Aston Global Advantage
Real-world projects, teamwork skills, and internship opportunities for postgraduate students
Start your career from day one of your postgraduate course
Embedded into many postgraduate degrees at Aston University, the Aston Global Advantage (AGA) gives you a professional edge, preparing you for success in a fast-paced global environment.
- Collaborate as part of a multicultural team working on real-world challenges focused on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) themes
- Learn about entrepreneurship through a hands-on boot-camp featuring team-based business simulations
- Opportunity to take part in a three month internship (following completion of the Aston Global Advantage module).
All activities included in the module are based on a “learning by doing” approach which seeks to replicate situations encountered in a professional setting with an emphasis on responsible management and developing a sustainability mindset.
Teaching methods include workshops, simulations, and an ESG themed business challenge set by an external organisation.
Please note: the Aston Global Advantage module is not offered on Masters programmes starting in April.
426 of our postgraduate students secured internships in 2021/22 as part of the AGA with many being full-time roles
81 students benefited from our Virtual Internships Scholarships Programme
Tailor your programme by choosing from four experiential learning streams
Does my course include the Aston Global Advantage module?
Many of our postgraduate courses contain the Aston Global Advantage module. Please check your course webpage to see if the Aston Global Advantage module is included.
Module outline
The AGA is built upon the following pillars:
Employability (career management and skills development)
Global citizenship (cross-cultural competencies and internationalisation)
Experiential learning (study abroad, work-based experience, business simulations and entrepreneurship)
Reflective practice
Every activity undertaken as part of the module whether classroom-based workshops, simulations or presentations has been identified as a potential source of learning and transferable skills development.
The module will build your confidence, enhance your self-awareness and effectively prepare you for the world of work and the academic requirements of your course.
Given the diversity of our students and teaching staff, you’ll also learn how to work effectively in a multicultural context.
Embedding employability
The AGA comprises three compulsory elements and assessments:
Component 1: Professional Development
Personal development support which allows students to engage with career planning, job searching strategies, writing applications, preparing for job interviews and other recruitment practices in preparation to enter global job markets.
Component 2: ESG Challenge
Students will develop team-working and intercultural skills through the ESG Challenge activities. Set challenges will centre on ESG themes aimed at making a positive impact on local communities through sustainability and social entrepreneurship.
Component 3: Simulated Learning
Student to select from one of the following:
- Product, Intellectual Property & Entrepreneurship: Fostering the development of an entrepreneurial mindset, students will learn to effectively bring a new product to market and discover how to protect intellectual property.
- Business Simulation: Students will develop problem solving and commercial decision-making capabilities through a business simulation.
Careers Programme
In addition, all postgraduate taught programmes have access to an extensive Careers Programme that offers a series of guest lectures and workshops providing insights from industry and academic members of staff on innovations and development affecting the world of work. A dedicated team is here to support you.
