April 10, 2023

From Inner Life to Outer World: How Women, Gen Z Are Invested in Business Education

Survey finds interest in tech sector stagnates for post-school career while the U.S. continues to attract global talent upon rebounding mobility

RESTON, Va., April 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — People thinking about going back to business schools are more interested in enriching their lives than increasing their incomes, according to a survey of prospective students of graduate management education (GME) released by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), a global association representing leading business schools. Seventy-nine percent of prospective students worldwide are motivated to pursue GME to better their lives and develop their potential—15 percentage points more than the next-best motivator, increasing income.

Furthermore, women, millennials, underrepresented U.S. candidates, and first-generation prospective students are all statistically more likely to indicate post-GME career preference for the government or nonprofit sector, which tends to be more stable and socially engaged though less lucrative than the private sector. Gen Z, on the other hand, are most interested in entering the finance and accounting industry, and about 10 percentage points more likely to cite increasing their incomes and expanding their networks as top motivators for pursuing GME than their older counterparts.

“In response to queries frequently received from our schools, we asked additional questions in our survey this year because meaningful shifts in prospective student demographics are underway. Understanding candidates from Gen Z—now the largest generation applying to business schools—is critical as programs plan for expanding the pipeline down the road,” said Joy Jones, CEO of GMAC. “We want to take a closer look at the trends among women, first-generation, and U.S. underrepresented candidates to equip schools with the knowledge that ensures every talented person can benefit from the best business education for them.”

Full-time MBA programs continue dominance while in-person experience trumps for Gen Z

Since 2019, the two-year MBA has been the preferred program among candidates globally. This year, the one-year MBA surpassed it as the most popular program choice, though the difference remains within the margin of error. Taken together, the full-time MBA of any duration continues to surpass interest in more flexible or executive MBAs and business master’s programs.

Gen Z is most interested in the two-year MBA and millennials are most interested in the one-year MBA. Despite growing up as digital natives, Gen Z also have a strong preference for in-person study, with 80 percent of Gen Z reporting preference for this modality compared to 69 percent of millennials. This could be an indication of where each generation is in their career—older candidates may have more established networks or more responsibilities at work or at home, while younger candidates are more interested in expanding their networks and may have more ease entering and exiting GME.

Flexibility speaks to women candidates as interest in the technology sector stagnates

It is true overall global preference remains with in-person learning. But online—and especially hybrid—programs have made in-roads with groups most likely to benefit from the flexibility they offer, specifically women, first-generation, and millennial candidates.

“There is no doubt that these programs play an important role in the overall equity of graduate management education, attracting candidates who rely on flexible program delivery and may not otherwise pursue a business degree,” said Anthony Wilbon, dean of Howard University’s School of Business and a board member of GMAC.

After graduation, consulting remains the top post-GME industry across generations and regions. Though change may be on the horizon in the number two slot – the technology industry – as Gen Z show more interest in finance and accounting than technology. While data was collected largely before the recent retraction of the tech industry, this year’s results demonstrate underlying challenges with the pipeline of GME candidates interested in tech—namely that Gen Z, women, and underrepresented U.S. candidates are less interested in the field.

The United States remain the top consideration as a study destination

COVID-19 forced people around the world to stay at home, but candidates are again looking to study abroad. Prospective students interested in studying outside of their country of citizenship are up, especially in Europe and Asia/Pacific Islands compared to last year – 84 percent of candidates from Asia are looking to study outside of their country of citizenship compared to 79 percent last year, and 81 percent of candidates from Europe are looking to study outside of their country of citizenship compared to 77 percent last year.

The trends driving candidates to study in places like the United States and Western Europe have not changed since last year. After losing the top spot for a year in 2020, the U.S. remains the most preferred study destination – driven by reputation and perceived career preparation, with 42 percent of respondents indicating interest, followed by Europe (37%) and Canada (9%). While candidates perceive U.S. GME programs as more expensive than others in Europe, Canada, or Australia, candidates also believe there is more financial aid available in the United States.

