founding Principles

AIB began as a management consulting firm before transitioning to offer higher education in Australia and around the world. Formerly known as the Gibaran Learning Group, the Australian Institute of Business amalgamated its institutes, including the Gibaran Graduate School of Business, the Australian Institute of Business Administration, the Tourism Institute of Australia, and the Entrepreneurship Institute Australia, into one educational organisation in 2011.

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

The AIB Online MBA is designed for working professionals as it allows students to study one subject at a time and integrate their study into their workplace. For many of our students, this provides immediate benefit to themselves and their employer from the time they start studying.

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)

The AIB Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) is a foundation level business administration programme. It offers the same level of flexibility as the Online MBA in its delivery, schedules and assessments, and follows the same model of workplace focused learning that AIB is recognised for.

Master of Management (MMgt)

The Master of Management (MMgt) programme at AIB offers a degree, primarily suited to working managers, that combines Master’s-level coursework with an in-depth research project. MMgt students often undertake their research project in a subject area related to their current industry or work projects. The programme can be completed in 18 months, but may take up to three years to complete.

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is a research degree designed for experienced managers. It offers an opportunity to take business and management knowledge and understanding to a higher level and, importantly, to relate it closely to the workplace needs. Like the PhD, the DBA offers a doctoral qualification but, in this case, one that is more directly linked to the world of work.

Doctor of Philosophy in Management (PhD)

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the traditional doctoral qualification that is associated with a wide range of subjects in universities across the world. It offers an opportunity for research to be undertaken in depth and for the outcome to be assessed as a contribution to knowledge. Although it has a theoretical dimension, the research programme at AIB can also enable managers to explore specialist areas of practical application.

Online Learning

AIB programmes can be completed via Online Learning, a flexible learning option for students who want the ability to study whenever and wherever they choose. 24/7 access to online learning materials and both online and offline teaching and administrative support are provided to facilitate this.

Overseas Teaching Centres

AIB’s Teaching Centre model was developed so students around the world could earn a recognised Australian Degree without leaving their home country.

AIB’s Teaching Centres are a combination of centres, colleges, institutes and universities approved to offer the BBA and/or the MBA programmes. They are quality-controlled by AIB, ensuring that the qualification delivered to the student is equal to the standards set within Australia.

Accreditation

AIB is registered as a higher education provider by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), and all of AIB’s programmes are fully accredited within the Australian Qualifications Framework.

Memberships

AIB has memberships with leading industry associations, including the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET), the Graduate Management Association of Australia (GMAA), the International Quality Group (IQG) of the U.S. Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and the Observatory on Borderless Higher Education (OBHE). Some of AIB's professional membership bodies also include the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI), Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI), FINSIA (Finance), Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and many more.

Recognitions and Listings

AIB and its degrees are recognised by multiple international accreditation bodies for quality education, including the Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago, the Ministry of Education and Culture of St Lucia, the National Accreditation Council of Guyana, the Namibia Qualifications Authority, the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka and the Maldives Qualifications Authority.

AIB is listed on the online database and included in the annual International Handbook of Universities of the International Association of Universities (IAU), a UNESCO-based worldwide association of higher education institutions. AIB is also listed with the UK’s National Academic Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) and Australia’s Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

Research

AIB has a strong research focus with many of its research activities concentrated and developed within the AIB Research Centre. The Centre is led by the Director of Research and brings together both full-time and part-time faculty and research degree candidates. In addition to supporting students with current study, the AIB Research Centre supports the wider development of business knowledge through its publishing arm, AIB Publications. AIB Publications is responsible for the publication of business and management books, and the twice-yearly Gibaran Journal of Applied Research. The journal “provides an authoritative source of applied management information for scholars, academics, practicing managers and professionals”.

