What is it like to work and study in the UK?

Sponsored by Warwick Business School  

Have you ever wondered what it’s really like to study in the UK? 

TopMBA spoke to two international students studying an MBA at Warwick Business School (WBS) to learn more about their experiences studying and working in the UK, including the challenges they faced.  

‘You’ll build a global connection with a diverse group of people’ 

WBS MBA student Tunde Osideko is a senior HR business partner and organisational performance strategist.  

Originally from Nigeria, Tunde was determined to attend only the best schools globally. He applied for 26 business schools across the US, Canada and the UK, but decided to study in the UK for its outstanding reputation.   

Tunde eventually chose to study at Warwick Business School without attending an in-person open day, having been impressed by the school’s reputation, course content and personalised approach.  

He said: “I eventually settled for Warwick because of the personal touch that delivered an excellent customer experience. I felt like Warwick was invested in my growth and development right from the interview session.”  

An MBA at WBS appears to have been the right choice for Tunde. He enjoys the close relationships between the students and the lecturers and feels comfortable giving feedback on his academic lectures.  

He is now a big advocate for studying abroad. “In fact, I am actively recruiting individuals in my sphere of influence to invest in an MBA abroad,” he said. “My view is that we cannot change our local environment if we are not aware of global possibilities. We need to build global capacity to make a big difference locally and globally.” 

Professional development  

When he is not studying or attending lectures, Tunde attends professional development courses, which teach him skills such as time management, networking and entrepreneurship.  

Warwick Business School offers personalised careers guidance throughout your studies and after completion of your MBA, to help you reach your full potential. Whether you are looking to switch industry, set up your own business or take the next step at your current organisation, Warwick Business School will help you with the next steps. 

Overcoming challenges  

However, Tunde’s decision to study in the UK hasn’t been without its challenges. He describes some of the difficulties he has faced: securing accommodation, helping his family settle in the UK and, of course, getting used to the weather. 

Despite these challenges, there have been many more benefits. Tunde has enjoyed the social aspect of the MBA programme, taking the time to get to know his course mates and taking advantage of the variety of student societies the school offers. Tunde even got elected to be on the student union.   

Tunde describes his favourite parts of studying an MBA in the UK as “the global connection with a diverse group of people, the broadening of my horizons and the confidence to take on the world.” 

‘There is an opportunity to benefit from exceptional expertise from all over the world’ 

Elnara Naghiyeva grew up in Azerbaijan and is now studying an MBA at Warwick Business School. Elnara has more than 10 years’ experience working in the FMCC industry and was working as an energy operations leader before starting her MBA. 

She said: “Studying for an MBA has been a rewarding experience in many ways. One of them is having an opportunity to reflect on the last 10 years of my career and the wider industry, encouraging me to question strategic choices made by my company and others and to identify possible alternatives.” 

 A diverse MBA cohort  

Elnara valued the prestige of UK universities, such as Warwick Business School, which attracts students from around the world. WBS’ full time MBA programme boasts an incredibly diverse alumni group, with graduates of 38 nationalities in the 2021 cohort.  

MBA graduates can also benefit from Warwick Business School’s 53,000 wide alumni community from 167 countries. 

“Some of the best and oldest universities have been established in the UK, and their diverse student body means they offer cultural experiences from all over the world as well as work experience and networking opportunities. These qualities contribute to the UK’s competitive position in the academic world, especially for studying an MBA,” said Elnara. 

Elnara also enjoyed immersing herself in British culture, including “the endless respect and love of traditions and heritage, sophisticated manners, British people’s extreme politeness and sarcastic and self-deprecating humour, and of course a Sunday roast dinner”. 

Learning practical skills 

Re-entering into education after a decade of working in industry was no easy feat, and Elnara found starting an MBA academically challenging at first – particularly the practical side of the programme which was very different to her undergraduate degree.  

However, the practical elements of the programme were also incredibly rewarding and helped push Elnara beyond her comfort zone. “In my MBA, I got a chance to work and study real-life examples of business problems and their respective solutions, which add a lot of value to the overall learning experience,” she said. 

Warwick Business School’s MBA offers two opportunities to work on client-based projects, enabling students to develop their practical consultancy, stakeholder management and influencing skills through direct experience.  

Working on these projects also gave Elnara the chance to learn from her peers. “The breadth of experience available from my peers on the programme is wonderfully diverse and provides an opportunity to profit from exceptional expertise from all over the world,” she said. 

Networking and building friendships 

While Elnara benefited from her course mates’ knowledge and experience, she also appreciates the strong friendships she has built with the other students.  

“Being far from home has been uplifting as I got to share the experience with my new friends in similar positions. These friendships have enhanced the experience of the MBA programme and helped to bring out my social skills,” said Elnara. 

When asked if she would recommend studying an MBA in the UK, Elnara said: “I strongly recommend it to individuals who seek to invest in their career growth and need a stepping stone for future career moves.  

“MBA programmes are designed to enable future leaders to refresh their knowledge and get the respective support to improve their leadership capabilities by means of theoretical and practical focus of the programme.”