About the Prospective Student Survey

For more than a decade, the GMAC Prospective Students Survey has provided the world’s graduate business schools with critical insights into the decision-making processes of people currently considering applying to a graduate management education (GME) program. This year’s summary report considers data collected in the 2022 calendar year from 2,710 respondents in 131 countries around the world. Among them, 40 percent are female, 44 percent are younger than 24 years-old, 21 percent are U.S. underrepresented population, and 55 percent majored in a non-business field as undergraduates. The survey continues to explore trends in the candidate pipeline, program preferences, and career goals, with new questions added this year about first-generation candidates, motivations for pursuing graduate management education, and social issues like sustainability and corporate social responsibility. The report also considers the longevity of trends in online and hybrid education and candidate mobility brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

About GMAC

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) is a mission-driven association of leading graduate business schools worldwide. GMAC provides world-class research, industry conferences, recruiting tools, and assessments for the graduate management education industry as well as resources, events, and services that help guide candidates through their higher education journey. Owned and administered by GMAC, the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) exam is the most widely used graduate business school assessment.

More than 12 million prospective students a year trust GMAC’s websites, including mba.com, to learn about MBA and business master’s programs, connect with schools around the world, prepare and register for exams and get advice on successfully applying to MBA and business master’s programs. BusinessBecause and GMAC Tours are subsidiaries of GMAC, a global organization with offices in China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

To learn more about our work, please visit www.gmac.com

Media Contact:

Teresa Hsu
Sr. Manager, Media Relations
Mobile: 202-390-4180
thsu@gmac.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8804854

April 10, 2023

Enernet Global completes rapid delivery of 4MW start-up power generation for off-grid smelting facility in South Africa and is on track to deliver full hybrid solar and battery storage system to reduce emissions

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enernet Global (“Enernet”) remains on-track to deliver a full-hybrid system for the Ironveld Smelting (“Ironveld”) Rustenburg smelter complex in South Africa, having already provided start-up generation required.

Following the successful implementation of a 1MW temporary power plant commissioned in late 2022, Enernet has deployed the first of four stages of power upgrades for the Ironveld. The first stage involves a 4MW power plant that enabled ‘Hot Commissioning’ of the first of three planned operating furnaces. This process included smelting of test quantities of magnetite ore in order to produce HPI and titanium slag. Working in a close partnership with Ironveld and their sub-contractors, Enernet managed the rapid delivery of the first stage power with no safety or environmental incidents. Despite the inherent challenges of labour and equipment shortages due to countrywide stage four load shedding, the project was completed in less than 10 days.

Delivering the fast-tracked power involved road freight conveys from Johannesburg, a 90-tonne crane and a site crew of up to 20 working around the clock to deliver the much needed power in a record time. Enernet’s Vice President Engineering, Dusan Nikolic led the onsite pre-delivery electrical safety tests and inspections. “The delivery of stage one power was a combined effort between Ironveld and Enernet, the quality and speed at which the work was completed is a testament to how well the two companies worked together as a team.”

Enernet are now progressing multiple work packages in preparation for the future stages of power upgrades which will boost the on-site power capacity for the operation of three of the furnaces). These upgrades will enable the smelter complex to process approximately 40,000 tonnes of Ironveld’s magnetite ore per annum which, in turn, will provide 20,000 tonnes of high purity iron, 190 tonnes of vanadium in slag; and 3,800 tonnes of titanium in slag.

Ironveld Smelting’s CEO, Thamaga Mphahlele, commented “Our partnership with Enernet is working extremely well and is provides us with the confidence we need execute our expansion plans over the coming months.”

Imminently, work will begin on the design and construction of both rooftop and ground mounted solar power systems with a combined capacity of 6MW, for which Enernet’s power engineers are working with South African-based contractors.

The final stage of power implementation will comprise a hybrid of energy technologies including solar power, a battery energy storage and clean burn, liquefied natural gas generators.

The solar system, battery storage and LNG generators will be fully-funded by Enernet and once operational, power will be purchased by Ironveld under a 20-year energy services agreement. “The team at Ironveld have a ‘can do’ mindset which aligns with our business culture and has been key to completing the project milestones safely and on time,” Enernet’s Business Development Manager, Martin Smith concluded.

About Enernet Global Inc
Enernet Global is a distributed energy service provider that finances, builds, owns and operates microgrids and drives the adoption of renewable energy, battery storage and energy efficiency solutions that displace CO2 emissions. Built on the company’s proprietary software platform, Enernet Global’s Energy-as-a-Service offering benefits on and off-grid customers by providing less expensive, more resilient power solutions at no capital outlay for customers.

Enernet has operations in Australia, the Philippines, the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa, where it focuses on power solutions for sectors that include island development, mining, commercial and industrial, remote communities, agriculture, utilities and hospitality.

