I have always wanted an international career so before I came to Strathclyde I did my undergraduate degree in International Marketing. I spent two years of my undergraduate degree in Norway at Norwegian School of Management and a year at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
After a year in Singapore I wanted to go back to Europe to do my masters degree so I started looking into Masters programmes in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and the rest of the UK. I chose Strathclyde because I really liked the way the MIM programme was structured in modules and that the programme aims to give students a solid foundation in core international subjects right from the start. The possibility of customising the course by choosing electives was also an attractive part of the programme. The electives offered as part of the programme were very interesting and I could see them as having value in my career.
I looked at other international management programmes in Europe, but most of them had a very theoretical approach to learning and they were not as specialised and 'customizable' as the MIM programme is. For example, very few other programmes offered electives.
The University of Strathclyde has an excellent international reputation and the business school has triple accreditation. It seemed to me that the MIM programme offered a more practical and international approach to learning compared to the other programmes. For example, the programme offers a course in 'developing a business plan' which is very practical-oriented. The programme attracts students from all over the world and provides excellent opportunities to get familiar with other cultures, and experience how it is to work in multicultural teams. I've always wanted to learn how to speak Mandarin and the fact that Mandarin was offered as a part of the course made the programme even more attractive and unique. I was also intrigued by the fact that the school's campus is located in the centre of a vibrant city like Glasgow.
In whole, I've enjoyed the programme, even though it has been very challenging and taxing at times. I've learned a great deal, and I feel that a lot of what I have learned is practical knowledge which will come to good use later in my career. Not only have I learned a lot in terms of the subjects taught, I've also gained valuable knowledge about other cultures and cross-cultural interactions. I will say that the programme has given me personal development and has met my aims in the sense that it has further fuelled my interest in pursuing an international career.
Meeting and working with people from all over the world has been the most challenging aspect but also what I've enjoyed most about the programme. I've learned a lot about cultural awareness and gained knowledge about other cultures. I've also made some very good friends in my class and when I graduate I will have a valuable international network. This is something I believe I will take with me for the rest of my life.
The staff have been very welcoming, helpful and easily available throughout the year. The faculty members have been willing to listen to students' feedback and have tried their best to make the year at Strathclyde as good as possible. The business school is easily accessible in the middle of campus and it has its own fully-equipped computer lab with a small library. Overall, the facilities are very functional and provide the students with what they need.
Even though I have job opportunities in my home country Norway I want to pursue an international career after I graduate.
The MIM programme has taken me one step further in achieving my goal of having an international career. The progamme has helped me attain an international mindset which makes me more employable in an international position. The programme has also increased my confidence by improving my practical, critical and analytical thinking. I've no doubt that choosing the MIM programme has been right for my career, and that my choice will provide me with exciting opportunities in the future.
