MBA Online Course

Today is one of the greatest days in my life. Part of being human – of course – has to do with personal growth and self fulfillment. I have grown up in a multi-cultural family in the Middle East which stressed upon the value of knowledge and continuing education. I have always heard the phrase "Investment in education gives you back the highest return".

After graduating from the American University in Cairo in 2001, my pursuit of knowledge was well stimulated. I have been looking for a true educational opportunity to seize and land on. Heriot Watt University was the venue I took from that moment on.

The moment I joined the EBS Distance Learning program, I felt I was treated with extra care, attention and professionalism. I don't remember a moment that any academic request I asked for was shelved or declined. In addition, I noticed that the program offered unparalleled flexibility in the timings, venues and even dates of the diets offered, which heightened my sense of loyalty to the school I will receive my MBA from. Furthermore, Edinburgh Business School's staff are very well prepared to handle everyone's inquiries in a great and timely manner.

I have commended this program to everyone wishing to continue their studies whether in my vicinity or worldwide out of my belief of its great value and great content structure.

I owe a lot to Edinburgh Business School. I would very much consider continuing my studies with EBS and become a worldwide ambassador for EBS.

With regard to my work life, EBS has enriched my perspective on how business is run, the interaction and synergies of different functions in side and outside an organization. Being more equipped with knowledge has gave me a great edge in conducting my personal duties and addressing our firms internal and external public. Ever since, I struck a healthy balance between work, study and social life. In sum, EBS has made me stronger, more knowledgeable and confident.

In December 2002, I started a challenging educational journey with the Heriot-Watt MBA program. The journey took me into deep waters, experiencing the pain of despair and the joy of success.

The Heriot-Watt program offers a comprehensive syllabus that facilitated studying while working on a full-time basis. The strategic management edge gained through studying this MBA was applied directly to my work at Xceed Contact Center and helped me move to the reputable Kharafi Group after completion.

This program was in no way stress-free but I can comfortably say that it has addressed most of the challenges of the business world in an organized and comprehensive manner.

I would recommend this MBA program to those who wish to grow their career and enhance their prospects.

I have a civil engineering background with very limited scope of business courses. After three years of professional working experience I discovered my lack of business skills, which encouraged me to make the right decision to join Edinburgh Business School in an MBA program. When I look back at my MBA program, and the courses that I studied, I feel very satisfied that I have participated in such a strong program. All the courses were very well developed to meet the current challenges of the economic world.

Actually, I capitalized on all the courses I studied to feel a better performance in my position. I was promoted to Sales Manager in a world leader energy company only a few months after getting my degree from Edinburgh Business School.

I want to thank Edinburgh Business School for contributing to my career.

After I got my degrees from university, I got a job at the Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company as a financial consultant. Though I am a Master degree holder, my desire for knowledge and love for learning made me search for a programme at a credible university that guarantees the quality of education yet with flexibility in learning. I needed to preserve my career and even develop it. I wanted to gain the necessary knowledge and master the theoretical facts as well as the practical parts of business.

I kept searching for a university that could offer the balance between quality and flexibility, and then I found the Strategic Planning Masters programme at Edinburgh Business School. Studying with EBS provided me with the knowledge and the confidence to move forward in my career and it left me with more eagerness to keep learning and face life challenges. I chose the strategic planning programme to go hand in hand with my Masters in Economics. I love the fact that I could immediately apply business concepts that I learned from the various courses to real life work situations. It gave me the tools that I needed to analyze, assess and solve the business challenges that I face every day.

The university does a good job in providing its students with all the tools they need in order to make their learning experience easier and of more value, like providing students with access to professors through their online administration board.

I had a great and enriching experience with Edinburgh Business School and I am very proud to be one of its alumni. I do recommend it to anyone who wants to carry on with their studies without sacrificing their careers.

It has been a tremendous experience in every sense of the word and has enhanced my career to further equip me for the challenges of today's dynamic and competitive world. It truly provides a competitive advantage.

The MBA is an eye opener. As a graduate engineer and an oil & gas professional with 18 years work experience, the MBA has completed the picture for me.

The engineering knowledge and professional practice was put so much more in perspective when complemented with the financial and other content of the MBA studies. Moreover, distance-learning has enabled me to reap those benefits without derailing my professional career. On the contrary, it has allowed me to test the MBA theories in real-time.

Thank you Edinburgh Business School. I'm recommending your program to anyone seeking my experience.

First of all I would like to thank the Heriot-Watt university and Edinburgh Business School teachers and staff for making this course available for people like me who live abroad.

It was a tremendous experience and I highly recommend the MBA programme specifically in this market of cut-throat competition.

On the business level I know now how to set my objectives and make use of competitive advantages as well as knowing the opportunity cost.

On the personal level I was surprised by how much I learned, for example setting goals for myself and working out how to achieve them.

It was not an easy course; it was a very demanding one but also very gratifying. I had a hectic schedule during this period; it took me away from my family a lot so I would like to thank them for their support and understanding.

My study with Edinburgh Business School for the MBA program, has changed my career significantly. It was not an easy two year journey and it required great effort to acquire such knowledge, which I always now use when I am in a real business decision making situation when your real qualification stands by you.

The global oriented approach of this program plus its flexibility, is a great advantage especially for a student working oversees from the UK and who has regular travel and social commitments. This is why it was the best choice for a busy person like me, who had many responsibilities and a career to develop. Without such flexibility I would not have been able to achieve such a degree.

I believe most of the credit in becoming a Regional Business Development Manager in one of the biggest Multinational Systems integrated companies is down to EBS, and it was one of my most successful decisions during my career development.

I am the owner and the managing director of a group of companies, and have a mechanical engineering background. I wanted to join an MBA program to help me with my business, however, my main concern was the studying time and so I opted to join a distance learning program.

I found EBS' studying courses to be very useful and helped me a lot in managing my business. The program offers a wide range of business relevant material.

The program helped me speak the same language when talking to the marketing and financial people in my company and other agencies. I recommend this program to anyone looking for educational material applied to the highly demanding business world and with a busy working schedule.

My academic pursuit at EBS was from February 2005 to March 2011.

The flexible nature of the programme and the facilities for distance learning students at EBS enabled me to work and finance my studies at EBS without much difficulty. The course materials provided were comprehensive enough that I did not seek for any text books to supplement my studies. The online facilities at EBS enabled me to access relevant library materials and to communicate with my supervisor as if I was on campus.

At the DBA stage of my studies, my mentor professionally guided me to produce an acceptable proposal to meet the requirements of the EBS DBA Research Committee. The research stage was equally challenging and I am proud to say that I communicated with my supervisor 382 times. Statistically, this indicates an average interaction rate with my supervisor once every third day over the three year period (2007 to 2010).

This shows the high level of dedication and commitment of staff at EBS. It was not surprising therefore, that with hard work and the support received from the business school, I was able to complete the DBA programme on schedule.

I must say that the rigorous nature of the programme and the discipline of meeting objectives stated in the monthly EBS DBA Research Evaluation Reports have built my confidence in my career as a senior public service worker in Ghana.

To prospective business students therefore, though there are many business schools world-wide, hence difficult to knowing the school that completely meets one's future development. However, the selection of EBS to do my doctorate degree was the best decision I made in my academic endeavour as it has prepared me for the challenging and exciting opportunities out there.

The MBA with EBS is one of the most useful courses one can embark on. Personally I have enjoyed this course more than others that I have pursued. I found it very stimulating, challenging and satisfying.

When I graduated as a pharmacist from UWIST, Cardiff, Wales, I had not acquired any business training. The degree course had focused mainly on the drug aspects. Yet most pharmacists graduating at that time aspired to be small business owners.

When I commenced my ACCA course, I was happy to acquire the skills and abilities required by an accountant. However, in any business, an accountant – although an essential element of the human resource capital – has acumen in only one area of the business. For me, the MBA opened up the doors left closed by previous qualifications.

In the first place, it was very convenient to study at my own time and pace. I could manage my hectic schedule and yet fit in more than the 200 hours of study required by each module.

Secondly, each module is presented in a manner that is very easy to assimilate. In modern terms, the course is extremely 'user-friendly'. I enjoyed tremendously each of the seven courses I studied, and the elective courses presented a wide choice to suit any personal aptitude. In fact, while studying some courses, I felt that I was actually sitting in a live class – for example, economics.

Furthermore, the courses I found difficult presented a challenge that one had to surmount. In fact, finance and financial risk management, which I found the most difficult, secured my best marks! I would recommend studying for the Master of Business Administration with Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University to anyone. It is simply the BEST!!

The MBA degree awarded by Edinburgh Business School proudly hangs on my office wall with distinction. It reminds me of the wonderful experience and how my thought process has actually changed since receiving the award. I am now more focused on thinking "outside the box" and being more innovative in implementing ideas and providing practical solutions to clients needing advice on various issues.

EBS's MBA certainly carries some weight and credibility within our firm and amongst my co-partners. The programme has certainly helped me in making positive contributions towards the strategic goals of the partnership. The flexibility and design of the course made it easier for me to balance my work and studies and also enabled me to complete my course in eighteen months.

I can honestly say that there are no regrets in choosing the EBS's MBA option. Since receiving the degree I have been assigned more responsibilities. This includes taking over the Human Resource function and operations of an office where we had just finalized a merger. Taking core courses like Organisational Behavior and my chosen electives; Mergers and Acquisitions and Corporate Governance, have certainly helped in executing my additional responsibilities.

What more can I say about the programme!! It's a cocktail of courses definitely designed to suit and advance your career.

In the interest of staying near a constantly relocating family, as well as building my career, I spent 5 years looking for a MBA that would suit this lifestyle. Finding the distance learning MBA at the Edinburgh Business School was the best discovery yet.

The unbelievable flexibility of the programme just suited me fine; I love that I did not need to fit into the programme's structure as would be the case in all the other MBAs from other universities, but that it was structured around the student's need and convenience. My study experience has been very rewarding and I can attest to the School's claim of the programme being the most innovative, flexible and largest MBA, and with some of the most talented students and teachers.

Due to the flexibility of the programme, I was able to organise my time and finances around the time that was available to me when accompanying my husband on a 18-month assignment abroad. Due to the uniqueness of the programme structure, I did not need to fulfil a ling list of administrative requirements and deadlines. I was able to enrol for courses and write exams when I felt ready.

