I chose Information Systems primarily for its ever-increasing relevance to our lives today. In our interconnected world, information systems play a vital role in how we work, play, and feel. I wanted to understand and shape the development of these systems, which are so integral to our lives.

Studying Information Systems at Victoria University of Wellington is great, because you’re taught a variety of topics—from coding websites and databases, right through to design science and IT innovation. It’s this diversity that prepares you not just for the world of today, but for the world of tomorrow.

I’ve been able to cultivate strong decision-making and critical-thinking skills during my study. This is best shown in my research projects, where I’ve crafted a custom project on digital personality assessment. Along the way I've been encouraged to make a variety of creative decisions about how to tackle the project. This has helped make the work something I’m genuinely proud of, not just something I submit and forget.

The learning environment at Victoria University of Wellington is super supportive. Supervisors, colleagues, and staff members are always willing to help and share their knowledge and experience. Doing your PhD can be challenging, but the support you get and the freedom you have with your schedule mean you can have a healthy work-life balance.

While I've been doing my PhD, I've had the opportunity to work as a research assistant on several projects. This has allowed me to broaden my network and learn new areas outside of my own research. I've also gained valuable experience in academic writing, organisation, management, and various research activities.

Wellington is such a great place to live and study! It's a cultural and political capital, and the community here is very diverse and inclusive at the same time. You don't feel like a foreigner here.

It was a simple choice for me to choose Victoria University of Wellington when considering universities. It’s number one research ranking, capital-city connections for a Wellingtonian like me, and the range of activities within and outside university—all contributed.

The combo of Management and Information Systems fitted my strengths. The Management part developed my soft skills such as leadership and the Information Systems part ripened my hard skills like scripting. During assignments and exams, these two knowledge areas complemented each other. In my third year, these two majors provided me several job opportunities and I landed in a full-time graduate position as soon as I finished my BCom. In my current job, I am confident in dealing with both technical IT issues and tricky people issues.

I’ve had two amazing opportunities at the University. First, I went to Indonesia to participate in a program called SEED. I lived in a villager’s house for a week, shared a room with eight girls from different universities, and slept on the floor. At the end, we proposed some business opportunities for local villagers. This was one of the most humbling experiences of my life.

Second, I got to go on exchange to Jonkoping University Sweden for one trimester. I got the opportunity to meet and interact with people from many cultures in a university full of exchange/international students. I travelled around Europe, going to a different country every weekend. It was an experience of a life time.

We create an immersive learning environment where the fusion of left- and right-brain thinking is encouraged. Classes involve not only logic and analytics but also human relations and irrationality.

The nature of Information Systems (IS) is learning to appreciate the beauty of chaos in this discipline where technology and people intersect.

Gaining both technology and business knowledge, and the ability to merge the two successfully, allows better decision-making. Applying IS and IT knowledge helps in solving business problems and transforming business operations.

The School of Information Management attracts top scholars and educators from around New Zealand and the world. The staff of diverse backgrounds come from over 10 countries and are educators who share diverse, cutting-edge perspectives and convey a broad awareness of global dynamics.

Wellington is a creative city with an ever-growing number of high-tech companies. The Information Systems programme equips graduates with technology and business knowledge to harness the energy of a creative hub and cater for Wellington’s strong demand for IT/business professionals.