Gaining a global perspective through the Bath MBA
MBA student Norma from Zimbabwe, talks about the wide range of skills she's gained during the programme, and the support she received when moving to the UK.
Choosing to pursue an MBA
I started my career back home in Zimbabwe in the Microfinancing Industry, then moved on to work in the mainstream Banking Sector. I later moved to Johannesburg, South Africa at the beginning of 2019 where I pursued a master’s degree in finance, and also joined an investment compliance consultancy. I managed to climb up the ranks but by the end of 2021, I had realised that being a leader wasn’t at all easy. I decided there was no better way to develop myself professionally and personally than to do an MBA.
Apart from getting the right tools needed to be an exceptional leader, I wanted to challenge myself to do something that seemed impossible based on where I was and where I come from. I am a firm believer that people only experience growth when they challenge themselves and step outside their comfort zones.
My learning experience
The Bath MBA has been a very eye-opening experience. The content has been delivered in a way that is thought-provoking and relevant in today’s business world. The modules are designed to extend your knowledge beyond your expectations, allowing you to consider the wider psychological, environmental, social or economic impacts of a decision.
The Multi-Project Suite has enabled me to think critically and strategically. I am now able to solve problems in a more organised manner, by breaking down the problem statement into objectives that can be achieved.
I am a firm believer that people only experience growth when they challenge themselves and step outside their comfort zones.
Being supported at Bath
One experience that really stands out to me as an MBA student, are the sessions with my Student Experience Officer. I’ve really appreciated the support, not only academically but beyond that too. Any time you feel like you need to talk to the Student Experience Officer, you can book a session and discuss anything.
Having their support has made me feel more secure, particularly because I’ve left my entire family at home and moved to a different country with a different culture. It’s given me that security and safety net to know that there is someone to support me.
Developing personally and professionally
An MBA requires a growth mindset. You need to be open to the fact that you’re not always going to know everything. Just take every challenge, obstacle and assignment as an opportunity for you to learn, improve and grow.
Looking back, I realise how much I have grown from the person I was before coming on to the MBA programme. I have learnt a lot about business, but also about myself and what I want to achieve. I am excited about stepping back into industry, applying and imparting all the knowledge and skills that I have gained from the programme. More importantly, I am excited about continuing to learn from others in my daily endeavours.
My advice for prospective students
If you’re thinking of doing an MBA, I’d say go for it. I have interacted with people from different countries and cultures and professional backgrounds that I probably wouldn’t have interacted with had I not been on the MBA. Everyone has a unique perspective based on where they are from and how they think or how they learn. It has opened my mind to many possibilities.
Undertaking an MBA is a stretching and somewhat hectic experience, but it is also extremely rewarding and brings so much growth. It is exciting and thought-provoking, and an exceptional way to make friends in high places from all across the globe!
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Improving my leadership skills by sharing my personal passion at Bath
From India, to Dubai, to an MBA in Bath; student Rahul shares what he has learnt from the programme.
My background in India and Dubai
Before my MBA, I worked for four and a half years as an engineer for General Motors in Bangalore, India. I then moved back with my family to Dubai, where I transitioned from an engineering project manager to a full-time project and product manager.
Dubai is a wonderful place; it’s vibrant and very tech-orientated. You get to meet people from a lot of backgrounds and I had many international clients. I really enjoyed working with them and consulting for them was a great experience.
It was at this point that I felt the need to expand my knowledge. I wanted to better understand the key business concepts and how different functions in an organisation work. I also feel as a future leader, you cannot have just one domain experience, you have to understand how your actions affect the different areas of a business. So that’s when I decided that an MBA would be a good option for me to accelerate my understanding in that field.
Studying at Bath
Bath has a good reputation for academic excellence and their commitment to innovation in business. I’m a very practical-oriented person. I like to learn through projects, so the Multi-Project Suite really appealed to me in that way.
I came back to being a student after nine years, so I was very excited to just be in a classroom setting all over again. Each of the professors on the MBA course is very accomplished. They bring a lot of knowledge and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every one of the courses so far. Every professor is able to really connect with the students and they’re always willing to have a conversation to expand our understanding.
Every professor really connects with the students and they're always willing to have a conversation to expand our understanding.
Bringing my interests to the student community
The Rubik’s Cube has been a passion of mine for a while. Ever since I discovered it, I’ve gone down the rabbit hole of spending a lot of time solving it again and again and expanding it into different kinds of cubes, not just the three-by-three.
When I worked at General Motors, I organised a workshop where I trained a few people to be Rubik’s Cube trainers. It was a huge talking point within my organisation and it was such a big hit that they wanted me to do it again for people who couldn’t attend. It’s something I want to bring to the University of Bath as well. I suggested it through the Student Change Project Programme and I’m really looking forward to running it and training new people.