About Ironveld
Ironveld (IRON.LN) is the owner of Mining Rights over approximately 28 kilometres of outcropping Bushveld magnetite with a SAMREC compliant ore resource of some 56 million tons of ore grading 1,12% V2O5, 68,6% Fe2O3 and 14,7% TiO2. In 2022 Ironveld agreed to acquire and refurbish a smelter facility in Rustenburg, South Africa, in which it can process its magnetite ore into the marketable products of high purity iron, titanium slag and vanadium slag.

Media contact:
Paul Matthews
Chief Executive Officer
Enernet Global Inc.
Office: 3 East 80th Street, New York, NY 10075
Contact number: +1 541 292 6422
Email: pmatthews@enernetglobal.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8804745

April 10, 2023

New Marriott International resort “laïla” opens in Seychelles

Marriott International’s newly-opened branded hotel in Seychelles is set to present the island nation’s hidden gems to its guests who seek personalised experiences and are interested in establishing a relationship with the community.

Called laïla, the resort is owned by Seychellois businessman Gilbert Frichot, and is located within the community of the southern Anse Royale district on the main island of Mahe. The name comes from the Creole phrase “la i la”, which means “here it is”.

The resort faces Anse Royale beach, just a walk across the road from the hotel, and within a short distance from other services – restaurants, shops, and a pharmacy, among others – within the area.

Speaking to SNA on Thursday, the resort’s director of sales, Shamita Palit, explained that the “resort has all the comfort, amenities, and facilities that you would expect from a resort, as well as offers the feel and atmosphere that you would get when staying in at a more local accommodation.”

“The concept of laïla is a village-integrated resort which means we are integrated into Anse Royale and this is how we pronounce ourselves. It allows us to provide our clients with the experience of how daily life in Seychelles is,” said Palit.

Talking about laïla becoming part of the brand of American multinational company Marriott International, Palit shared that “when we had the opportunity to join the Marriott group we had to start with identifying which brand we would fit into.”

She added that “with the project having been already in existence at the time, it was identified by us and the team from Marriott that it would fit in well within the Tribute Portfolio as it is a soft brand.”

The Tribute Portfolio allows hotels to create their own individual identity, all the while following the branding guidelines and regulations of Marriott International. Among the 33 Tribute Portfolios, no two hotels are the same.

Marriott International’s vice president of the Premium and Select Brands for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Sandra Schulze-Potgieter, shared in a recent press release that she and her team are thrilled to be opening laïla, Seychelles, and to introduce the brand to this vibrant, leisure destination.

“As the first Tribute Portfolio property in Seychelles and further growing its footprint in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), this resort advocates the brand’s passion for captivating design and sincere service, while offering unique experiences that connect guests to the spirit of the destination,” continued Schulze-Potgieter.

The resort was designed by MMAC Design, a multiple award-winning interior design company based in Dubai, and built by a local construction company, Mahe Design and Build, owned by Gilbert Frichot.

The property has 84 rooms boasting nature-inspired aesthetics, with silhouettes of Seychelles’ plants, as well as wall murals and natural materials, often used in the island’s traditional architecture integrated into the design. The resort offers a relaxed atmosphere with a great number of plants, some of which are endemic to Seychelles, growing on all levels of the resort and its facilities.

Among the amenities guests can enjoy are a water sports centre, an outdoor swimming pool, a 24/7 gym, spa, a barbershop, and a kids recreation area. Looking to attract visitors and locals, the resort also features five restaurants and bars designed to capture the spirit of the community.

The different restaurants have on their menus a range of Creole dishes and drinks as well as international cuisines. One of the restaurants on the laïla’s list is the Kafe Kreol Beachside Bar and Restaurant, an existing restaurant that is located across the street from the resort.

The press release outlined that as a Tribute Portfolio Resort, laïla is part of Marriott Bonvoy, the award-winning travel programme from Marriott International, where Marriott Bonvoy members will be able to earn points for their stay at the new resort, as at other properties across Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio.

Currently, there is only one other Marriott International resort in Seychelles, which is the North Island resort, which falls under the company’s Luxury Collection.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

April 10, 2023

Tourism Minister calls for implementing Djerba’s charter for sustainable tourism

Minister of Tourism Moez Belhassine called, during a visit to Djerba, on tourism professionals in the tourist area of the island and of Zarzis to set up the Djerba charter for sustainable and responsible tourism as a kind of pact between the various stakeholders in the sector committing each party to assume its responsibility to ensure the success of the tourist season on all levels.

