Two thirds of the Lancaster MBA class traveled to Turkey in March to explore the local business culture.
Part of Lancaster University Management School's MBA program is traveling to another country to explore business customs and culture.The one criteria? MBA students cannot travel to a country where they have already been, even as a tourist. That's why about two-thirds of the Lancaster MBA class traveled to Turkey this March, while only about one-third visited China.
Lancaster MBA student Vinay Bamalwa, an Indian national, was one of the students who explored Turkey on the six-day trip. One of the reasons he chose to attend Lancaster for his MBA is its emphasis on students' abilities to do business in any context and in any country.
But, Bamalwa said, the students weren't just thrown into a new environment. They were encouraged to be observant and analytical of everything they saw and given tips for how to do so. He said a well-traveled Lancaster professor prepped the students beforehand: "He told us 'Don’t just look at the way people eat or the way people dress; that’s just the tip of iceberg.'"
"We were asked to look at the way they speak and their connotations. Are they on time? Are they using Turkish idioms? These were ways to detect what kind of a culture a country has."
The MBAs were asked to continually reflect on their experiences as they visited the British Embassy in Turkey, the Turkish Stock Exchange, companies such as Metro Cash & Carry and met with a lecturer from the Turkish advertising field. Even outside of the academic opportunities in Turkey, the MBAs were asked to observe locals in the city.
"In addition to the lectures, we were encouraged to look at certain parts of the city, such as the main baazars and market areas," Bamalwa said. "This was a part of the curriculum. It teaches us how to evaluate the culture of a country so that we are more confident in dealing with any kind of business."
Student Reviews
Lancaster University Management School
An exceptional educational establishment in the North West of England.
This university has been a fantastic life experience as well as a great academic one. I first decided to go to Lancaster University Management School due to its exceptional business education facilities and have not been disappointed. I recommend the university to anybody that wants to put themselves in a strong position for a career upon graduation.
Student Ambassador
Overall, the instruction is decent, however it also depends on your department. The people are friendly, in my opinion. The sporting events are enjoyable, and there is a good sense of community. Although the city is quite remote, it is nonetheless attractive.
Lancaster University honest review
The education system in the university is excellent especially that of the Management School. The campus has great facilities for students to study and live in a relaxed manner. The students can engage in various activities through the socities.
Great opportunities to think beyond
Lancaster University provides a lot of good opportunities to think beyond.There Entrepreneurship in residence program helps students to meet and seek guidance about entrepreneurship and the challenges.Their Work in progress program help to fabricate your startup idea and further to pitch to the potential investors.Apart from that there are lot of programs like Enactus, guest lectures and guidance from seniors to help and shape your career needs.
They provide lot of opportunities to shape up your employability skills.
A top university in the UK for management science!
If you’re interested in management science studies, Lancaster University is one of the top universities in the UK. The faculty is renowned and have a sterling reputation for research in management science. Candidates specifically interested in Forecasting would find the Centre for Marketing Analytics and Forecasting especially relevant to their field. Besides, the ROI is good as the overall cost compared to other universities is less.
Great university for academia – not great for 'entrepreneurs'
Please keep in mind that my review is nuanced by my expectations of an Entrepreneurship degree :) I came to Lancaster University because it was one of the top universities to have a course in Entrepreneurship. After 4 years in this degree, my most valuable experience has been my placement and not the actual course. The course is heavily focused on impractical elements, which is a bit odd for an Entrepreneurship degree. There are some modules that involve hands-on work but the faculty support for such things has not been great. My course also involved a lot of teamwork which has been fantastic and really prepared me when it comes to dealing with the diversity of opinions. In terms of career prospects, the management school does A LOT to host events, workshops and support sessions to help you build up your employability skills. Although, I wish there was more acknowledgement of SMEs/startups as a viable career option. The entrepreneurship team which is meant to support budding businesses is really stepping up their game with tons of guest speakers, workshops and pitching opportunities. The location is a concern if you're not in STEM, Law or Accounting and Finance. Business requires networking with the broader community. However, for Lancaster students, the best bet is a trip down to Manchester or London. On the flip side, living in Lancaster is much cheaper! Overall, if the purpose of your university experience is to receive top academic education and have great facilities at your disposal, Lancaster is a great choice. But if you want to be in business and entrepreneurship, I would look elsewhere.