Just knowing how to solve a Rubik’s Cube might not be a useful skill by itself, but the very act of solving it has a lot of benefits. Before I go into a team meeting or a brainstorming session, I spend five minutes with my Cube. It really warms up my brain and increases short and long-term memory. From my experience, when people get into it, they see a positive difference when it comes to their general problem-solving or memory skills.
My future goals
After the MBA, I’d like to work in operations or consultancy. I’d like to be in a leadership role, where I’m able to really influence people, influence the business and bring my ideas and learnings from the MBA and put them into use.
The University of Bath’s reputation and strong career support will help me to really make my job applications stand out. I have the confidence that I’ll be able to do it.
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Discovering my strengths on the Bath MBA programme
Thai student, Joy, talks about how she knew the Bath MBA was the right programme for her, and how she's built on her strengths during her time here.
Choosing Bath for my MBA
My decision to apply for an MBA programme was motivated by several factors, but primarily, my desire for personal and professional growth. In my previous role as an electrical engineer, I encountered challenges due to a lack of management skills. While I excelled in the technical aspects of my job, I realised that to advance in my career, I needed a comprehensive understanding of business strategies and leadership.
When considering the MBA programme at Bath, several things stood out and aligned with my aspirations. The diverse modules offered by the Bath MBA immediately caught my attention. Given my uncertainty about which specific business area to pursue, the Bath MBA has allowed me to explore various areas of business and management.
An enriching community
The diverse backgrounds of my colleagues have enriched my learning journey. This collaborative environment has allowed me to learn from others. We share insights and experiences that I wouldn’t have encountered otherwise.
The programme’s blend of in-class and out-of-class activities has been exceptionally beneficial. I’ve had sessions on crafting effective CVs and job-hunting strategies. I’ve also received lifestyle support through networking events and practical sessions.
Already, the MBA has begun shaping my career trajectory. Through assignments, I’ve learned about my strengths and weaknesses, which has improved my confidence. I am now considering job roles that I might have hesitated to apply to before. The MBA has given me the courage to pursue opportunities that match my evolving aspirations.
The MBA has given me the courage to pursue opportunities that match my evolving aspirations.
My advice for prospective students
My advice to anyone considering an MBA is simple: go for it! The experience is incredibly valuable and worth every effort you put into it. While it may be a challenging journey, the knowledge and growth you’ll gain from it is unparalleled.
Don’t let a different background deter you. The faculty, your colleagues, and everyone involved are there to support and assist you. The collaborative and helpful atmosphere is a hallmark of the Bath MBA experience.
I understand the apprehension that can come with stepping into a new environment. I used to feel the same way. But looking back, I’m thankful for taking that leap of faith and breaking through my comfort zone. It’s an opportunity that can shape your future in profound ways and help you discover strengths you never knew you had.
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An MBA with impact
Business programmes once taught the importance of maximising profit at all costs but leading MBA programmes are teaching of the power - and profit - that can be achieved through a very different approach.
Corporate responsibility and sustainability have become key factors in today’s global business world. Sustainable business practices have become increasingly important considerations for companies seeking to maintain a competitive edge. As a result, more and more organisations are embracing ESG (environmental, social, and governance) principles to guide their decision-making.
Professor Andrew Crane is the Director of the Centre for Business, Organisations, and Society at the University of Bath School of Management. He also leads the delivery of Responsible Business on the Bath Executive MBA programme, helping professionals to develop the skills and knowledge needed to navigate sustainability challenges.
“There are so many challenges facing the world with everything from climate change and inequality to biodiversity. Business has a role in contributing to those problems, but also for solving them,” he explains.
“Contradiction in organisational priorities can be difficult for business leaders. The MBA programme can be a powerful tool to empower and liberate them to do something positive and be the changemakers in their organisations,” he adds.
The Bath MBA programmes are designed to provide students not only with an awareness of ESG issues within business, but also to equip them with the practical skills needed to tackle them. Teaching is underpinned by a deep focus on embedding sustainability and responsibility throughout both teaching and research.
“Students leave Bath, not only with a passion to enact change, but with the tools needed to effectively execute positive change throughout the duration of their management careers,” he continues.
“We try to instil the conversation of social responsibility and concern for social impact across the breadth of business, from finance and marketing to operations and HR practices. We tackle the challenges in these areas and then empower students to bring this conversation into their organisations and to have the right literacy to do so. They have the language but now they also the skills and knowledge to become as close as possible to an expert.”
Professor Crane adds: “We want our graduates to be leading employers who know how to achieve impact in their communities.”