At the end of a regional council of tourism in Djerba, the minister told reporters the objective set for 2023 is the recovery of tourist activity in order to reach a rate of 80 per cent of the results achieved in 2019, especially since during the first quarter the figures have exceeded those of 2019 in terms of tourist receipts which registered an improvement of 66 % compared to the same period of 2022 and 13 % compared to the same period of 2019.

In this respect, he specified that the continuity of this momentum requires, in particular, combining the efforts of all and improving the tourist offer so that the year would be promising for this vital sector of the national economy, he said.

The minister also stressed the importance of bringing to a successful end the pilot experience of “Djerba, an island without plastic” so that it may be a model for other regions. He added that “Djerba without plastic is a necessity and not a choice” in order to preserve its environment and the quality of its living environment.

The visit was also an opportunity for the minister to learn about the preparations for the annual Jewish pilgrimage to El Ghriba scheduled for May 4 to 9, 2023 and the progress of the development of the medina in Midoun, a project whose second installment is funded by the Ministry of Tourism.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

April 10, 2023

Ons Jabeur wins Credit One Charleston Open

Tunisian tennis player Ons Jabeur (world No.5) won the Credit One Charleston Open on Sunday, after defeating title holder Swiss Belinda Bencic (world No.11) 7-6, 6-4.
This is the 4th title won by Jabeur, following the Birmingham in 2021, the Madrid Open and Berlin in 2022.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

April 10, 2023

Only public media outlets allowed to cover ARP plenary sessions on Rules of Procedure

Only public media outlets are authorised to cover the plenary sessions devoted to the examination of the draft Rules of Procedure, the Assembly of People’s Representatives (ARP) announced Monday.

Works of the plenaries which are expected to start on Tuesday, will be broadcast live on the Al Wataniay TV channel and the ARP’s Youtube channel, reads an ARP press release.

The ARP specified that the public, private and foreign media shall be called upon to assign their reporters to cover the ARP’s works after approval of the Rules of Procedure.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

April 10, 2023

SNJT calls for “boycott” of plenary session on parliament’s rules of procedure

The National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) called for a “boycott” of the plenary session of the Assembly of People’s Representatives (ARP) devoted to the examination of the parliament’s rules of procedure.

Journalists are invited not to disseminate any information related to the plenary session devoted to the rules of procedure of the Assembly of People’s Representatives, the union said in a statement on Monday, urging them to “focus on this obstacle to the right to information.

Earlier in the day, the parliament announced that “only public media are allowed to cover the plenary sessions devoted to the examination of the draft rules of procedure”.

It added that the plenary sessions, which are due to start on Tuesday April 11, will be “broadcast live on the public television channel and on the parliament’s YouTube channel”.

The ARP stressed that “public, private and foreign media will be invited to designate their representatives to cover the work of the ARP, after adopting the rules of procedure.

In its statement, the union also called on all journalists to protest in front of the parliament on Tuesday, April 11 from 9:30 am “to defend their right of access to the parliament”.

It also called on MPs as well as civil and political forces to denounce “these retrograde practices” and “parachuted” decisions, inviting them to mobilise (…) and support journalists in their struggle for the respect of press freedom and the right of citizens to information.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

April 10, 2023

FTDJ: “There is no reason” to ban private, international and associative media from covering Tuesday’s April 11 plenary session

The steering committee of the Tunisian Federation of Newspaper Editors (FTDJ) said in a statement issued Monday that there is “no reason” for the Assembly of People’s Representatives (ARP) to exclude journalists from private, associative and international media from the coverage of the plenary session scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, April 11, and devoted to the discussion of the ARP’s draft rules of procedure.

The committee expressed its solidarity with the National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) and with all journalists and photographers banned from covering the plenary session except their colleagues from the public media.

The executive board of the National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) had called in a statement issued on Monday for a “boycott” of the ARP plenary session devoted to the examination of the parliament’s rules of procedure and called on all journalists to protest in front of the parliament on Tuesday, April 11.

Earlier in the day, the parliament announced that “only the public media are authorised to cover the plenary sessions starting tomorrow, Tuesday, devoted to the examination of the draft rules of procedure” and that the work of the plenary will be “broadcast live on the public television channel and on the parliament’s YouTube channel”.

The parliament also said that the public, private and foreign media will be invited to designate their representatives to cover the work of the ARP, after adopting the rules of procedure.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

April 10, 2023

ISIE stresses that executive management at central and regional levels is ready for upcoming elections

The Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) stressed on Monday that the executive management at the central and regional levels is ready for the organisation of the next elections, from a logistical and organisational point of view, says a statement of the authority following the coordination meeting of the executive director of ISIE Ridha Missaoui with the different central directorates and services under the authority of ISIE, as part of the preparations for the next elections.

