Andrea
Piras

Why did you decide to do postgraduate study?

“I decided to continue my education after my undergraduate to gain a deep and thorough knowledge of my subject. I wanted to deepen my expertise about the business world and by moving country, I have been able to obtain a global point of view. Moreover, in Italy it is common to complete your studies with a master’s degree, and this has always been my aim since I started university. The postgraduate courses in the UK are more practical than the ones in Italy and, after having completed a bachelor’s degree based on the theory, I decided to move towards a more practical approach.”

What made you choose NTU? 

“My aspiration was to study abroad in an international environment.  Researching on the web, I have been impressed by the reputation of this business school and all the services provided to the students. The high percentage of international students has been another element I considered, along with the attention and concern towards sustainability practices.”

What do you enjoy most about your course at NTU? 

“The international experience has been one of the most formative elements of this course. We went to Varna, Bulgaria, to complete a consultancy project working for local companies. This gave us the opportunity to work in a foreign environment and to learn about different cultures and different approaches to business. We worked within a very multicultural group, which allowed everyone to bring different approaches to the project, in addition to being critical to our success as a team.”

What do you think about the course staff? How do they support your learning and University experience?

“The course staff have been very supportive throughout the entire duration of the course. Working in small classes permitted us to receive help and suggestions any time we needed them. In every aspect of the university, the members of staff have always been willing to assist and help me with any problem or concern regarding both the university issues and the period after graduation.”

What do you think about the facilities available to you?

“I have studied at the City Campus and this gave me the possibility to live close to the city centre. The position of the campus is perfect, it is 5 minutes to the main square of the city, Old Market Square. It is possible to find everything near to where the City Campus is located. The library is open 24/7 which has been useful throughout the year and it provides all the services I needed including a bookshop. In the different buildings of the university, it is possible to find everything a student could need. I enjoyed the student union and the gym inside it, The Loft at NTSU (the union’s pub), and the Global Lounge to go and meet my friends and drink a cup of tea.”

Why would you recommend your course to someone looking to study in that area?

“I would recommend my course, Management and International Business because it is a great mix between theory and practical education. I have studied tools and theories and I put them into practice. It also allows you to interact with people from all over the world. It is particularly useful for people who plan to work in different countries and to travel during their working life.”

Tell us more about your consultancy project.

"I completed a consultancy project for a small company located in Nottingham. My group and I have been in close contact with both the client and the supervisor, meeting them several times and visiting the company’s premises.  It has been a continuous work in progress and we aimed to improve our work after every meeting.

The deep study and organisation of the tasks permitted me to deepen my knowledge about project management and to understand the critical importance of this step to reach the desired result. Since project management is an area that I would like to work in, this project helped me to develop numerous skills useful for my future: how to manage the time available, plan the steps before starting, monitor results to correct any mistakes and evaluating and critically analysing the outcomes.”

What do you believe sets Nottingham Business School apart?

“There are different elements that characterise this business school. Firstly, the focus on every single student: we never feel alone and are encouraged to ask for help or suggestions for any issues. Furthermore, the focus on the sustainability issues, preparing classes ad hoc and several events with external guests to educate the students on critical topics. There is also the possibility to take part in lots of events, meeting with companies every month, and the opportunity to work part-time inside the university during the year.”

Have you taken up any opportunities offered by NBS? How has this contributed to your university experience? 

“I have attended several extracurricular activities during my year, for example, a coding course and a volunteer program with the Institute of Directors and The John van Geest Cancer Research Centre at NBS (Nottingham Business School). These projects helped me to develop other skills useful for my personal development and to expand my knowledge of areas unrelated to my specialisation.”