Testimony to the University’s commitment to ESG is its place in the Top 100 of the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2024 demonstrating a commitment to infuse sustainability throughout programme delivery at the University. The University of Bath ranked 92nd out of 1,403 universities, scoring highly in each of the three performance categories of Environmental Impact, Social Impact and Governance.
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MBA alumnus Peter Davies on the importance of renewable energy
This article was first published in Bath Life magazine. Reproduced with permission.
In business, sustainability is non-negotiable. How you choose to incorporate it into what you do affects relationships with your employees, your supply chain and your customers. Having clear ethics regarding sustainability is so important for the long term – you’ll suffer if you don’t.
When I finished university in 2022, I took up an internship in corporate strategy with local green energy supplier, Good Energy. This led to a permanent role, focusing on diversifying the energy supply – which is currently more important than ever, due to the current energy crisis affecting the day-to-day lives of millions.
Due to the sharp rise in energy prices and a high number of suppliers going bust, our services are changing to try and reduce the impact this has on our customers.
I’m currently transitioning our supply to sustainable resources, with the aim of reaching net zero emissions. Green energy alternatives can be cheaper than conventional fossil fuels, too. Because of this, solutions such as solar panels and heat pumps are becoming increasingly popular.
If it wasn’t for my time at the University of Bath, I wouldn’t be in my current job role. The School of Management has great links with local businesses, which I made the most of to get my internship.
Throughout my studies, I learned a lot about sustainability management, which I use daily at work. At the School of Management, sustainability was always incorporated into what we did, from lecture content to the campus itself.
I made great friends there, too. I’m still in contact with other MBA alumni, we have a WhatsApp group and try to catch up whenever we can.
The way business works is changing, you need to take sustainability into account no matter your job role or sector. My goal is to eventually run my own business and because of my experience, I have the skill set to do this.
To me, ambition is realising your potential and trying to push to exceed your own expectations. The more effort you put into your studies, the more value you’ll get out of them. Rather than waiting for someone to give you opportunities, go and get them.
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Breaking through the ceiling to reach new professional levels
Bath MBA graduate Luiza Correa Brasil shares her experiences of the programme and how she used it as a platform to create new career opportunities.
Why I wanted to do an MBA
My life has always been entwined with my family’s company. I joined the company as an intern and now, after eight years, hold a successful managerial position as the sales and marketing manager. I have always been interested in knowing more about business and am passionate about what I do. I have an entrepreneurial spirit and leadership enchants me: I like to inspire people to act; to understand the value of things that people cannot see; to share and to teach people to make the best decisions.
Working in a family business means that you must prove yourself all of the time. I felt that I had reached a ceiling and needed to find another way to reach new professional levels, build on my knowledge and bring new insights and better direction to the team. My family had always encouraged me to study abroad so this was perfect timing for me.
Why I chose The Bath MBA
Coming from a family business, I was looking for a programme that would enable me to work in other industries, get to know other leaders and prove myself in different ways. The multi-project suite offered experience and engagement with other industries where I had to solve real problems and I needed this to make my view wider. I had only my father’s way of doing business, now I know much more.
I was looking for a programme that was about strategic decision-making and that was exactly what I received.
Learning beyond the classroom
The Multi-Project Suite was tense and demanding but fulfilling. The project expanded my knowledge into sustainability, explored other ways of doing business and broadened my views on how to be a CEO in future. I was so keen to help with the continuity of the work that I contacted the CEO to ask if I could remain on the project and am now volunteering for the company that I was part of. It’s been an amazing experience and I have learned so much from his knowledge on sustainability.
Discovering new skills
The MBA has already impacted on my career and behaviours. I identified that I love people so much, sharing knowledge and improving efficiencies, so decided to switch from sales and marketing to human resources. Results are led by people all of the time and the failures we have are because of the lack of people management. My father and I have realised how the business needs someone to look after and care about employees. It makes sense for me to take over this area of the business in future and I’m so happy and excited.
Developing as a leader
The course has been a considerable investment for my family, but I am so pleased to have found it. I was looking for a programme that was about strategic decision-making and that was exactly what I received. I loved that I could write about my own company but it also allowed me to think about business from another perspective. I am sure that my intellectual ‘luggage’ is full of knowledge and insights to take back to my organisation – not only hard skills, but a lot of soft skills too. The MBA has shaped me into an even better leader.
Inspiring future leaders
In the future I would like to be the CEO of my own business and the decisions and choices that I have made during the programme have been in that direction. I will be so happy to share my experiences and knowledge with future students of the Bath
My intellectual ‘luggage’ is full of knowledge and insights to take back to my organisation - not only hard skills, but a lot of soft skills too. The MBA has shaped me into an even better leader.