Case Study

“My husband and I moved to the UK from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in early 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was starting. 

It was, of course, a huge shock to find myself in a country I didn’t know during a time when the whole world was changing. 

Like a lot of people, I started questioning my path in life. I couldn’t help wondering if there was something more I could do.  

That’s when I decided to go for my postgraduate degree.  

In the UAE, I did marketing and sales in the insurance industry. That work gave me a background in business. 

But I wanted to take my knowledge to the next level. An MBA seemed to be the best way to do that. 

One of the most important things to me when deciding whether to do this course was making sure I could build on the experience I had in my professional life.  

That’s something that is focused on with MBA courses at the University of Sunderland in London, so it was a great fit. 

I particularly like the fact that the degree is accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) because I get a level 7 CMI diploma at the end – something which will be a huge boost to my CV. 

But the most important thing when choosing a course is being interested in what you’re learning – and I really was! 

We’ve covered things like business and leadership, strategic and financial management, marketing, operations and supply chains. 

Plus, there are some great free courses you can go to. I’ve already done the Project Management and Digital Media Marketing ones and they’ve been so interesting. 

As a woman striving to be independent, getting this degree is important to me. I’m learning everything I need to overcome any obstacle I could face in the path to becoming a successful businesswoman. 

I never expected to be in this situation. When my husband and I decided to come to the UK, we couldn’t have predicted how much the world would change. 

But I’m grateful for this degree during the pandemic. A lot of that is down to the amazing work of the University in getting hybrid teaching set up so well.  

Another factor has been the unlimited support of staff and academics who are always there for their students.  

I’ve learned so much on my MBA. I’m in the middle of preparing for my dissertation, which is a lot of work but so interesting. 

And I’m looking forward into the future to the day when I graduate!” 

Want to follow in Areen’s footsteps? Take a look at our MBA courses. 

You can also register your interest or book a personal consultation to find out more.