The large pool of students from all over the world provided a rich exchange of knowledge from the interactive forums on the website faculty boards. It felt like having a global conference! This would not be the case if I studied on-campus where my group discussions would be within my circle of friends. It was indeed a pleasure consulting with course authors and respected business consultants during my studies.

I feel well equipped and ready for the next level of management challenge in my career, having a qualification from one of the most recognised business sschools in the world. I am glad I made the choice to undertake my MBA at EBS, and will always be proud of this investment.

I work at a middle management level for the National Airline of my country. I am also occasionally involved with audio-visual companies as a freelancer. Coupled with the demands of my personal life, the overriding consideration for my choice of an MBA programme was flexibility.

My concern was also to find a business school that would increase my employability internationally.

EBS was therefore an easy choice for me. It is a prestigious establishment which was offering the best distance learning solutions from my shortlist of available options. The way the programme is designed has enabled me to take two modules per semester and complete it in two and a half years.

The user friendliness of the course material and the quality of the web material was also of great help. The packs are comprehensive, well organised and uniform in their formatting, reducing the teething problems of adapting to the following module. I could therefore focus my efforts on studying rather than looking for syllabi and collecting information from a variety of sources. This of course does not exclude the need to carry out research and collect complementary information.

The courses' pertinence and applicability to work have considerably improved my performance, as has been noted by my superiors.

The difficulty of studying part time and the main challenge of distance learning from my point of view is to keep the flame burning and find the motivation to conclude the programme once you have started. I would like to note the crucial role of the Glamis Business School in Mauritius, which has created a community of EBS students, providing quality courses and support to students.

Having joined the Edinburgh Business School MBA (part-time on campus) programme, with the aim of improving my employment prospects, I left with a clear plan in my mind as to how I was going to start up my own business.

It is difficult to anticipate a life-changing experience prior to its occurrence, or even to identify a particular event as the main catalyst for subsequent changes that occur in your life. But from my perspective, once I had completed registration and got my first 'Black Box' at EBS, my instincts told me that if I was able to successfully complete this challenge that I had set for myself, then things would change for me going forward.

I had a very positive experience at Edinburgh Business School, where the mix of students from various nationalities, work experiences and age groups enabled me to feel a part of a larger group very quickly. The breakout sessions and time out from the lectures afforded me the opportunity to share in the wide work and life experiences that existed in our various groups. I was also able to develop relationships with students in my group outside the Business School on both a social and professional basis that I maintain to this day.

The exams, which run for three hours, are often viewed with trepidation prior to entering the designated exam hall, but once you have passed a number of them you begin to anticipate them as your life slowly changes to the realization that you are well on your way to achieving an academic feat that you had some self doubt about initially, and suddenly your confidence starts to grow.

Somewhere in the middle of the programme, I began to appreciate the many different ways of looking at problems and equally found myself looking at opportunities presented to me in a different light, especially after the Finance module.

I went on to establish an outdoor advertising agency in Nigeria, and two years on, the company continues to grow in terms of increasing its client base, turnover and market share. This growth has been very encouraging and has resulted in plans being developed to replicate the model in other countries.

I really am thankful for the experience at Edinburgh Business School, as well as to the teaching and administration team that exists there. I have kept in touch a number of times by requesting assistance and it has always been extended willingly. I also made some good friends during my time there, and often bump into one or two of them mainly in European airports. Once in a while I wear the Heriot-Watt University tie that was bought for me by my wife during graduation, and I cannot help but feel proud of the achievement.

I researched over 30 MBAs in the UK before choosing to study with EBS. The design of the programme was particularly appealing to me when I perused the website and read the profiles of the faculty.

The main reason why I chose EBS was my strong desire to increase my knowledge and skills in the field of strategy and when I stumbled on the Making Strategies Work module through a senior colleague, the strategic focus wheel was like a major discovery of a lifetime for me. The way the wheel was used to establish the link among all the interacting disciplines was to me simply genius. Authorities in the somewhat 'abstract' field of strategy are not readily found especially in my part of the world; we have only very few people who are skilled in employing the necessary tools and techniques in strategy implementation. If at all, it is poorly done; strategic planning has not even been fully understood in many parts of the world.

EBS offered a combination of the attributes that all the other programmes I researched did not. The global reputation and popularity of the business school and Heriot-Watt University at large also helped my decision.

The courses are indeed very tough; when you think you know a course, you have to really know it well and inside out.

The standard of the examinations may not be strikingly different from what we see from other top business schools but they are definitely very unique and rigorous. With no choice of questions in the exam, you cannot just do selective reading and expect to pass. I think this is a very strong selling point for EBS.

I will strongly recommend the EBS programmes to anyone who really wants to challenge him or herself intellectually and be abreast in their careers and professions. My EBS decision has no doubt been the best I have taken so far in my life to date. I have no regrets.

After 20 years as managing director of my own group of companies, the experience gained and the knowledge that there must be easier ways to do things led me into the consulting arena. It is interesting to note that the environment of senior management is not necessarily difficult but is bounded by self imposed barriers of ego, status and isolation.

The decision to take on the EBS MBA was the most enlightening experience of my career. After 25 years there is not much that has not been seen and done, but the new insights gained and the endorsement of some of the concepts I had used without being sure why was like an epiphany. The value of the practical approach to each sphere of business was so useful and the simple to use methodology of instruction was exciting to the extent that I accelerated my programme and ultimately completed the course in 20 months.

The value that I have added to client businesses as a direct result of the information contained in the programme is immeasurable. It is not specific knowledge but the overall rounding off of the meeting between knowledge and experience that is the goal. The flexibility of the distance learning programme and the ability to access any assistance as and when needed, meant, that as a particularly independent and busy person I could work at my own pace and plan my own programme. This was something I could not find elsewhere. It is my intention to apply my experience to the doctorate programme in the near future. The cost and exchange rates being the only obstacle.

It took me a long time (more than a year!) to decide on which MBA course to study. I eventually chose EBS for two main reasons:

1. The distance learning facility and flexibility that the programme offers its students.

2. The opportunity to study with an internationally recognized institution with impeccable standards that are formally recognized and whose course content is highly regarded for its quality and relevance by both current students and graduates.

I received my first course material in December 2004 and planned to complete the degree in as short a time as I could manage. My approach was to tackle a set of three modules at a time, starting with the ones that I was more comfortable with in order to gain confidence. The challenge was in managing the long hours of study required for success with a busy deadline-driven work schedule plus family time (wife and two kids aged 9 and 7). I committed to my study timetable, which entailed reducing my Saturday rounds of golf per month from the usual four to one and studying for at least 4 hours per day during weekdays (from 8pm, when my kids go to bed, to midnight).

It was a lot of hard work but I will forever be grateful that I've done it! The course has definitely sharpened my skills at work and this should catapult me to greater heights.

I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to study towards an outstanding and relevant MBA whilst in full-time employment.

At the time that I decided to pursue an MBA I needed to consider my work travel commitments. Many of my colleagues had furthered their brewing training at Heriot-Watt, through distance learning courses. Their positive feedback about Heriot-Watt made EBS a natural choice for me.

A review of the quality of the academic staff at EBS, convinced me even further. The rest was self discipline, hard work and a very supportive husband.

The EBS allowed me to combine my technical knowledge with a broader business understanding. One of the perceived weaknesses of distance learning is the lack of personal contact with other students. However, it was possible to address this by looking within SAB and some of the suppliers to understand the application of the various modules. I found many colleagues willing to assist when they heard that my motive was to apply my MBA knowledge.

I would certainly recommend EBS for anyone considering a distance learning MBA.

When I decided to study for a DBA degree my two overriding criteria for selecting a University were that it should offer a full distance-learning international programme that was flexible enough to accommodate my travelling schedule.

The EBS DBA fully met and exceeded my expectations. Firstly the study component of the program equipped me with research skills that proved to be a key success factor for my research. Secondly the EBS DBA roadmap with clearly defined tollgates instilled discipline in my work and constantly reassured me that I was making progress. Lastly my interactions with my research supervisor were greatly enhanced by the EBS web based learning platform.

There were no unnecessary delays while I waited for feedback or an appointment to discuss with the supervisor.

I strongly recommend the EBS DBA program.

Deciding to take on an MBA was driven by a desire to refresh some of the latest business school thinking and to broaden my outlook, with the view to moving from a specialist debt position (at the time) into mainstream general management. Next, I had to decide on the university and/or business school.

Some of the more important factors influencing my selection were:

Internationally recognized institution; Flexibility in the modular construct of the course; The term allowed to complete the MBA; The ability to connect with fellow students in study groups without necessarily having to do so; Value for money

I found the study materials concise and well presented. They enabled me to snatch time out of a busy schedule, zone in on the relevant topic and work through the chapters, which include practice exam-style questions, etc.

During the course of my studies I transferred to Durban, took on a new role and was able to pick up where I left off, having started my first modules in Johannesburg. I spent a few years in Durban and then returned to Johannesburg, again to a new, expanded role within the bank. Organizing examination venues and excellent administration in dealing with these address changes were managed seamlessly.

I have been in banking for around 18 years and have been exposed to various business models, economic cycles, risk analysis and the challenge of deriving and marketing value-added solutions to our client base. Completing the MBA at this stage of my career was intellectually stimulating and provided a new perspective on some of the fundamentals of business. I applaud the academic and administrative staff of Heriot-Watt in compiling and administering the distance learning MBA programme. Thanks and well done.

I started my studies with Edinburgh Business School in 1998 in part to fulfil an ambition to obtain my MBA and also to equip myself with essential business skills. I selected EBS out of several options because of its high standing in the MBA arena, the fact that it offered distance learning vs full time study and finally, because it worked on the basis of international business practices.

I completed the MBA over a period of 2.5 years and in that time, gained the confidence and expertise to move forward in my career to the point that I opened an Adventure Tour Company. The business acumen gained has proven beneficial time and time again, particularly in the fields of Finance and Marketing.

In completing the course, I cannot say that it was easy going, as each course requires a lot of dedication, focus and discipline. Having said that, the introduction of web-based study groups and forums proved highly beneficial and subsequently, I have made numerous international contacts.

The fact that one engages in self study means that one has to have a much clearer grasp and understanding of the course content, which, naturally, means greater knowledge retention.

