Strategies to Strengthen the Global Competitiveness of Master of Management Graduates: A SWOT Analysis of X University

Abstract

Competition among higher education institutions and rising demands regarding graduate competencies have positioned global competitiveness as a strategic priority for master's degree programs. The Master of Management (MM) Study Program at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), X University aims to enhance the competitiveness of its graduates at the regional (ASEAN) level and achieve global recognition. This study aims to identify the internal and external factors influencing the enhancement of graduate global competitiveness and to formulate strategic alternatives using the SWOT matrix within a strategic management framework. A qualitative descriptive approach utilizing document analysis was employed, using 2024 Self-Evaluation Documents (DED) of the MM Study Program as main source of data. The results indicate that basically, the MM Study Program possesses a strong internal foundation, particularly regarding faculty quality, a responsive curriculum, academic-practitioner learning, networking, and international capabilities. However, certain areas require strengthening – specifically English language proficiency, international support, the integration of internationalization efforts, and the measurement of global graduate outcomes. These strengths and weaknesses, combined with opportunities and threats, were analyzed using a SWOT matrix to generate various strategic alternatives, that were synthesized into four priority strategies: global learning internationalization, global graduate competitiveness measurement, academic-industry differentiation, and efficient internationalization and learning pathways.