| Current position | Online MBA IT Technical Support Specialist |
|---|---|
| Previous positions | Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka |
| Education | BBA in Marketing, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka MBA in Marketing, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka Reading for PhD, Department of Marketing, University of Otago, New Zealand |
| Country of origin | Sri Lanka |
Responsibilities and goals
- Support Otago Online MBA students and lecturers in using Zoom application
- Troubleshoot systems and network problems, and solve technical queries both during the sessions and between classes
- Log and keep records of the sessions and queries
- Stay familiar with all of Zoom's main up-to-date features
- Support development and review of written instructions for students and lecturers
- Provide input on improvements to the Online MBA programme
International work and industry experience
Having completed my Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing at the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, I began working at the same place as a Lecturer in 2013. Since then, I have been working at the Department of Marketing at the University of Ruhuna for almost eight years, where I mainly teach undergraduate course units such as digital marketing, services marketing, brand management, marketing engineering, marketing management etc.
Before joining academia, I worked in the retailing industry for almost two years, particularly for a Sri Lankan company that runs the second-largest supermarket chain in the island. I am currently pursuing my PhD in Marketing Management at the University of Otago, through which I endeavour to study the role of non-humans in value cocreation.
Why does Thanuka like working with the Otago Online MBA?
As far as I am concerned, this is not just working but also a learning experience. Learning never ends, especially in an era of the rapid growth of emerging educational technologies and platforms. As someone with experience in online teaching, particularly through Zoom, I believe that working with the Otago online MBA will help me further enhance my platform-specific IT knowledge, while also providing an opportunity to get familiar with new technological platforms. Moreover, I am fond of working in teams, which really allows me to learn "with" and "from" others when working for a common goal. Being a part of the Otago online MBA IT support team will provide me with an opportunity to interact with renowned lecturers and students from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Why does Thanuka think that Otago Online MBA is a great place to study?
As an international student, I know how challenging to physically attend lectures amidst your busy schedules. A flexible delivery structure gives you more benefits in the form of convenience, cost and time savings, better integration of resources etc. Against this backdrop, I believe that Otago online MBA is an ideal place for you to obtain a well-recognized international qualification with a minimum number of sacrifices. Additionally, an experienced teaching panel and a well-crafted up-to-date curriculum will give you a memorable learning experience.