Ravindra Savant

MSc International Business Management

My experience at Sheffield Hallam has been very constructive both from an academic and professional perspective. The support systems in place for international students are very well defined and available at all times.

The International student support team made our arrival very easy, they arranged for city and campus tours, helped us to familiarise ourselves with the available amenities and always remained approachable throughout the year. 

During my first semester, I lived in student accommodation which was very central to the city and nearer to the campus. It was very clean, secure and well maintained; the security staff were very helpful. The student hall, Phoenix Court, was reasonably priced and had the required facilities available on site, for example,  a laundry, WiFi and internet service.

During my second semester, I chose to live in a rented house with couple of my best friends from the course, which was a lot of fun.

Meeting new people and friends from around the world was a great experience. I had the opportunity to understand different cultures, different ways of doing business and most importantly how to manage relations in a multicultural environment.

Sheffield as a place to live is very green. Being a smaller city it is very easy to explore and the people are very friendly and welcoming. Many students find the place very affordable, some also manage to find part time employment to advance their commercial skills and earn extra money.

Having previously studied business at undergraduate level, I wanted to develop my understanding of strategic business management in an International context. The MSc International Business Management course fit the bill, specifically the course seemed well aligned with the current global business environment. It delivered a depth of understanding into various contemporary business issues.
 
The course assignments are well designed and the demanding nature of the projects intensifies in structured stages throughout the course. This definitely allowed me to understand and adapt my delivery approach and manage my workload.

The course study materials were clear and concise. I found the university material very relevant and useful throughout my projects and it encouraged me to use additional academic resources.

The consultancy project has been a real highlight for me. The opportunity to work with a local business, helping them find strategic solutions, adds a lot of value for all the stakeholders.

We had very high quality academic support. The staff are very knowledgeable, commercially experienced and approachable. They care about students wanting to do better in their academic goals.

In today's tough economic times, organisations seek candidates with business acumen and the ability to demonstrate strong fundamental understanding of analysing and managing business challenges in dynamic environment. 

This course has enable me to
• analyse business challenges
• understand management issues
• breakdown and focus on risks and issues surrounding projects
• create useful business relations
• seek multiple strategic and financial solutions
• understand that one size “may” not fit all!
• 
I am now working as a project management consultant, in the financial services and high-tech telecommunications sectors. I aim to become a portfolio management consultant with experience across various global industries. 

To sum up my experience at Sheffield Hallam, academically, personally and professionally, a memorable time!

Svantje Muller-Horn

MSc International Business Management

'While doing my bachelor’s degree in my home country Germany, I already favoured applying for a masters course within the UK. My undergraduate studies related to the tourism industry, so I decided to go in a more general direction for the postgraduate studies. Moreover, I looked for a course which included some practical experience.

'After comparing universities within the UK, I chose the MSc in International Business and Management at Sheffield Hallam. The strong international focus of the course as well as the consulting project caught my attention at once.

'I especially enjoyed the international group of students, which gave me the opportunity to increase my cross cultural competencies. In various group works, we improved our ability to work in a multicultural team, learned to organise ourselves, and enhanced our presentation skills.

'The consulting project was especially exciting, and challenging at the same time, because we students stepped into the position of proper consultants, providing a service to an international company. My group did research and analysis for Stanley Works which included a lot of travelling and the opportunity to take part in a congress.

'From studying the course I learned a lot about business strategies, investment and trade, alliances and the emerging markets. For the first time, I really understood how to work methodically and developed a passion for research in a scientific manner. This was especially helpful for writing my thesis. I am even thinking about beginning a PhD one day.

'Studying in Sheffield and at Sheffield Hallam was a brilliant experience. It was a lot of work, but there are numerous opportunities to enjoy student life. I met wonderful people, made some unique friends and definitely gained some self-confidence during that time.

'Now I am seeking practical experience and I am looking forward to an internship in an international company, for which I will travel to Shanghai. I am sure my skills and experience gained during my masters will be of great help to me.'

Stefanie Bangert

MSc International Business Management

'My aim was to find a suitable course in a nice city with a good reputation to further my career. Since I know a person who already studied in Sheffield, I knew the city already. Sheffield has invested a lot in recent years to make the city more attractive, especially for students.

'I was impressed by the variety of possible courses at Sheffield Hallam University. I was able to actually choose a course which combined everything I was looking for. Basically a business degree with an international aspect focusing on management combined with a practical part and also a consultancy project with a British company.

'The best thing about my course is the good mix of international students, which is an international experience itself. I really love the atmosphere of being able to share my knowledge with people from around the world and to get to know their points of view. However, the highlight of this course was definitely the consultancy project which enabled me to get in contact with a British company and helped me to convert theory into practice. It is a great opportunity to get an idea of British business life and gave me a lot of self-confidence for my future career.

'I took part in a consultancy project for Stanley Tools UK. This involved working in a group to analyse the German tool market regarding the perception of Stanley Tools. We also looked at the purchasing process of hand tools in German construction companies.

'The teaching facilities all over Sheffield Hallam offer the latest technology with computers and beamers in almost every room. There are hardly any problems regarding computers, guaranteeing smooth lectures and seminars.

'Although there are many books and facilities in the library I think it could be improved by providing a quiet place to study as it can become noisy at peak times [editors note: there are silent study rooms in our learning centres].

I was overwhelmed by the range of support services for students at Sheffield Hallam. Being picked up from the airport and shown around Sheffield and the University meant that I didn’t feel alone at all in the first weeks. I also had great support from the accommodation service. They really helped me to find suitable accommodation and even took time to explain to me a British tenancy agreement. I also benefited from the English course offer for International students which I joined in my first semester. It helped me to get used to English academic writing and took a lot of pressure from me.

'I would definitely recommend SHU to my friends. Not only for the large variety of courses with many international students but for the great support offered by the staff. Students and academics have a very good relationship, which makes studying here really enjoyable.

'My advice to prospective students would be to get in contact with any of the University staff. They are always happy to help. I can recommend the accommodation service as well as the service for international students. Having a look at their offers can help a lot, especially in the first weeks.

'The city of Sheffield has a lot to offer. The city centre is a great place to relax and perfect to go to during breaks. There are many opportunities for students all over Sheffield. There are many parks, museums and little coffee shops within the city as well as a great British nightlife. I really like the fact, that it is possible to get out of Sheffield in a few minutes and be in the beautiful countryside of the Peak District.

'However, the best thing about Sheffield, in my opinion, is the people. They are really friendly over here and happy to help you out. I am not afraid of getting lost or doing something wrong, since people usually react in a very nice and helpful way.'