Rear Admiral Sarah Sharkey AM CSC

1. What was your UNE qualification?

I studied a Master of Business Administration part-time over a couple of years and it was conferred in 2007.

2. Online or on-campus study.

Online

3. How did you find UNE lecturers?

My lecturers were great. They were contemporary, well informed and professional – everything you would want in an educator.

4. What was your reason for studying at UNE?

UNE had a strong reputation for delivering high quality online education. The other reason was the flexible learning environment provided by UNE’s online experience. I was working full time and managing a young family of three children at that time, and my husband was also a busy professional. By doing the course online I was able to effectively manage my workload and fit my studies around my other life and family commitments.

5. How has your UNE qualification aided you in your career?

The learnings and experience I gained studying my MBA at UNE have been invaluable. Effective leadership in health and in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) depends on a high level of understanding of the importance of a number of key business concepts. These include, but are not limited to: change management, business planning, marketing, communication, innovation and continual improvement. The UNE MBA provided solid educational foundations to these concepts. Subsequently I’ve used them in my career to solve complex problems and implement health service delivery plans.

6. In this time of COVID-19, how has the virus impacted your work?

As Surgeon General of the ADF and Commander of Joint Health, it’s my role to ensure our uniformed Defence members receive the best quality health care, and that the military capability of Defence is protected from a health perspective.

COVID-19 has demanded an unprecedented Defence health response in terms of planning for, and then delivering support to domestic efforts to combat this disease. Defence health services, within a very short time frame, have had to reprioritise, reshape and collaborate in ways they have not done before. Defence health services have been agile in responding to, and pivoting towards these new challenges and situations as they arise. I have been so very proud of the way the team has responded and pulled together in these extraordinary circumstances.