Alexander Jamison Hyatt III
I was motivated to take the HW MBA distance learning programme by sensing a responsibility to develop certain personal abilities that were not well utilized in my long service as a firefighter. The fact that I could matriculate without a bachelor’s degree and that the programme was self paced and quite flexible, made it possible for me to complete while working full-time and taking an active role in raising a family. The discipline and time management required to complete the programme in two years were themselves a valuable element of personal development.
Since completing the HW MBA I have become the General Director of a non-profit mission agency. My earnings have doubled compared to my wages as a firefighter, but that was a fringe benefit to the personal satisfaction of the opportunity to do a work of enduring significance.
James Walter Marion Jr
I have always considered myself of above-average intelligence – and as a result, I made the most of my career opportunities. I started my career as a shop technician, and rose through the ranks into top management.
However, I had always dreamed of getting an MBA, and further higher education. But my undergraduate background was rather weak due to a lack of opportunity. This problem was compounded by the fact that my employment required frequent travel.
In 1995 I learned about the Heriot-Watt MBA. This was a very good school that gave me the opportunity to achieve my educational goals. I enrolled, studied hard, and steadily progressed through the programme.
I also progressed up the career ladder during my MBA study, and by the time I graduated in July 1998, I was a division president within my company.
I continue to be active in the programme, and am currently enrolled in the DBA. As I progress toward the final goal, I obtained this year a retrospective specialization in Strategic Planning.
Finally, I have to say that the Heriot-Watt curriculum is absolutely sound. The training I have received has given me that edge that I need in the workplace. As a senior manager, I face difficult challenges every day, but thanks to Heriot-Watt, I have the skills I need.
Jason Eaglestone
I achieved a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1995 and a Bachelor of Accounting degree in 1996 at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa. I started working in 1997 and completed my articles as a Chartered Accountant of South Africa in 1999.
I wanted to complement my strong financial background with a course focusing on a wider range of business-related subjects on a global perspective. Heriot-Watt was the internationally recognised institution with its flexible distance learning MBA programme that was able to cater to my needs, and I completed my MBA in 2000.
Since my MBA graduation many opportunities have presented themselves. I progressed fairly rapidly from the position of Executive Assistant to our Group Chairman to my current role as Chief Operating Officer of one of the group subsidiaries. The MBA definitely opened doors and gave me the knowledge and confidence to handle the multitude of diverse issues my job demands on a daily basis.
Joerg Oberschmied
I entered the programme whilst already in the midst of my career and did so to enhance my skills as a consultant in the sports, retail and entertainment field. In searching for a reputable school and excellent programme that would suit my needs, EBS was by far the most appealing due to its flexibility, value for money and programme quality.
The ability to structure study time around my busy schedule as well as being able to sit exams at the University of Chicago twice a year was invaluable since fixed class attendance was simply unrealistic. Raising a family while pursuing an MBA limited the available financial outlay for an MBA greatly, and thus the relatively low price for the programme was irresistible. Finally, the rigour of the programme was attractive because it forced a deeper understanding of the subject at hand rather than getting credit for attendance and a team project. Much of the material was applicable for my consulting work and thus helped me to be a more effective advisor to clients, even while pursuing my degree.
If there is one thing that probably stands out the most it was the unrelenting demand to produce the best, which manifested itself at every diet. For business executives such demand presents itself every day and when it does, only performance counts while past accomplishments are irrelevant. That's where the rubber meets the road and where the rigour of performing under pressure taught through the EBS MBA pays off.
Lee Roszczynski
Over the course of my career, I have had three major goals. They are:
- Enhance my skills to advance my career.
- Continue to educate myself and to get an advanced degree.
- Teach on a college or university level.
I have been in the world of business for nearly 25 years and have always wanted to pursue an advanced degree. However, it was next to impossible due to my schedule along with the time, travel and expense of most programmes here in the US. After a great deal of research, I chose the EBS MBA because of the prestige, the cost, convenience and the way it very clearly addressed my goals for the future.
As soon as I enrolled in the EBS MBA, I was offered a position that enabled me to expand my expertise using all of the information that I am gaining from my programme and that is, frankly, invaluable. Most recently, I was approached by the chair of the computer department of a liberal arts college to entertain the possibility of becoming as associate professor to aid them in developing a new business curriculum due to my years of experience but, most importantly, because of the education that I am currently receiving at EBS.
I could not be more pleased with my progress and would strongly encourage anyone to explore the possibilities with the EBS MBA.
Mitchell Brett Callaway
When I began to pursue my MBA, I had a demanding job as manager of a research centre. I already had a PhD from a highly respected university, but wanted a rigorous business degree programme that would equip me well for higher-level management.
My travel schedule precluded a classroom-based programme. Edinburgh Business School offered just what I was looking for. Since completing my degree I have indeed had opportunities for higher-level management, both inside and outside of my company.
