Osita James
Uche

Why did you choose NTU and your course?

Prior to applying to NTU to study an MSc Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship, I was running a Fintech in Nigeria focused on helping social media shoppers shop safely without getting scammed. I also studied Technology and Management at the Nigerian University of Technology and Management (NUTM) which gave me a background in venture building.

When it was time to study for a postgraduate degree I wanted to understand venture building in a global context. I explored several universities that had the Entrepreneurship masters and found the NTU Entrepreneurship masters program to be the richest and most practical. Even though I was awarded a fully funded scholarship by Chevening (Funded by the UK government) and had the option to choose from three programs including NTU's program, I still chose NTU.

What has stood out about Nottingham Business School?

What has really stood out for me since I arrived in September is the dedication of the Nottingham Business School (NBS) team to support the students. I have felt very supported in my startup.

The courses are all tailored to equip one with skills and knowledge to succeed as a business manager. I particularly enjoyed the professional ethics course where we had the opportunity to present, boost our confidence and learn about global issues such as climate change and the role of business leaders in shaping policies and influencing positive change.

How would you rate the course facilities and why?

The courses are all top notch. We have the most brilliant people teach us. But they are not just brilliant, they were also very experienced in business. The Marketing module was led by Dr Rotimi who had led marketing in Colgate and sat on the board of several successful companies including one of Africa's biggest payment companies, Paga.

NBS has work stations and tables situated strategically such that wherever you are, there is a chair and a table within sight to sit and work from your laptop. I have found this very convenient.

The library is located within walking distance to NBS and the library resources are also accessible online through the NTU NOW app. This makes studying so seamless and convenient.

What is your favourite thing about your course?

My favourite thing about the course is my colleagues. We have a diverse class featuring students from India, Neymar, Vietnam, Thailand, Cameroon and other countries. This makes discussions in class rich because they bring in their unique perspectives and experiences making the overall learning experience insightful. I have also made good friends and learnt about different cultures. This means a lot to me because the world is increasingly global and having a cross-cultural understanding is becoming an essential leadership skill in working with multicultural teams all over the world.

What three words would you use to describe Nottingham?

Friendly, eventful and windy.

How have you found Nottingham as a student city?

I have travelled to Oxford, London, Norwich and Sheffield and so far Nottingham is the best as a student city. London is too busy. Oxford is too dull, Norwich doesn't have enough pubs and hangout spots.

I like how diverse Nottingham is and how friendly the students are. I have made lots of friends within a short period of time and have an unending list of places to choose from while hanging out. I would strongly recommend Nottingham to any of my friends looking for a great city to study and experience the UK.

Did you find it easy to make friends at NTU?

Yes, I found it very easy to make friends. I joined the Wrap Writers student society and this helped me make friends outside of class. I also attended networking events where I meet people from other countries and connected with them.

What do you think of the support available at NTU? 

NTU is very supportive. I have had one-on-one sessions with our course leader Paul Wreaves that have been super helpful. The library staff, the employability team and other students are all supportive.

I once forgot to fill in a timesheet for an ambassador role and the employability team helped me figure it out. They also answered questions around masters student summer opportunities that I saw on the NTU NOW page.

What’s next for you after NTU?

I am going to go back to Nigeria to continue building my startup venture. I will take all the skills and knowledge I have acquired from NBS to improve my business and raise funding to scale up our operations.

Why did you want to study in the UK?

The UK is the second country in global ranking for startups and technology innovation. I am interested in venture building and wanted to study in a country leading in startups and technology. London is currently one of the top cities with startup density. I wanted the opportunity to visit London and network with founders building innovative startup ideas.

Secondly, two of my sisters currently live in the UK so I also wanted to study in a country where I had some family members so that I wouldn't feel so far away from home.

How is NTU for international students?

My experience has been amazing. NTU is supportive and offers modules that are aligned with the expectations of the students. I like how each module is aligned to a larger course objective indicated in the postgraduate course handbook uploaded on the NTU NOW portal at the beginning of the course. It has been a really great experience so far for me.