Can you please tell me a little bit about yourself? (briefly about what you are studying etc) How did you decide to study at Westminster Business School?
I am an international postgraduate student at the University of Westminster, studying MSc Global finance. As well as holding a Bachelor’s degree in Management specialised in Finance. I also have a master degree in Finance from the top ranked business school in Tunisia. I decided to seek an international exposure so I decided that the best place to go to is London, as it is considered to be one of the most highly competitive international financial hubs. As I narrowed down my choices, I selected Westminster Business School as my way into the international fold because I believe it is one of the highly respected schools in the London which will ensure that I get the highest quality of education needed to develop my knowledge.
Why did you choose to study MSc Global Finance?
To gain a further insight of the world of finance and business, I had four relevant training experiences in banking, leasing, brokerage and consulting institutions. In order to enhance my financial knowledge and give an international dimension to my future career, I decided to accept the challenge of studying MSc Global Finance as it is the most diversified courses among others and offers essential understanding of how to become a well established player in a global financial environment. I have always wanted to become a global data analyst and I believe that this path will help me to do so as this task requires individuals to have dimensional perspectives and skills in order to be effective.
What are the main challenges of this course?
During my studies in Tunisia, studies were focused mostly on national and local interest. I consider this one of the main challenges and the reason why I have chosen to do my studies in London in order to overcome those challenges. Also, another major hurdle of my previous studies is that it was mainly focused on the theoretical part of Finance, the MSc Global Finance offers both theoretical and practical perspectives which I believe are important components to better understand and adapt to the financial environment.
Everyone is talking about employability skills what do you think is the best way to increase your employability skills during your academic studies?
Personally, in order to increase my employability skills, I have been trying to find internships and part time jobs. I believe this is the way to attract suitors as it is always important to adapt to different markets even if one is accustomed to regular work experience as each market has its unique requirements. Managers in companies know that the British market is very competitive and it is essential to always have a comparative advantage over competitors and thus always try to hire the best possible employees at minimum training costs and time. Again, it is important to be familiar to current work environments in order to develop the required skills to succeed. Besides, being a very active person with a variety of community life participations teaches one to be more responsible and truly concerned with the social issues to ensure personal development.
As a fellow student what would you recommend other students in the Westminster Business School?
One of the main reasons why I chose the University of Westminster for my postgraduate studies is the Financial Market Suite that is offered exclusively by Bloomberg to provide students with instant financial data. As a student of the WBS, I can enhance my education by exposing myself to ever changing market fluctuations. It is a privilege for all WBS students to take advantage of, as many other educational institutions don’t provide the same database as Bloomberg. Bloomberg is considered to be one of the leading financial institutes that provide the best possible data for students to develop their knowledge and enhance in their studies. Also one of the main advantages for students in the WBS is the ability to enroll in courses that are not necessarily tied to MSc Global Finance but relevant to the world of finance.
We all know that student life is hard work! How do you manage to balance your studies with all the extra-curricular activities?
It is important to note that being here in London to do my MSc studies is a privilege and a priority. With that in mind, I also put emphasis on developing myself as a person. Indeed knowledge plays a huge role to further careers but what is also as important is personal development even if we are talking about being healthier. London is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world; it offers its residents all types of entertainments such as parks, theatres and conferences that expose one to new surroundings and experiences. Interacting with locals also improves my English as we all know is considered to be the number one spoken language in the world and will help me when dealing with international students.
What are the main lessons you have learnt by being involved during your studies?
Strong belief and dedication are the most rewarding virtues that are required to ensure being successful in whatever field a person is involved. Having group assignments for several modules has made me aware of the importance of team work as we can see that in today’s financial world that all successful stories are accomplished not by one individual but by the help of all individuals involved.
What is the best piece of advice given to you by a teacher?
To be considered as an MSc student, one has to work on a dissertation, although it is an exciting task yet it is one of the most challenging once, especially at the beginning when the topic is still not determined. I have been taking advices from several professors to know how to approach my dissertation, and the main advice was to keep going and never give up even if tasks are hectic. Now I understand their advice as I have already started working on my dissertation after long hours of feeling confused and misguided.
What does the future hold for you after graduation? What are your plans?
I believe that there should be two stages for every employee, short and long run goals. As mentioned before I hope to become a successful data analyst. This is considered to be my short term goal. While my long term goal is not as clear as short term goals but developing myself in becoming one of the top respected and professional analysts in the field of consultancy is what I dream to achieve later on.
Emna Mrad – MSc Global Finance, Westminster Business School
Latest posts by Westminster Business School Blog (see all)
- Team Atlas Makes It To The Semi-Finals Of The Universities Business Challenge – The World’s Leading Event For Employability And Enterprise Skills - December 18, 2015
- #LoveFestive Photo Competition – What Does Festive Mean To You? - December 1, 2015
- Business Economics Course Attends Institute Of Fiscal Studies Conference - November 30, 2015