The Global Centre for Work-Applied Learning (GCWAL) is an independent organisation that exists within the Australian Institute of Business. It aims to bring together practitioners, scholars and organisations committed to Work-Applied Learning (WAL). This meaningful collaboration results in research, industry-based projects, and publications, all of which contribute to business and management knowledge and the practice of WAL globally.

Research Collaboration/Work-Applied Learning for Change Conference

In December 2012 AIB signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Middlesex University to allow both institutions to work together to advance Work-Applied and Work-Based Learning research. This collaboration was highlighted with the inaugural Work-Applied Learning for Change conference, where the two institutions partnered to present a world-first conference on the techniques of Work-Based Learning (WBL). In 2015, AIB in partnership with Emerald Group Publishing launched scholarly and refereed Journal of Work-Applied Management.

The conference, held in Adelaide in November 2013, attracted 80 delegates from around the world including then-Vice Chancellor of Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Professor Mazliham Su’ud, as well as academics from Flinders University, Deakin University and Queensland University of Technology. The conference was designed to bring together leading practitioners and scholars to demonstrate the value of learning and application for change in organisations and how senior managers can empower their leaders to learn, apply and introduce change in their workplace, with the option of undertaking studies leading to undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications.

Subject matter experts speaking at the event included Emeritus Professor Selva Abraham from the Australian Institute of Business, Professor Jonathan Garnett and Dr Daryll Bravenboer from Middlesex University, and a series of leading executives from Epic Valley Holdings Group, API Insurance Services and BAE Systems Australia, among others.

The second Work-Applied Learning for Change conference will be held in late 2014.

Founder

Professor Selva Abraham is the Founder of the Australian Institute of Business. Over the last 40 years, his focus has been on Work-Based Learning, which he has extended into the concept of Work-Applied Learning. This passion for practical learning has evolved into publishing four books on the subjects of work-applied learning, management and action research. A leading scholar in the field, he also regularly contributes to research papers and case studies.

Current Academic Director: Professor Angele Cavaye

The current Dean of the Australian Institute of Business is Professor Angele Cavaye. An accomplished scholar, Angèle joined AIB as Academic Director in 2014 after more than 25 years of experience in leading Australian universities and higher education providers.

Within her role as Academic Director, Angèle led a major curriculum review during 2014 and has been instrumental in helping revise AIB’s academic programmes. She provides guidance and leadership on academic issues, leads AIB’s team of academics and ensures that the AIB’s programmes remain compliant with regulatory requirements.

Professor Cavaye joined the Australian Institute of Business in January, 2014.

Lecturers

All Lecturers at AIB have a PhD and Master’s-level qualification, and practical business experience which they can draw on. Many faculty members also take advantage of the opportunity to undertake further research within the Institute’s research framework and have presented their research and leading domestic and international conferences including regularly publishing in top-tier management and business journals (ranked under ABDC and HERDEC).

Academic Board

The Academic Board of AIB is responsible for promoting and maintaining the “highest academic standards in teaching, scholarship and research”. The Academic Board oversees the development and implementation of AIB academic policies and procedures, and ensures the academic standards are of the highest quality possible.

Academic Board Chairman

Professor Rod Oxenberry is the Chairman of the Academic Board of the Australian Institute of Business and is the former Head of the International Graduate School of Management of the University of South Australia. An education and management consultant specialising in higher education recognition, leadership mentoring and management development, Professor Oxenberry has been instrumental in the continual development of AIB’s programmes, including the innovative 12 Month MBA.

The current academic board consists of six industry-leading academics and professionals, each of whom has extensive experience in a variety of industries and specialties, as below:

Alumni

All current and graduated students of AIB become part of the institute’s alumni community, with members across more than 70 countries.

Alumni events are held in major Australian cities and globally by Teaching Centres. Events such as these allow current and past students to re-connect with fellow graduates, current classmates, faculty members and industry guests. Guest speakers attend many of AIB’s events to create an engaging environment for networking and to encourage further education. Speakers at these events are often leading business executives and entrepreneurs, and have previously included: