Nihar Amoncar explains how his MBA studies at the University of South Wales have changed his life:
“I came to the UK to study for the MBA. I had been working for five years and wanted to move outside India for my MBA.
I did some web research and had some friends who studied here. They all had good careers after graduation, which was a major motivation in my choice.
The course also has lots of emphasis on small business and SME marketing, which is what I wanted to learn. This hasn’t been used much in India and I wanted to be ahead of the competition.
When I started my career in business, it was a day-to-day process that operated on common sense. But I realised that there was much more to marketing and that it is a vast field.
As a result of my studies I could see how marketing should adapt and I could be innovative in my approach. I had the practical experience from my business, but I also had the theoretical knowledge to back that up. I could do things differently from my competitors because of the new knowledge I acquired.
Originally I planned to go back to India, but during my MBA I decided I wanted a career in academia, so the MBA has changed my entire career direction. My tutors have instilled in me a passion for marketing, and I was so interested in it that I decided to pursue PhD research at this university.
For international students, my advice is to come with an open mind and embrace everything. You have to adapt to make the transition easier. The student community here is very vibrant and the people are friendly. It’s very easy to socialise because the people are so welcoming.
The University of South Wales is very good at support structures, so students can take part in things that are not academic. Since being here I have travelled and explored every nook and cranny of Wales. It is a very beautiful country and very suited to education – it is quieter and not very busy, which gives you space to think and reflect.”