The crowning moment came at graduation time, when I stood with many other people who were once mere names on web-based forums, and received my degree.

I have no hesitation in recommending the degree.

It was indeed an enriching experience.

When I started the MBA I was heading Commercial Banking Department at BOU as a Director. By the time I completed in 2007, I had been promoted to Executive Director Supervision and I am the only lady Executive. This is a second highest position in the Bank after Governor's office.

My MBA has enhanced my skills in providing leadership towards achievement of a strong and sound financial sector in Uganda by application of the Organizational Behavior principles. The MBA has also assisted me in promoting a positive corporate image for Bank of Uganda through application of the knowledge I acquired in the Corporate Governance course.

To all EBS Alumni I say: "Always keep your head up, do the best you can in life and follow your dreams. Everybody has the potential to make it no matter where you come from. Also try to look at every challenge as an opportunity to make you a better person".

When I embarked on my MBA, it was quite a challenge to balance my heavy schedule and at the same time read the books. However, I took it up and here I am; basking in glory with pride.

For me studying the Heriot-Watt MBA was quite challenging but manageable. I had to strike a balance between my tight work schedule as someone responsible for financial reporting at Zambia National Commercial Bank Plc and finding time to study. I completed the MBA programme in 18 months. The materials are written by very renowned and experienced professors from American and European universities.

The MBA really equipped me with soft skills and moulded me into a more complete professional who can ably handle every aspect of business in any industry. I am so versatile that I can efficiently and effectively manage both front office and back office operations.

Armed with the Heriot-Watt MBA, one gains a greater insight of an integrated picture of business and how the various operational and support units complement each other to make an effective whole unit.

Heriot-Watt produces graduates who take a systematic approach to business issues in arriving at decisions rather than the reductionist approach or silo effect where managers make sub-optimal decisions that are not in the best interests of the organisation as whole.

Despite being a very busy professional, first as Resident Vice-President of Citibank Zambia (Citigroup) and now as Chief Executive Officer of PRIDE Zambia (a Non-Bank Financial Institution), I have managed to complete the Heriot-Watt EBS MBA. The MBA's greatest flexibility is the comprehensive modules, which allow the student to conveniently make progress despite awkward work and social schedules. In my CEO position, I have been able to apply the theory to my work with very pleasing results. I would therefore not hesitate to recommend the EBS MBA to any progressive professional.

I am an Associate with The Chartered Institute of Bankers (ACIB) and in 2002, having worked for Barclays Bank Zambia Plc in various positions for 10 years, I thought of enhancing my career by studying for an MBA.

I searched on the Internet and asked peers which school I should pursue my MBA with. The Heriot-Watt University distance learning MBA was the natural choice due to its flexibility and time to complete the course. The local coordinators ZICAB (Zambia Institute for Capacity Building) were very helpful.

It goes with saying that 'no pain, no gain'. Studying was a lot of hard work as my job is very demanding and involves a lot of travel. I had to study on weekends for longer periods and made sure I put in 30 minutes every day no matter how tired I was. I always moved with my note book and, of course, work. The online course questions and past examination question assisted me concentrate on my weak areas.

The course has greatly assisted me in performing my job as it combines both theory and practical applications and enables you to think strategically and outside the box. The courses are still living in my mind and I still refer to them.

Due to my completion of the MBA, the bank has given me a new strategic role of Structured Finance Manager.

I will treasure this qualification that I believe will open doors for me.

At my place of work I influenced senior officers to enrol with Edinburgh Business School and the response was encouraging. Six officers were matriculated and the study materials were purchased for all the courses. They are all studying and motivated to see me complete my course of study.

In future if I meet a potential student I will not hesitate to recommend the Heriot-Watt MBA because of its flexibility and the depth of the materials' coverage, which gives an edge over other qualifications.

Having obtained Associate of Chartered Institute of Bankers (ACIOB) and Associate of Chartered Institute of Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualifications, I felt confident with my technical capacity to discharge my duties to the required standard. However, as I started rising up the ladder in my work career, I started feeling a sense of inadequacy in myself.

Increasingly a lot of people that I was interacting with were MBA holders. I admired their quality of work which clearly looked superior to mine.

After searching for suitable institutions that could offer me a widely recognized MBA at affordable fees and flexibility to pursue the studies whilst working, I finally settled for Edinburgh Business School as it met all my requirements. Its course fees were affordable, MBA widely recognized, and I found its mode of education delivery appropriate for my situation and a lot of individuals I knew who studied with Edinburgh Business School gave it a favourable review.

During my studies with the School, I found the course materials very detailed and easy to follow. The case examples were extremely helpful to me as they helped link theory into practice and deepened my understanding of the subjects.

Pursuing my studies whilst working gave me an opportunity to immediately apply the new knowledge gained in my studies straight into my daily work. I could clearly see the relevance of my studies to my work. This gave me a sense of satisfaction with my studies and made me enjoy both my studies and work. Completion of the MBA has broadened my knowledge, I now feel more confident in my daily work interaction with colleagues.

Having enjoyed my MBA Studies with Edinburgh Business School, I do not want to stop there and sit in a comfort zone .I have since enrolled for DBA with the School. I am quite aware of how challenging the DBA course is but I feel any challenging course represents a rare opportunity to separate oneself from the many.

I chose this EBS MBA programme based on the flexibility and popularity it has. With my tight work schedule working in the Public Sector, which is in Central Government as a Principal Accountant, I had targets to make each day and at the same time I found time to study for the MBA.

I had other challenges being a working Professional Accountant, a wife and mother of four children, I had to find time for all these roles. A big thank you to EBS MBA which was just right for me to carry out these roles. The MBA has molded me into a complete professional with skills in various fields.

Being a Finance person, I can proudly advise anybody on issues relating to Strategic Management, Organizational Behaviour, Economics, Marketing, Project Management, Influence and Competitive Strategy . This experience will definitely shape help my reputation.

The flexibility of this MBA allows you to plan when to take an exam. I planned to sit an exam at each exam diet and this enabled me to complete the programme on time. The secret is to write an exam at each exam diet and you will not go wrong! The self study books and examinations in them were just the right practice for me. The MBA has immediately transformed me into an intellectual with business concepts which can be applied to any real life work situation.

I would like to thank my husband and kids who allowed me to spend sleepless nights towards exam time. A big thank you to the country coordinator at ZICAB and lastly to EBS for providing this MBA.

Choosing EBS for my MBA was a wise one. I realised the quality of the programme from my very first module, Organisational Behaviour. It was a tough ride for 2.5 years, but I pulled through; a strong dedication with great assistance from the faculty boards, made it possible.

Having flexible programme especially for the busy executives is crucial. If not, the chance of them not completing the programme is very high. That said, EBS is a masterpiece in delivering distance learning MBA.

I must say the journey was completed with my trip to Edinburgh with my wife to attend my graduation ceremony. Receiving the certificate in my hands gave an immense pleasurable feeling. It is very difficult to describe the sense of achievement I felt at that moment.

I started to study for the EBS MBA in 2001, preparing for sitting the first exam in December of that year. Soon I realized that, a good five years after graduating from my first academic degree and working since then, I enjoyed a lot "being back to school". I found the material provided by EBS highly comprehensive and close to real business life. The studies did put an additional workload on me, but the concept of distance learning provided the necessary flexibility in timing so there was no conflict with my work, which required frequent business traveling. I usually took about a week off for the final phase of exam preparation and especially appreciated these intense immersions into the subjects.

Through the EBS MBA I complemented my technical / scientific education (first degree was physics) by a strong understanding of business matters. Additionally, for me as a non-native English speaker, it was beneficial to study in English, as this is the language I have used the most in my professional life since then.

I am sure that the fact that I was about to finalize my MBA studies was an important factor in my company's decision to offer me a position in our sales organization in Hong Kong from 2004 onwards. I am especially glad I could take this chance because it offers me a wealth of new professional and intercultural experiences.

Xuchen Zhang

On a normal Thursday in June 2005, I commenced my MBA study with EBS with zest. The straightforward style of EBS and Heriot Watt convinced me to set down my selection after nearly one year of business school investigation.

I enjoyed my study with EBS a lot, although it was hard for me to arrange my time due to a heavy load of daily work. The time spent with my dear classmates and absorbing knowledge from the courses encouraged me to success.

Being a middle manager, I have accumulated plenty of management experiences that exist like independent rings. The courses designed by EBS are bunching together those independent rings. Thus the knowledge, combined with my own experiences, forms a strong support helping me stand on a new height to view my work and even my life.

When I adapted what I learned from OB to view my staff, help my family members to analyse their puzzles, so-called troubles were readily resolved. My company is applying the procedures to strengthen risk control of projects. The Project Management course helped me to understand the core idea of those procedures. Well, I am ready to look up to another height, with the help of continuous study with EBS.

My name is Bing Yuan(Chinese name is 袁冰). I come from China. I'm an MBA graduate of EBS in Dec 2008.

In fact, I have to say that my experience of studying is not very smooth. The difficulty is not in studying itself, but the mechanism of education in our country. As is well known, the conditions may be a little different from other countries. The special point is that a foreign university can't directly set up any educational course project in China on its own.

The only feasible way is that it will have to firstly choose one Chinese university that is registered, confirmed and authorized by the Ministry of Education of The People's Republic of China, and then cooperate with it under the authority of MEPRC. Thereby, my way is much uneven. That said, I had to spend extra 2 years to study and attained another Diploma at the Graduate School of Beijing Institute of technology, because it was the cooperating School for EBS, during the time of learning the EBS MBA lessons.

But what I felt very deeply impressive is still the courses of EBS. It's the key.

I learned very much from EBS MBA courses, not only the knowledge, but also the way of thinking, and the skills of applying flexibly what are written in the referencing books. I also knew about the different cultures of the test between the two countries, the UK and China. All above are very useful for me. In my opinion, EBS MBA course is very excellent.

My MBA studies with EBS were a very interesting and rewarding experience. The studies were a constant juggling act to balance my work and family commitments and the need to dedicate enough time to prepare for rigorous tests. This was not an easy process and support of my family was the absolute essential ingredient.

The studies are no walk in the park by any means. If one wants to pass the exams and actually really learn something, the utmost dedication and discipline are imperative. For the last 2.5 years I would get up at 6.00am every single morning to have enough time for 1.5 hours studies and this routine stayed with me ever since. Now, as I've completed the degree, I still get up at 6am and spend my morning hours working out or studying Chinese. My present productivity has increased immensely and it is all thanks to the routine developed to accommodate the demands of EBS.

The EBS program is a perfect fit for people like me – expat professionals with busy schedule, lots of travel and dynamic life style. I was able to sit my exams in Seoul, Shanghai and Hong Kong and doubt that such flexible arrangement would be available with any other program. In addition, students can take advantage of web based support, course forums as well as the student community support of the "watercooler".

When I look back on the years spent on studying, I realize that it really wasn't all that difficult as it felt at the time and 2.5 years of commitment was a small price to pay for being able to put "MBA" after my name. Every time when I look at my diploma hanging on the wall of my office that says "graduated with distinction", I feel an overwhelming sense of achievement and it's a great feeling. My efforts have certainly paid off and now I'm able to take on more responsibilities in my company which directly translate to very tangible benefits in terms of more cash in my pocket as well as more respect from co-workers and the management.

I chose to study with EBS for several reasons.

Firstly, through the Heriot-Watt University I was reassured that my qualifications would have the worldwide credibility of a 'Royal Charter' UK university, a credibility that was further justified by notoriously tough examinations. Next, the independent nature of the programmes, with no residential or group study requirements, combined with self-contained notes, meant that my study time was used very effectively. Finally, the flexible structure allowed me to combine a busy career with life-long learning.

As my work commitments ranged from fairly busy to frantic, I studied when time permitted and I tentatively sat exams one by one, even taking a year out along the way. I persisted though, and after four years, I travelled to Edinburgh with my family to graduate as an MBA with Distinction.

Afterwards, I took some time to reflect and enjoy my free evenings and weekends, but I had a nagging curiosity - what next? - it was between learning the piano and doing a Doctorate.

I looked at the courses available with EBS starting bottom of my choices as I wanted to expand my portfolio of universities. However, as I did my assessments, EBS crept up the list as the best fit for my circumstances. I made the application and took the plunge to do the EBS DBA.

With my experience of the renowned EBS pedagogy, I completed most of the examinations within one year and took the milestone option to graduate with an MSc, once more with Distinction. I was on the research element of the Doctorate, which was new territory for me.

The road from research proposal to final thesis and viva voce was long and winding, with quite a few pot-holes along the way. At times, progress was painfully slow, and for a period of more than a year I seemed to be stuck in a rut, although I never doubted my destiny. Finally, with a tactful prod from my supervisor, Dr. Bill Wallace, and the encouragement of many others from EBS, the research came together and my thesis and viva were done.

For my Doctorate, I chose to graduate in Hong Kong, again with my wife and sons in tow. Our boys are much bigger now – they have seen the value of persistence.

Working and studying simultaneously really is not an easy task! But it is crucial to enrich my knowledge for business development. I graduated from the Heriot-Watt University MBA in 2003.

Because I got my Bachelor Degree and Postgraduate Certificate in the technical field, I had no strong knowledge about business-related subjects; I think I made a good decision to study this MBA. Although I have been working in the sales and marketing field for more than ten years, this knowledge really played important role in helping me to analyse the raw data for accurate decision making.

The Heriot-Watt MBA is very flexible in the selection of courses as well as the duration for completion. I travel for business frequently, so distance learning is really suitable for me. I always studied when waiting for a flight in the airport, inside the train, subway, hotel room and public area. I called this "Discrete Time Multiplexing": combining separate pieces of time for studying. I found the textbook sufficient to understand the subject. My hardworking effort paid off and I finally got my MBA with distinction. This is really a fantastic experience.

Lastly, I have confidence that the knowledge I got will continue to contribute in the future!

I have just completed the nine-paper MBA degree with EBS, and I can honestly say that it was a unique experience. After completing my Bachelors in Management Studies in India, I was looking for a course that would complement this background, and I was lucky to have found this. It suited my needs perfectly. I've done the course from one of the learning centres in London, and I've never regretted my decision. The University was very helpful whenever I required any assistance. They have a great set-up for their students. Always willing to answer any queries and completely accessible by e-mail, I never felt disadvantaged for not studying at the EBS campus myself. Also, it was nice to see what a keen interest they took in how the learning centres were ensuring quality education. We were regularly sent questionnaires to test the ability of professors, which shows the university's genuine concern for the welfare of their students. Another thing that I found very satisfying was that I was able to choose the pace with which I could complete the course myself. There was never any rush or any strict schedule put in place by EBS.

The course itself was great. It was designed to suit students of any nationality. It was a comprehensive course, and I honestly feel that it has enhanced my knowledge of how organisations work. I have retained all the study material, which I find very useful whenever I need to refer back to them to understand the current situations I face at work. It has helped my professional life tremendously, in understanding the working of my organisation, its people, managing difficulties, understanding the language that different people from different departments speak, etc. This course is really something that I will always be proud of having completed, and I would recommend it without hesitation to anyone considering it.

I was working in Bangkok at the time when I was looking out for an MBA programme from a renowned institute. However, I wanted to continue to work and study at the same time.

During my search I came across the EBS programme that was being offered in Bangkok for working Executives, which caught my eye. The programme was via distance learning but with a difference. The EBS programme was being offered through a partner IITD in Bangkok.

What EBS had to offer was completely different. IITD provided us with weekend classes wherein professors from the industry flew down on weekends to Bangkok and go through the respective modules along with us. We had a class size of about 35 students. The beauty of this was that all of us were working executives with various backgrounds and from various industries. This was an advantage as during group discussions we could get ideas and opinions from people from various fields and industries. This also helped us in grasping concepts and relating them to the workplace and current industry trends.

The study material offered by EBS was also updated with case studies and examples from various industries that occurred in the recent past.

EBS also offers a pretty flexible MBA programme that caters to working executives who travel a lot and may not be able to complete the programme within 2 years. Apart from the regular June and December examination schedules they had two additional exam schedules within the year that gave the students an option of taking the exams at a later date.

I am happy that I completed the MBA programme within 2 years. I completed my MBA in July 2003. The programme definitely helped me improve as a person and a manager. It has helped me gain confidence and improved my ability to think out of the box and develop strategies to achieve company targets and goals.

I would definitely recommend the EBS programme to students who are looking for an MBA that is complete and satisfying in all respects.

It was about two years back when I had to choose a business school which can help me to realize my vision of becoming a CxO of a multinational concern. I chose EBS, the first step in this journey to realize my career project.

Looking at the modules on offer at Edinburgh Business School, I was convinced that Master of Business Administration course is in line with industry requirement of good managers who have a scientific and technical approach. I was also convinced by the fact that my interests are in line with the activities of the school. I believed that the distinguished faculty, the vibrant student fraternity, alumni network and the generally stimulating atmosphere at the university, will provide me with an excellent opportunity to explore my field of interest and now I can proudly say the decision to choose EBS was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

The study materials provided by the school, the support extended from the administrative staff is unarguably of the highest quality. The curricula was tough, but worth the effort. The case studies, profiler questions and past papers are great resources to understand the subject in-depth.

At EBS, efforts are recognized!

EBS MBA program can make world look so small with students from different parts of the world are under one umbrella of EBS.

Without doubt, the MBA programme at Edinburgh Business School was the most stimulating educational and empowering experience. The programme has been rejuvenating, enlightening and invigorating. I gained specific tools for sharpening my organization's strategic focus, which made me think deeply about the impact of global competition, and how the lessons learned from other industries can be applied.

The human dimension was particularly valuable and helped me reflect on my role and my future career. The whole experience was first-rate, helping me to continuously learn new business skills, get a broader base of knowledge and wider issues of business responsibility so that I could help the company move forward on various initiatives

The strategic frameworks were very effective, and I will be able to use them to improve the execution of our strategy. I am now highly capable of delegating, coaching, effectively communicating to higher levels; I also have a better understanding of the various perspectives on organizational issues, and creating a work environment that is team-oriented with an immense amount of fun. In general, the MBA programme stimulated many new ideas and methodologies that will prove useful for both leadership and management roles.

The quality of the faculty is world-class. The programme blended real business cases with current research findings. My gain has been an awareness of the complexity of growing a business in revolutionary times. This programme addressed many issues that I am currently struggling with – rewards and recognition, strategy, power and organizational behavior – and provided courses of action.

The programme and instructors brought up stimulating issues on today's business and current business practices. I learned how 'the company culture' can greatly impact the execution and the performance of the company. I will definitely consider the MBA one of the best investments I have ever made.

I chose Heriot-Watt University for my MBA study because of its strong international reputation as a world-class MBA provider. EBS MBA is a very challenging and rewarding course. The exam is of very high standard and I am happy with my final paper which I scored an A. As a college lecturer I managed to pass all exams at first sittings and completed the requirements for graduation in 1.5 years.

Not only doing my MBA by self-study and continuing my existing career, I also successfully graduated with other qualification – ACTDEC Pre-Cert (ES) TESOL.

Time management is the key to success; I prepare my own notes everyday and interact with EBS Tutors online for guidance during my study. Though I was too busy working as a lecturer for two colleges, I insisted to sit for exam in every diet (four diets a year) and finally completed all papers in six diets.

I certainly enhance my management knowledge and teaching capabilities with the completion of EBS MBA. The programme offers outstanding quality for its course materials which is written by a team of world-renowned experts in their fields. I find that all the subjects have relevant practical content and focus on providing cutting edge knowledge of international perspectives.

I would like to recommend this course to anyone; it is great value for investment!

The EBS MBA program requires determination, discipline and effort. To put it simply, it's a challenging course that pushes your intellectual thinking to its boundaries, and works it further.

Let me add that unlike other postgraduate courses, this is not a course that simply skims the surface. What you are getting rewarded as an end result is a solid understanding in business backed by a highly reputable and prestigious university.

Undeniably I have to say that the course is challenging and standards are very high to say the least. However, the extremely comprehensive and detailed learning materials not only help students understand but in addition it also makes learning fun and addictive due to it's well structured presentation and real world cases. I have to add again that EBS has done a fabulous job by developing quality learning materials that I find to be very beneficial and useful during my study.

In addition, my experience with the academic staff and professors had been very pleasant and they were always present to answer my queries and clear my doubts.

