Interview with Armenian MBA student, Ms Rema Ohanyan

Read the interview of our MBA student in Armenia, Ms Rema Ohanyan, Project Manager at FINCA Armenia who shares her MBA experience.

My two years of Executive MBA programme that became a Lifestyle

Rema Ohanyan
Project Manager at FINCA Armenia

1. Why did you choose the University of Sheffield MBA programme?

Right after graduation from Armenian State University of Economics I started my career path in the local Financial Market and since then have been working for several local banks and credit organizations. An MBA degree from a globally-recognised University had always been one of my main goals. However, the more you advance your career, the more difficult it seems to make the decision of quitting, leaving Armenia and applying for an MBA degree abroad. The Executive MBA programme offered by the University of Sheffield allowed me to join one of the best courses of a top university, and at the same time continue working and living in my country. That was a perfect match for me. Though the programme is quite challenging, it is also well- designed, enabling us to combine working and studying hours and in practice discuss all professional issues during the weekend classes: truly, a brilliant mix of knowledge and practice.

2. What do you appreciate about the programme the most?

To say that I appreciate the programme as it gave me a lot of knowledge means to say nothing. From the very first day I decided to apply till these days the spirit of the University of Sheffield and the programme changed my mindset totally. Apart from the knowledge and experience sharing opportunities, the Culture and the Social Environment are the things I appreciate most about the programme. During these years, despite the fact, that there were no classes scheduled, I couldn’t spend a single day without examining new articles, discussions with peers, professors and the programme staff. Hence, the MBA programme at the University of Sheffield became my lifestyle, part of my routine, and it’s hard to imagine the day without all of this. Now, when the graduation becomes closer I am more than confident that after graduation the endless journey with the University will just become more profound around the alumni community, networking and new projects.

3. Annual Study Week at the University of Sheffield. What did you enjoy the most? What impressed you? What are the benefits of this part of the programme?

The study week at the University of Sheffield gives us an opportunity to be in the heart of the University students’ life, after years come back to the student desk, and get a good restart far from daily working tasks and responsibilities. The most impressive part of the study week is the course of Operation Management along with the trip to the Jaguar Factory at Liverpool, where you see and understand the meaning of the famous words “Assembly Line”. During the classes, we engage with peers from different countries and besides sharing experience and getting valuable insights we learn a lot about their culture and their business environment. This is a truly precious experience that can be useful for our career and the sector we work in.

4. What are the most important lessons learnt so far?

The key point of the programme is that though we are students and as such receive marks for assignments, pass or fail the exams, each of us as a professional sets high standards for herself (himself): we compete with ourselves, not our peers. It’s a constant process of self-improvement and growth, with the advantage of happening in a team, learning from each other.

5. What has been the impact of the programme and knowledge gained on your work and career so far?

While working in the sphere of the project management it is very important to identify all the correlated processes and risks that might occur during a project. The combination of the knowledge from finance, business economics, business strategy, marketing, organisational behavior and people management and other tracks improved my managerial, financial and setting tasks skills as well as enhanced the communication skills in business environment.

I would strongly recommend this programme to everyone aspiring for personal and professional growth. This programme not only equips you with profound knowledge and practical skills, it educates your attitude toward the business environment and colleagues, teaches to negotiate better, and eventually, trains your interpersonal skills and flexibility, that are vital in nowadays world.