The ISIE has started since last March a series of meetings with the various state structures and organisations in the framework of the preparations for the next elections in the light of the two decree-laws n° 8 and n° 10 of the year 2023 dated March 8, 2023.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

April 10, 2023

Youth Empowered To Solve Life Issues Through Tech-Innovation

The Mozilla Corporation through its Mozilla Africa Mradi programme in conjunction with the Gladys Boss Foundation (GBF) has sponsored the youth in rural areas to identify community challenges in food or medicine for which they can co-create digital solutions in partnership with Mozilla.

The international corporation held a workshop for tech start-ups for students in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County to train them how to pitch their innovation ideas and ensure they have access to information and knowledge needed to establish and run profitable start-ups.

Director of Africa Innovation Mradi, Mozilla Ms. Alice Munyua pointed out that the programme is a lead Mozilla’s engagement in the African region starting in Kenya and will be used to inform its global strategy especially the global majority.

‘The idea here is not to build for you, it is to build with you and for Uasin Gishu specifically looking at the problems starting with food, medical records, tracking fleets to many other great opportunities that Mozilla is hoping to invest in,’ she said.

Munyua said Mozilla is a mission-based organization that truly believes in putting the human person first before profit, adding that they decided to go rural in Kenya and fell in love with problems and issues facing the citizenry and desired to co-create together to find lasting solutions to them.

She commended the youth for the great innovative ideas they pitched in the tech-innovation challenge that are really capable of solving real life problems. She assured them that none of them will be dropped off as a few will be chosen first, who will be immediate recipients of funding.

‘We are hopeful that once we have assisted the start-up in the early stage, Mozilla venture can take on and continue to support. We are going to continue supporting by building your capacity and skills and resources to ensure that you build businesses that are viable, scalable and that contribute to this community job opportunities and income, empowerment and inclusivity perspectives,’ said Munyua.

‘This is specifically supporting local innovation with you, for you and having you determine and tell us where we should be investing in. I would like to support everybody, all these are good ideas that solve real life problems, Mozilla does not provide solutions for your problems, but with you, co-creates the solution,’ she added.

She lauded Uasin Gishu Woman Representative Gladys Boss Shollei for her support by accepting an invitation to test the idea of an innovation week from Mozilla Corporation in the county.

Shollei praised the young innovators who turned out in hundreds to showcase their great innovation ideas.

She said the students’ enthusiasm was encouraging and noted that they will work together with the Mozilla corporation to nurture the young talents through training and also supporting them to showcase the same innovations in other countries, not just in Kenya.

‘We want to assure the young people that this is the start. This is in line with and really reaffirms the manifesto of the Kenya Kwanza government which is to monetize the ICT and the digital space because that is what will create employment and actually deal with the menace of unemployment among young people,’ said Shollei.

Shollei pointed out that the training done by Mozilla is essential as it not only trains students in improving their products but also ensuring that they patent them so that they are protected and that their intellectual property rights will not be violated.

The Women Rep. noted that some of the ideas require little resources for start-up but with amazing impacts and promised that her office will set aside some of the Affirmative Action Funds to support the programme while at the same time engaging with and seeking funding from other organizations to support the programme.

Various innovators had high expectations of success for their ideas during the Tech-Innovation challenge so as to get support to enable them to establish and run profitable start-ups to support their livelihoods.

Lilian Songok, a founder and CEO of an Eldoret-based tech start-up which seeks to address issues of malnutrition by manufacturing novel gluten free food from locally produced crops like butter nuts, cassava, pumpkin and others, said they are looking forward to going global to reap from the international market with the innovation if they get enough financial support.

‘We bring farmers on board to grow for us locally produced crops like butter nut, pumpkin, cassava and others. We bring them to our factory for processing and we do composite for the final product in order to tap into the nutritional value so that we can give back to the people what is nutrient rich. This helps solve issues of malnutrition, anaemia and those with gluten intolerances within our communities,’ said Songok.

Victor Kipkorir, one of the innovators, who made an application called M.hindi, said his application which works like the Mpesa application will serve to solve the problem of the middlemen who he claims have infiltrated the maize farmers. The application will create an interface which will link farmers directly to millers who may want to source maize from across various regions in the country.

Source: Kenya News Agency