Nzuki Waita
The choice to pursue the EBS MBA in 1997 was an easy one. At the time I was working for ITOCHU Corporation, one of the world’s largest Japanese trading houses, in their Nairobi Liaison Office. I was eager to commence my MBA studies but was finding it extremely difficult to locate an MBA programme that was flexible enough to accommodate my heavy travel schedule. My job required me to travel frequently throughout Africa, Japan and South East Asia. I loved my job and was not willing to take the time off to pursue the MBA on a full-time basis.
The EBS MBA proved to be a flexible, well-respected course with examination centres in all the cities I regularly travelled to. I particularly liked the fact that the EBS MBA is not for everybody. It requires a lot of self discipline, focus and determination to complete this intellectually demanding and arduous programme. I also loved the fact that I could immediately apply business concepts gleaned from the various courses to real-life work situations.
I am currently based in Washington DC working for a reputable international development consulting firm and I am still able to apply my valuable MBA skills on a daily basis. Thank you EBS!
Sheila Joyce Kaye
I found my education at Heriot-Watt to be superlative. I had previously attended USA colleges for both undergraduate and graduate work, but my educational experience at Heriot-Watt was the most rewarding. It gave me the opportunity to think on my own, and explore alternative answers to problems.
Getting my MBA has helped me focus on business strategy, marketing plans, and of course a strong and successful business plan. But in addition, the MBA programme gave me tools for expanding other areas of life such as developing a personal financial investment plan and retirement plan.
Steve Reeves Kofi Doe
It was an unusually sunny day and I had just come to work in RAMBOLL’s Copenhagen office as a Civil Engineer, as I had done the preceding three years. No sooner had I sat down than Victoria, a colleague, breezed in with a brochure on Heriot-Watt University’s distance learning MBA programme. She excitedly explained how she was going to enrol in the programme while I listened sceptically. By the time she walked out of my office, I had become a convert. I would enrol in the MBA programme mainly because of its flexibility and the possibility of advancing my career.
My first examination was written in beautiful Copenhagen in the summer of 2000. For the subsequent examinations I was on vacation in London, so there I was riding a train in the London Underground to write Accounting and Finance.
About 70% through the MBA programme, I gained admission to Yale University to pursue studies in public–private partnerships and the environment. Therefore, my final MBA exams were written in New York in 2003. It was not always easy but I persevered.
I found my first job in the US in engineering support and marketing of civil engineering software because of my MBA. My MBA with Heriot-Watt University has given me a special distinction to how I approach my work and my relationship with my colleagues. The Organisational Behaviour course has especially enhanced my ability to mentor and supervise junior engineers.
Graham Robertson
I researched many business schools worldwide before selecting Heriot-Watt's Edinburgh Business School MBA. The school provided me with the careful blend of both convenient distance learning options and a respected global reputation. I was able to study while working in the US and sat my exams locally in Los Angeles at an affiliated quality university (University of Southern California, USC).
The knowledge and experiences gained from the MBA are a constant presence in my professional/personal life and I would highly recommend any one to take the necessary steps towards achieving an MBA and would encourage everyone to consider the Heriot-Watt EBS MBA no matter where they live.
I'm an expat Scot living in California so the EBS was the clear logical choice especially given Professor Lumsden's reputation. It was a privilege to study economics (as part of the MBA) with such an 'Ivy league' Stanford scholar. The quality of the course work and tutors for all sujects in the MBA was extremely high but the Economics module served as the most complete and well presented compendium of the subject and became the back-bone to my MBA experience.
The choice to study with a Scottish university being led by an ex-Stanford University Economics expert and the option to sit exams with the University of Southern California was overpowering and offered me the complete MBA package. I had such a positive experience before, during and after studying the MBA with EBS I have decided to challenge myself further and go for the Doctorate in Business, again with Heriot Watt's EBS.
Brian Strong
During my research for a MBA programme, I reviewed many and thoroughly considered 12-15 institutions. I chose to study through Heriot-Watt University's Edinburgh Business School because of the programme's reputation, thourough and challenging curriculum, and flexibility.
Having had no previous experience with the University up to that point, I had to trust what I had read and what I had heard from my peers. At no time during my course of study was I disappointed.
I always found the material to be relevant and current, the courses and exams to be challenging and fair, and the school's staff to be accessible, responsive and helpful.
I chose to study for an MBA to exercise my brain and help me to think about problems and solutions in new ways. The EBS MBA programme has helped me to do that, and I use the methods and lessons learned through the courses regularly.
Michelle Albert
EBS/HWU is a green oasis of high frequency and high standards. The environment captured both my interest and my imagination as a student and in conjunction provided a solid education.
The EBS/MBA program has shifted my psyche entirely and career prospects will eventually follow. However, most importantly, the desire for further learning and discovery was awakened in me; and this need can be filled with additional EBS programs of study.