When I chose EBS to pursue my MBA after years of scouting around for options, I exactly knew where I was heading and my inner heart felt a sense of contentment, fulfillment and joy knowing that I have made the right decision investing in a high quality solid education from a top university.

2 years have passed since I graduated with a distinction and I feel very proud to be part of the Watt club and a product of the university!

I started my MBA studies with EBS in 2001 and finished it in 2007. At first I was not sure if this was my cup of tea, but after the pleasant surprise of passing my 1st exam, (Accounting), I gained a lot of confidence.

I was very lucky to have a CEO who agreed to finance my MBA course, because without this, my background of being an average citizen in a developing country would have made it impossible.

The only time I could study was after my work and during weekends. In the beginning I had to read the module twice and go over every multiple choice question and case study. Later on I was able to absorb material by just reading it once, (but not Finance). I even used to take my reading when I went to the hairdresser! For 5 years I did not take any holidays, and instead every May during my holiday I would prepare for exams, which were sat at the British Embassy in Mongolia.

From time to time, when I think back, I don't know how I managed it. I found motivation from the fine materials designed for self learners. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was fascinated by the skills and knowledge of the professors-authors, although regretfully I could not see or talk to them or ask questions.

When I started my MBA, only the hard copies were available and later on when the on-line access was introduced it was a great advantage. I found past papers on-line which helped me so much, especially Finance. I remember working on all the past years exam materials, which guaranteed my pass. I had 2 fails, Project Management and Finance. The reason for the PM failure was after I passed my first 2 exams I became over confident thinking "I will pass". Finance was simply difficult for me and I had to spend a whole year only on this subject.

Not only was I proud of myself, I enjoyed the knowledge I obtained and how this knowledge took me up the ladder. I felt a huge difference within me, especially when I had problems or issues, the words would flow spontaneously and I even surprised myself! I was able to perform well, help colleagues and teach new employees; that was the biggest satisfaction I could get.

I decided in 1998 to undertake an MBA course after I was promoted and given marketing responsibilities – a significant departure from my professional training as a certified public accountant. Given that I had to travel regularly and extensively throughout Asia, I had to select an MBA programme that was not only widely recognised internationally but also had a flexible study schedule with a wide choice of core/specialised subjects that could be tailored to fill my knowledge/skills gap. I did fairly extensive research about the MBA programmes then available in Singapore and only the EBS MBA appeared to fully meet my selection criteria.

All the course materials were a joy to read – concise and written in a style that makes for easy comprehension by non-English native speakers like myself. The course was supplemented by tutorials conducted by the marketing agent in Singapore – useful for in-depth discussions and interaction with fellow coursemates. I was able to pass all the core/specialist subjects at the first attempt – a clear testimony to the depth and quality of the study materials.

There is no question that the EBS MBA has significantly broadened my knowledge/skills set and this, in my mind, has made me a better all-round manager – able to discharge my professional duties and responsibilities far better than I could have without this qualification.

Since I graduated from the MBA, I have been capable in business. There is no doubt: the EBS MBA has strengthened my analytical ability, it assisted me in dealing with the complexities of policing and the criminal justice system.

As a Chinese diploma student, I had low confidence when I entered the EBS MBA. But the Dean of the MBA department gave many suggestions to guide me on how to cope with each MBA course. Our lecturers were highly qualified, with various business experience, and were famous in certain areas. Self-study ability was very important. At school, we had to follow our lecturers closely during the teaching process. When self-studying, we had to drive ourselves. Time management is worth a mention here.

My suggestion is: be confident and work hard, it is easy to cope if you truly focus on the course! I have recognized the MBA as a way to be a potential manager; it drove me to grow and be a success. My expectation is higher now: I am studying CFA and may also decide to apply for the DBA.

The MBA enabled me to see the bigger picture in the future, and helped me to play an important role in a global business area. Success comes from radical self-management for the sake of one's convictions, and unyielding willpower.

Three years after migrating to Australia from Russia and settling down in my job as a metallurgical engineer in an automotive company I became interested in undertaking some business study.

Our training department has offered me a MBA distance learning program with Heriot-Watt University, as several managers from the company were already studying it at the time.

It took me four and a half years to complete nine courses, starting and completing a new course every six months.

The distance learning was a new concept for me and I found it completely different to the traditional university education as in my first university in Moscow.

However, in my situation only the distance learning could provide me with the combination of full time employment and study at a pace determined by me.

I found that all the courses were comprehensively prepared and excellently presented in the course textbooks.

As in any study, sitting an exam was a stressful experience every time and I found that the use of the past years examination papers was an essential tool for a successful preparation.

The highlight for me was a graduation ceremony in Edinburgh, which I attended at the end of 2000.

The MBA program has significantly broadened my knowledge and I do recommend it to anyone interested in high quality business studies.

My time studying with Edinburgh Business School was enjoyable and fulfilling. The approach to learning – self-paced and (largely) independent – very much suited my own learning style. And the content was more than adequate to meet my needs – comprehensive, without being overly technical. This was important for me, because at the time, it had been many years since I had completed my undergraduate studies, and I would have found overly complex study material overwhelming.

Completing my studies provided a beneficial fillip to my career as well as to my self-esteem, and I am very glad to have undertaken the course, even though it demanded a big investment of my scarce personal time. If I hadn't undertaken my MBA studies and were to contemplate doing so now, I would have no hesitation looking favourably at Edinburgh Business School, despite my living on the other side of the world. I am now considering undertaking a DBA, and the first place I will be looking is Edinburgh Business School.

I had previously commenced an MBA degree part-time at the University of Wollongong in NSW in the late 1980s, but because of work and family commitments found myself unable to continue with this study, after completing 2 years of the 4 year course.

I subsequently commenced the distance MBA course with EBS in 1996, completed 2 subjects, and then had a break for a couple of years from study, again because of work commitments.

I was able to re-commence my course in 2001, and completed the distance learning MBA from EBS in 2003, finally. Along the way, EBS granted me credit for most of the subjects originally studied at the University of Wollongong in the late 1980s.

Without the flexibility that the EBS MBA granted me, I would not have been able to complete my MBA studies. When I re-commenced my studies in 1996, there were no MBAs being offered by Australian universities with such flexibility.

At the time I completed my MBA I was travelling on almost a weekly basis and so a correspondence course, with minimal face-to-face requirement was my only option. I also wanted an MBA with a good reputation and the EBS MBA course was the only option available that provided me with both a prestigious degree option and minimal work downtime. With only the exams face-to-face I could continue my busy schedule without interruption.

I also found the way the modules were presented enabled easy use when travelling and my MBA study was completed in many different countries, and on many flights.

The final thing I found most useful about this course was its practical nature. The modules very much relate to the real world and have been referred to on many occasions since my MBA was completed.

As I have always travelled with my work, I found that doing a conventional MBA that required regular class attendance to not be a viable option. I heard about the Edinburgh Business School and decided to try it.

I found the modules to be well written, explained in easy to follow language and with plenty of practical applications. I still refer to the modules occasionally when I need to refresh my knowledge on particular topics.

The range of subjects is good and continues to grow to keep up with the advancements in the market.

I also attended one summer school, at the University, and found this to also be extremely useful and it was good to meet some of the lecturers.

Pressure of work, and family commitments meant that I took longer than some to actually finish the course but felt no pressure form the university to complete quicker than I was able.

Overall, I found it to be a very practical and relevant MBA.

I am now continuing with the University and have enrolled on the DBA programme.

I wanted to do an MBA to allow me to escape from being "pigeon-holed" as the technical expert to be wheeled out from a dark corner when the proverbial hit the fan in a manufacturing process, or when a product's performance needed to be improved. Thus I saw the Heriot-Watt MBA as a degree I could continue to study, even if I moved around the world. Furthermore, I felt that getting a degree from a well known British university would provide both good quality courses and a perception to employers that this was a worthwhile degree. HW's various accreditations and achievements (such as articles which showed it being listed in the top 10% of European MBA courses) helped cement this perception. While waiting for our emigration papers to come through, which took almost 2 years, I started studying towards the HW MBA.

Just studying for the MBA, rather than actually having it, allowed me to achieve my objectives. Quite quickly in Australia I was appointed to senior technical management positions, with commensurate salaries, in the pharmaceutical industry (at AstraZeneca and Faulding) looking after large teams. I internalised the courses and applied them to my work, which yielded excellent results, particularly in areas such as human resources performance management, production management and marketing. For this reason, I found Heriot-Watt to be an excellent choice of course provider because by stringing out the courses (I did roughly 2 a year) it allowed me to initiate projects at work complementary to the topic I was studying at the time.

In Australia, having an MBA, irrespective of where you study, is no guarantee of getting a good job and more money. Prospective employers and clients are more interested in how you have applied your learning to achieve complex objectives, and how you work with other people. However, I believe that because my world-view changed from that of a technical practitioner to a general manager, I was more successful in interviews.

I felt that the HW MBA covered all the fundamentals required for a business course at postgraduate level. After comparing the coursework with that of friends and family who also studied postgraduate business courses at excellent universities, I generally thought that it matched theirs in the fundamental areas in both content and complexity. My exploration, using the web, into the curricula of other universities around the world seemed to confirm this.

In today's market, I feel that it is more important to have the skills, experience and motivation to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves, rather than to try and plan a detailed direction, particular in the early days of setting up a new business. My career path has certainly deviated dramatically from my boyhood dreams of being an academic research scientist. It has been a pleasure for me to be associated with such a fine academic institution, and I would recommend the HW MBA to everybody.

In the early 1990s, I worked as a consultant and part-time university lecturer and corporate facilitator. I had degrees in law and accounting, but felt that I needed a "more rounded" education. I felt that without an MBA I was being left behind and not getting the best jobs. I thus sought a MBA. However, due to a very busy schedule I was not able to attend a regular MBA school, and sought an MBA that did not need intensive attendance at a university. After a considerable search I found the Edinburgh Business School distance MBA. To me it was the way to get a quality MBA, which was well recognised globally and one that also considered international business issues. I have never regretted the choice and use the knowledge gained daily. Since graduation I have completed a doctorate in Education and now I feel very able to provide my clients, and students, with high quality multi-perspective knowledge.

I had worked overseas in the United States for 2 years, was married with a young family, and in my career had moved from the "profession" working in the public accounting field into a management finance role. I wanted to broaden my depth of management knowledge and decided that the management education as contained in an MBA course is what I needed.

Due to my work and family commitments a full time course was out of the question, and even a part-time course would have been difficult to complete. The only option was to undertake a distance learning program.

I chose the Heriot-Watt MBA due to its comprehensive and extremely well thought out distance learning program backed by self-contained materials that made learning interesting and compelling. The discipline required to complete distance learning is hard to manage and achieve; the methods used by EBS overcame most of the issues that would have prevented me successfully completing the course.

The timetable was flexible and the examinations testing – I have retained many valued learnings from my MBA experience.

I started the Heriot-Watt MBA in 1999 and graduated in Scotland in July 2004. I chose the Heriot Watt course as I needed a flexible distance option where I could study at my own pace; sit my exams anywhere in the country. I had heard a few other mining people had done this course so I added it to my selection criteria.

My criteria for selecting an MBA:

• Distance education to work in with FIFO/remote lifestyle
• Can sit exams wherever I'm living
• Can pick which unit I wish to study whenever, can defer if I need to
• Core subjects and some optional subjects
• Reputation as a good/credible course
• GMAT not prerequisite (although I did a workbook on it – to see if I could pass it)
• Not too expensive (I paid for it all myself – did not want to be tied to a company)

What I liked about the MBA:

• I could be flexible with my study, defer exams easily, and sit my exams in Australia in a professional format (I could have sat in many places around the world).
• There was never any question that the work was my own – as it was 100% exam and exam conditions at a real university.
• Links with local and international students. I liked having an Aussie distributor – she was like a coach. I also liked the water cooler website where I could jump on and have discussions.
• The professors would jump on the water cooler and chat too. It felt like a bit of a community.
• The materials were self sufficient, had plenty of case studies and questions to apply learnings. I always found I could immediately apply what I was learning in the workplace.
• It did seem pretty exotic – and gave me an incentive to finish and travel over to collect the degree.
• Accomplishment – you could not cram, you had to be organized, the exams were challenging and my hands were dead at the end. You have to work to pass!

When I graduated I liked:

• Going over to the uni where all my exams ended up. It was an amazing celebration – to realize all these people sat at home like me, trying to work 12 hour days. Also meeting people on the water cooler and the professors.

How this MBA helped me in my career:

MBAs are an organic beast – it's what you do with your learning that matters. I did not have plans for what I was going to do with it – I was just filling gaps from being an engineer. One week after my last exam I got my dream job in the same company with a pay rise that covered all the money it cost to study. In one of my first meetings I did a strategy and a person (one step from CEO) loved the strategy format (it was a template from the MBA). I also summarized my influence unit (with permission) and gave a paper to AusIMM New Leaders – which was published in a magazine shortly after. Even some senior people came up and commented how useful it was. I was also a Telstra business woman of the year state finalist (2003). I have no idea how much is me – or how much was the MBA. But I do know the MBA opened up my mind to see other functions in a business and really understand how a business fits together. I could use the tools to improve the places that I worked in. In the last 12 months we took over a company that was in usual "for sale" state – now I am there to help fix it up. So I am using everything I have learnt!

I regularly talk to graduates and young professionals and now have a standard sheet for giving them advice on how to pick an MBA and when to study. It seems they all want to do one.

Not all people live in one place or cities – this MBA has given me access to a high quality international education offering – whilst I was toiling away at a mine in the outback.

The MBA course that I completed at Edinburgh Business School was conducted in a format that suited my employment commitments. I travel frequently and would have been precluded from completing an MBA that required commitment to attending lectures. I found the course to be challenging and worthwhile. The study structure requires a great degree of self discipline and separates those who are driven to succeed and self sufficient.

I studied my MBA via Heriot Watt graduating in 1999. As an extremely busy executive frequently travelling overseas, the EBS MBA offered to me the best form of external study that was truly portable and allowed me to study wherever I happened to be in the world. The course work was very challenging however the learning experience I gained made it all the worth while.

So why did I chose the EBS MBA with all that was on offer at Australian universities? Perhaps the most significant factor in my decision was the worldwide recognition on the quality of EBS and its standing within the international business community. Working for international companies, I needed my MBA to be readily recognised wherever I worked and certainly EBS had this reputation. Indeed a number of large international companies used the EBS MBA as their executive development program that could be taken up by their people in modular form and at a pace they could handle that did not detract from the everyday business.

I also found that in Australia, many of the MBA programs were what were known in business as soft MBAs. They avoided the traditional heavy finance and quantitative subjects that originally formed the MBA programs used worldwide. Indeed at the time, there were no traditional MBAs on offer by Australian universities that followed this content that was on offer as modular external study. This was an important factor to the company I was working for who was funding this study development program for me.

I would certainly support the application of EBS as I believe the availability of their MBA programs for international companies will be invaluable to Australia.

I began studying for my MBA with Edinburgh Business School shortly after the birth of my second child. The distance-learning option meant that I could study at home while still being available to help with the kids, and ensured that I wasn't a stranger to them or my wife by the time I graduated. With the support of my company, I was able to study flexibly and apply my learnings to real situations as I went along.

Completing the degree equipped me with the tools to handle a broad range of business issues, and was an important factor in my moving to a senior management role within Reed. In addition to teaching me all-important lessons in people and organizational management, the MBA has enabled me to take a strategic view on where our business is now, and where we need to go. In particular the international marketing module that was one of my electives has helped in my close involvement in some major export initiatives.

Studying with Edinburgh Business School provided me with the knowledge and the confidence to take my career ahead, without sacrificing a work–life balance, and has left me with a desire to keep on learning and stepping up to new challenges.

Business Professional development was my primary objective for undertaking this program. I had a PhD in Physics and 8 years of professional experience. The last two years had allowed me to move from R&D to Marketing Intelligence. I started the program when my son was two years of age and I had a girl the next year.

The flexibility of distance learning enabled me to balance the demanding and sometimes competing priorities of being a full time mother, holding down a full time job and study requirements. This valuable flexibility would not have been possible in a traditional study arrangement.

This program has material that is relevant and directly applicable to my work. I constantly refer to the study materials for guidance. The program enabled me to understand end-to-end business processes, their relationships and intersecting points— thereby extending my professional capabilities.

The program is not only of a very high standard but offers concrete skills that one can use daily. The study material is current and relevant to people who aspire to contribute strongly to their organisation's strategic direction and achievements. The program is essential to understand in greater detail the current business environment especially in these economic turbulent times.

As a young married couple with international careers in a global company we needed a serious yet flexible MBA. The flexibility of the Heriot-Watt MBA was really put to the test for us when we moved in 2003, 3 years into our MBA together. We had started with the birth of our first son in 2000 as a husband and wife team on our MBA. When news came in 2003 that John had an opportunity to take an assignment in Japan we did not want to say no. We knew this might happen, and for this reason had opted for Heriot-Watt; we were doubly pleased to find out that the Examination Centre in Osaka would be but a 15-min JR ride from our home in Ashiya. Being able to continue so easily was doubly helpful for Sylvia as she took on a PR and Finance role at a local school, to test her hard-won new skills.

Heriot-Watt delivered serious study and global flexibility.

"I am living in a case study" was my answer whenever I told people about my distance learning MBA at Edinburgh Business School. Being in the lucky situation of working for a company in the IT arena, publicly listed both in the US and in Germany, I was dealing with what was taught in the various MBA courses day in and day out. I soaked up all the course material like a dry sponge. It was incredibly relevant to my situation and I was immediately able to apply most of it – not only in case studies like my "on campus" fellow students, but in real life (with all the consequences). The programme helped me to deal with a variety of situations, from explaining our financial results to investors and analysts, to overseeing a new product launch, to putting together a new marketing strategy for our worldwide locations, to leading due diligence on an M&A project. I haven't regretted a single moment of sacrificing weekends and leave days over three and a half years. It was worth it up to the very last minute. I was so convinced about the program that I recommended it to three friends, who all in the meantime have graduated and received their MBA degrees. I'd definitely do it through EBS again.

Starting an MBA course was like standing in front of a mountain. Why on earth should I do this exercise? I decided to embark on an MBA degree programme when I realized that my career needed a boost. My first university degree was more than 10 years away. The world has changed fast since. So why not use the spare time in hotel rooms and airport lobbies for something more inspiring and challenging than reading the same news magazines and watching the same news channels over and over again? What I needed was a flexible and modular structure that allowed me to make swift progress but balance my family life at the same time. There are certainly a number of such programmes on offer but eventually EBS provided the best mixture of high educational standards and ability to carry the study to where I actually work. Having moved more than eight times over the past ten years the latter was the most decisive factor. Buying the modules was like going to the local book shop. Starting to read was easy too (which is not necessarily the case for a non-native speaker) and – hey – it was fun. I chose to start only with one subject to see what it was like. I passed my first exam half a year later with a reasonable pass rate. Subsequently, I did two modules every six months which is manageable for someone who has a demanding career and a family with two small children. While it may now sound as a smooth exercise it was not always the case. I had to change jobs in the middle of my study and relocate from one country to another. And this was when the EBS MBA really paid off. It proved to be as portable as the sales brochure said. I postponed one exam by half a year and changed the exam location. Everything was extremely well organized and could be done without any disruption.

Is there anything I would do differently now? Well, I would certainly choose EBS again. I would, however, spend more time on joining learning groups, either physically or virtually because there is much more infrastructure that I initially thought. But then this is yet another advantage of EBS. You can following your learning style as you please. If you excel in studying on your own and follow your own pace – like I am – the modular format is for you. Should prefer to work in groups or at least meet other students from time to time you can have it too. I was able to finish the last exam three years after I started and exactly six days before our third child was born.

What I finally do recommend is that you join the graduation ceremony. That was the time when I realized what a solid university Heriot Watt University actually is.

I am originally from Canada and my first degree was a Bachelor of Engineering degree from one of the top Canadian Universities. I started my career in Telecommunications in Montreal Quebec and after a number of years as a design engineer of mobile communication systems I was promoted to management. I soon discovered that I needed to formally enhance my qualifications –through an MBA - in order to more effectively perform my duties.

My job requirements included frequent travel as well as long term international assignments. This meant that the MBA program I was going to pursue had to be flexible and location independent. After a considerable search I decided to pursue the MBA distance learning program offered by Heriot-Watt University's Edinburgh Business School (EBS).

The program could be pursued in any part of the world that had post services since at that time there were no online courses and the mode of study was done through high quality courses that were quickly mailed to the required destination. In addition, examination center locations were always conveniently close by, while access to the university's support services was quick, efficient, reliable, and a phone call away. I entered the program while I was in Montreal Canada, continued studying while working in Saltillo Mexico and successfully completed the program in Athens Greece.

My pursuit for higher education through the EBS MBA program resulted in directly upgrading my professional qualifications. This was due to the high quality nature of the MBA program, and the fact that Heriot-Watt University and Edinburgh Business School are internationally well known, highly respected and highly acclaimed institutions.

My experience with the Heriot-Watt EBS MBA program was extremely positive and was one of the reasons I agreed to become a local ambassador for the Edinburgh Business School.

I first heard about the EBS MBA programme while working as a CEO at a multi-national plant. It was an ideal way for me to progress my expertise in the business area without disruption to my continuing employment. I wanted to augment my knowledge in the business area, as my original degrees were both in science/microbiology. I had two further career moves while studying and the flexibility offered by the distance-learning programme was invaluable to me. I am now happily working in the public service dealing with businesses to promote environmental protection especially waste prevention/minimization. The additional business knowledge acquired by me during my MBA studies definitely improves my effectiveness as a manager in my current position.

When I was looking for an MBA programme I had two main criteria: 1) Flexibility in terms of study and exam times, and 2) A well-recognised and respected university.

On both fronts the EBS MBA met my expectations. Once I looked into the programme in more detail I was amazed at the breadth of subjects on offer, substantially more than any other university I had looked at and all available to study at times that suit your lifestyle rather than an academic term.

I was not prepared to take a year or two out from my career to pursue a full-time MBA but the EBS programme provided the perfect template to help balance the demands of career and postgraduate study.

It offers the best of both worlds…additional, practical learnings that you can put in to practice in the workplace immediately.

The support and back-up from the faculty was superb, at no stage was the 'distance learning' element an inhibitor to anything…all questions were answered promptly and additional guidance and advice given when needed.

For those who want to combine career with gaining an MBA and need flexibility, the EBS MBA programme must come top of the list of any comparable institutions.

I heard about EBS many years ago during the time when I was still in college from my lecturers at the time, who were pursuing their MBA. Five years on, I decided then that I should look it up.

Balancing my career and family life (mother of two young beautiful daughters) is not an easy task. I have a busy schedule. The nature of my job providing supporting role to the wider group in my company means that I need to be available when needed and my working hours need to be flexible.

I realized that if I want to continue to pursue my ambition, I would need a good school which is reputable, flexible with good lecturers to support me around my schedule. I also was looking for course material that is solid and easy to follow for me to be able to do self study and study remotely. This is why EBS distance learning course is perfect for me.

The flexibility is not just around time management, but also my budget. It is not always easy to allocate funds to further my own ambition, when I have young children, but the flexibility means that I was not under pressure to pursue the course within 1 -2 years; I could pace myself, save money and plan my education time.

In my opinion, EBS has adopted the successful business strategy to meet the dynamics and demands of its students need without compromising on quality. I feel that EBS is a modern thinking school that suits my modern lifestyle.

As a result, I achieve what I wanted without making too much change to family life and work life. The knowledge that I gain, especially from my elective course do provide a competitive edge for me in my current role.

EBS came very highly recommended to me and now I'm happy to recommend it to anyone.

After a 6-year career in retail banking and financial advice I was looking forward to a change, which materialised as a post within the training centre of the same organisation I was employed with.

My new post was quite challenging, and the atmosphere of learning I was exposed to encouraged me to further my studies. This led me to engage in a 3-year Management Diploma course with a local university that entailed attending long lectures, twice a week, after working hours. Since this course was extremely inflexible and time consuming, when I decided to proceed with my management studies to Masters level, I wanted a programme that could better help me reconcile work with study and personal life.

The answer to my demands was the MBA offered by Edinburgh Business School (EBS) as it provided me with such a flexible and innovative approach that I could progress in my studies at my own pace, not imposed by the institution.

I managed to successfully complete my MBA in 15 months, also attaining a distinction! Only thanks to EBS could I achieve an MBA in such a short time span, and though this meant a lot of hard work, I was ready for the challenge and my efforts were recognised.

The study material provided by EBS is very comprehensive and the practical case studies used are always updated to reflect current economic climates. It provides students with real life scenarios that prepare them to confront everyday business problems with a creative outlook.

Last but not least, the support given by professors and administrative staff at EBS is unquestionably of an excellent standard. My queries and difficulties were always answered effectively within 24 hours, thanks to the various on-line forums which are available to students.

Thanks to the EBS MBA I was able to progress further up the career ladder within my organisation and make valuable contributions through my newly acquired skills and experiences.

If you are seeking an MBA programme that gives you enough flexibility to pursue your studies at your own pace, and if you are ready for the challenge of an intriguing management course, do not look any further – EBS MBA is your choice!

EBS provided me with an opportunity to take an MBA while having an extremely demanding job and also keeping a family life, albeit a somewhat limited one.

The course material is interesting to read and the exercises, if done properly, ensure that you have learned what is vital.

I combined it with on-campus studies in Oslo, which also gave me a valuable network that I profit from today. I got a new job as an MD for an American subsidiary during my studies and they said that one of the main reasons they chose me was my MBA studies combined with my relevant experience.

I would recommend that all students take advantage of the MBA and the Watercooler site, which contributes and gives feedback on where you stand and which area you need to focus on to pass the exams.

To complete the MBA really takes some stamina. Many people start and don't realize that this is a very demanding university. However, I found a fellow student and we really benefited from our cooperation. I would recommend this to everybody. All in all, my MBA has opened doors for me that otherwise wouldn't have opened.

During my career as an officer in the Royal Norwegian Navy, I have completed a fair amount of internal training, but only modest amounts of academic studies – so when I had the opportunity to expand my academic horizon I felt it right choosing an institution of higher education that has opened its MBA-program for those of us who haven't followed a normal line of education and who don't have a bachelor's degree to build upon.

Undertaking intensive studies alongside full-time work, and with two small children in the house, requires systematic work. The MBA-program at Edinburgh Business School is very well laid out and is well-organized. In particular I enjoyed the possibility of focusing on one module at a time. The complete curriculum is compiled in one place by the professor responsible for the module. The web-pages are easy to relate to and work well. The professors and staff are available on the web and in my opinion the professors answer any questions quickly and accurately. I've also occasionally taken advantage of the opportunity to download the syllabus as pdf-files and bring it along on travels. I also found it very useful to be able to download and study the past papers several years back in my preparations to sit for exams.

The immense flexibility the MBA-program offers was also an important factor when choosing what MBA-program to follow – it is somewhat less daunting to start a demanding study when you know that you can adjust your pace to match other varying commitments at work or at home.

In my opinion there is an advantage that so many have obtained their MBA-degree from Edinburgh Business School. The program is well-known and the university is prestigious.

After having completed the nine modules in two and a half years, it was a great moment and an overwhelming experience to receive the degree at the graduation ceremony in Scotland on my 39th birthday. It has also been satisfying receiving confirmation that the degree is considered highly relevant, and I know that it was given great weight when I shortly thereafter received a promotion in rank in the Navy and the new position in the Norwegian Ministry of Defence.

In year 2000 my current boss asked me what my plans were for changing a negative cash-flow into positive. The question gave me an unpleasant feeling of helplessness that made me realise that I lacked competence and tools to deal with business issues.

I decided that I needed business training and this led me to the EBS MBA programme, which had the flexibility and reputation I looked for. I enjoyed studying the courses, but more importantly each course made me feel better equipped to deal with the business problems I faced in my own work.

When I was in the final stages of the MBA programme, EBS suddenly launched the DBA programme. Though, I was aware that the self-study pathway for the DBA programme would be a daunting task, the attraction of being trained in applied research based thinking and methods to define, implement and evaluate real business issues drove me to go for the challenge.

The EBS DBA programme should definitely not be taken lightly, but at least EBS provides you with experienced researchers to guide you. Personally, I loved working with my mentor during the research proposal stage, and I will forever be indebted to my supervisor for supportive and inspiring guidance from the early phases of the literature review to the viva voce examination.

The DBA has been an incredible experience. The programme has not only trained me in applied research based thinking, but has also broadened my understanding of strategic management. However, the greatest experience of all has been to prove to myself that I was capable of overcoming the intellectual challenge to conduct research at doctoral level.

My adventure with the Edinburgh Business School MBA programme started a long time ago, in 1999. It was the year when the Internet bubble seemed to grow indefinitely and all the IT jobs seemed to be secure. And it was exactly the time when I started asking myself whether a pure IT education was going to be sufficient for me in the modern world. The answer was 'no'.

I decided to investigate the local MBA market in Poland. All the programmes, even those offered by the top business schools in Warsaw, required attendance to lectures during evenings or over weekends. At that time I was travelling on business almost every week for a couple of days. I could not afford more time out. I was freshly married and my wife was expecting a baby. A friend of mine mentioned the EBS distance learning course being designed for people who wanted to study at their own pace. He mentioned that one needed to be very self-disciplined to be able to make it. Well, I decided I would be.

The first experience with Accounting was tough – the concepts, taught in English, were difficult, but as I continued reading, everything was becoming more and more logical. I signed for a session in June 2000 and when my son was born in April I realised that I could not cope with both tasks. I had to become a full-time daddy for a year. I attempted it again in June 2001 and I passed the exam, reaching 87 points. It encouraged me to go for more.

Over the course of the next 4 years I managed to keep my job, keep my wife, pass another 7 exams, welcome my daughter, born in 2002, to the world, build a family house and move in. At the end of the MBA course I was promoted to become an IT manager for the Europe, Middle East and Africa – a true success that would not have been possible without completing the EBS MBA.

Eftuchios Papadopoulos

Back in 2003 I was looking for an MBA program that would really fit my hectic private and professional life. I was recently relocated to Russia in a new and demanding position, and due to my irregular working hours and frequent business trips I had to find a program that would give the option to fully control the pace of my studies without any compromises to the quality of the course.

I did a lot of market research and from a series of respectable Business Schools, the EBS program proved to be the most suitable due to its flexibility, good reputation and reasonable cost. I did not regret it.

It took me 5 years to complete the course and in between a lot of nice things came to my life; a marriage, the birth of a child and eventually a new more challenging and upgraded post, as a General Manager.

The course was very demanding, and asks for self determination and stamina, as practically it consumed most of my already limited free time, but is greatly rewarding.

It really gave a push to my career and I wholeheartedly recommend it to all of you!

Vladimir Shevchenko

Several years ago I found myself in a position of a strong necessity to systematize my previous knowledge to obtain the integral understanding of the business management issues and to prepare myself for the new stage of professional career development. Having a good technical eductation, solid experience in different business areas with multinational companies and professional ambitions, I was eager to grow to a senior management level. Of course, a MBA programme seemed to be the proper way to follow.

For several reasons full-time study was not a feasible option for me. The tough travel schedule made an option of regular evening classes a doubtful solution. EBS MBA is really one of the few programmes which offer fantastic flexibility with no compromise over quality. Excellent mix of professional approach to the distance learning, flexible schedule, accurate selection of modular courses, different study and examination options, top quality textbooks written by the respected professors gives you an opportunity to concentrate on study in almost every situation. I managed to continue study in trains, airports, hotel rooms and other places without loosing the subject focus. During one of the extremely challenging projects I had to suspend my study for a year but then resumed and succeeded.

Of course, distance learning is a demanding task. It requires strong self discipline and dedication. You have to share your time simultaneously between job, family and study. But you can also gain benefits from the very first day. In total I spent around five years to complete the programme but started to apply the new knowledge after the first month of study.

Three years ago, my EBS MBA study, highly rated by professionals and well known by many business managers, became the good supplement to my experience and achievements. All of that affected the decision of my new employer to select me from the short list of candidates for a senior position. Due to that I managed to return investments to MBA study even before graduation.

I highly appreciate and recommend EBS MBA programme.

Francisco Javier Ballesteros Mejia

It is with a deep sense of sincerity that I would like to share with you my feelings of high appreciation and genuine academic respect for the EBS graduate programme. I wanted to pursue an opportunity to refresh and update my Analytical Toolkit in International Business and Finance. Yet what I had found was a well-thought, strongly structured course of studies that has got me further down on the path of accomplishing career success and professional reward. I had never imagined it would be this intellectually challenging and fulfilling.

I would certainly highly recommend the programme to anyone but, in particular, to those in my own circumstances: in a nutshell, those in a permanent desire for professional improvement and self-satisfaction.

Françoise de Valera

When I first signed up to study the EBS MBA in 1993, straight out of University, I found I wasn't ready for it. I struggled to link the course to reality, as I hadn't experienced many of the situations in which the concepts taught would apply. However, I knew I wanted to complete it and that it would be highly beneficial for my career. It wasn't until 2005 when, as a senior manager within the telecommunications sector, I realized that the time was right. I graduated from the MBA programme the following year.

The prime benefits I have obtained from the course are additional confidence in my business skills, new analytical tools and a sense of speaking more of a common language with my peers. The confidence piece is critical – I now know that those around me are unlikely to know that much more than I do about the principles of running a business, except what experience may have taught them (highly valuable too, of course) and am able to make informed, considered decisions and unpick flawed arguments without worrying about whether others made their case based on some business concept I might not have been aware of. Shortly after completing the MBA, I was promoted to Chief Operating Officer, in charge of a 50 million GBP business. (I am the only female officer in our organization).

The flexibility offered by the distance learning course was crucial to my being able to complete it. I travel extensively with work and have little free time. When I do have free time, the last thing I want to do is study. The distance learning approach and not having to submit assignments allowed me to use travel time to study the course when my schedule allowed which, coupled with some study leave (5 days per exam) which I was able to negotiate with my employer, allowed me to complete the course without affecting my quality of life. While my employer would probably have funded the course for me had I asked, my late grandfather had given me the money to complete the course back in 1993, so I owe it to him.

I highly recommend the course.

Gehan Colliander

The will to get the "bigger picture" is what drove me to pursuit an MBA program. Credibility and flexibility is what led me to Heriot-Watt, Edinburgh Business School.

It has been a tremendous experience in every sense of the word.

For a mother, wife, a career woman and a person, the journey could be describe in two words: challenging and rewarding.

It took me over 3 years to complete the program, and thanks to the exposure an MBA enrolment at such a distinguished university gave me, I managed to move to the Revenue Management unit of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Regional office in Stockholm, to hold the strategic position of Pricing manager, Denmark & Iceland.

And now that I have graduated, there are no limits...

I would like to thank Edinburgh Business School and its distinguished professors and authors for well structured, flexible, and high standard program.

Bjorn van Matern

I took my Bachelors degree 20 years ago at one of the top ranked business schools in the US. And by comparison Edinburgh Business School is world class.

I studied my MBA long distance while attending classes for each module in Sweden. The set up was perfect and I finished my studies in approx. 2 ½ years. I thoroughly enjoyed the studies, it was challenging and the material was immensely mind expanding. I graduated in 2008 and crowned the MBA program by attending the ceremony in Edinburgh in the summer.

Strange as I might seem, I miss the studies and the constant feed of hands on business applicable models and reasoning.

We have an EBS alumni group in Sweden. Besides networking, we stick together as a group and meet at the charter office in Stockholm once a year for updates on the latest courses by EBS.

In summary, my experience of studying with Edinburgh Business School is all positive, I can vouch for the education at any time and I am personally very happy that I choose this MBA program. It has given me insights, confidence and tools that I apply daily both at work and private.

Jacob Senderovitz

Being a father of 3 with a wife also pursuing a professional career, I needed the ability to study at my own pace, and taking breaks as needed along the way. That is the main reason I chose EBS.

I have been very happy with that decision. I was able to pursue my career, take care of my family, and at the same time extend my skills by studying at EBS.

The required level of understanding and mastery of the course material came as a surprise to me, and passing all the exams took a lot of effort.

During the years I studied, I met some really interesting fellow students, one of which later became my partner in a new start-up business.

Nearing the end of my studies I relocated from Denmark to Sweden, but that did not constitute any problems whatsoever with respect to EBS. I just signed up for my final exam in Stockholn instead of in Copenhagen. No worries.

The broad and deep competencies I have obtained at EBS have helped me a lot, and despite the hard journey I do not regret it for a minute.

Eric van Duijn

So you are curious, you would like to know more about 'business', about its mechanics and interconnections? You want to know about Finance, Accounting and Strategic Planning, not just the short version, but the full story? You are ambitious and willing to invest a lot of your energy and feel attracted by the fact that your goal – an MBA – is demanding to achieve?

In 1997 my answer to all these questions was yes. I was working for a very fine aviation company and I had an excellent job as First Officer. But I was looking for more. EBS had exactly what I needed: an ambitious, challenging road to a fully recognised Master in Business Administration. As my spare time was highly irregular, the possibility to study wherever I was suited me ideally. I had been shopping around for a while looking for distance learning degrees; I had been in contact with several institutions, with rather mixed results.

Edinburgh Business School stood out with its fair pricing policy, with the possibility to start with just one course (a modest risk if things would not work out according to my plan), and with high academic standards compared to other programmes.

After buying the first course I felt unsure: is this it? Where does the information provided in the text modules come from? Is this sound, how do they teach this at other universities? I checked out some other universities, bought some books and came to a simple conclusion rather quickly. What was presented by EBS was top quality. It not only represented state-of-the-art knowledge but even went on to teach it in a very professional way. Straightforward, the important concepts first, clear explanations. I started feeling sorry for the full-timers I had interviewed and enjoyed the freedom to choose my own path and pace at EBS.

Studying was tough, my time available to study decreased steadily as my employer kept me more and more busy. I aimed at ten hours per week on average, which was just about manageable with two kids, some military flying duties and my job as copilot. When the company I worked for called me for a transition course to captain I had to take a break with my MBA course. That promotion would not come for free and would demand full attention for quite some time, I knew. No problem with Edinburgh Business School: I waited half a year before buying my last two courses and graduated a year after becoming a captain.

The progress thereafter was fast, too fast maybe – but you would have to ask my family about that. Within a few years I got promoted to Fleet Chief, a management position responsible for the safe operation of our airplanes. The job put to test all contents of everything I had studied at Heriot-Watt: the company went into a steep nose-dive, restructured several times, went bankrupt. We had to draw up new plans for a restart, lay off employees, set up completely new operations and find ways of merging culturally with another company. As Fleet Chief I was in charge of some 240 employees at that time and I was doing everything to keep my fleet together. More restructuring, more lay-offs, then the sale of the enterprise. Finally the recovery and thanks to the general economic upturn in aviation some positive results. Every book on my shelf came in as a good guide, as a valuable source of sound information.

Would I do an EBS MBA again? Yes, I would! And today I would go to Heriot-Watt without hesitation. The programme is worth every minute of time invested. The concepts and contents are useable in industry – I can tell.

John Mackillop

I studied my MBA full-time in 1998–9 and was part of the first cohort to be housed in the fine new building on the Riccarton campus. I remember feeling distinctly nervous on the first morning, expecting everybody else to be really smart, aggressive and dynamic. I had this idea of being surrounded by stereotypical MBA students who would sneer at me and sell my granny if they got the chance.

In truth, I could not have been more wrong: I met some wonderful, cheerful, funny, intelligent people from all corners of the world, many of whom have become firm friends. It was the most intensive, exhilarating, hard working, enjoyable and rewarding year of my adult life.

When I first saw the timetable I was horrified at the thought of a whole day per week being set aside for one subject. However, the way the sessions were divided between teaching, discussing case studies in groups and reporting back our findings ensured that the days flew in.

The staff were great, which was a huge bonus. Approachable, helpful, funny and friendly from the receptionists to the professors.

My MBA has opened many doors for me. I was promoted within 3 months of returning to my teaching job and am currently running the MA programme at a University College in Switzerland.

To anybody dithering about where to study for their MBA, I have no hesitation in recommending EBS. I agonized long and hard about whether or not to do an MBA and if so, where to do it. Going to EBS was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Nando Cesarone

The material at EBS was very relevant to today's business environment. It also covers the material from an International point of view.

The material was challenging but allowed for an effective learning of the subject matter. The course itself was very flexible. I was able to balance a demanding work schedule with a family schedule. I could study at my own pace, evaluate how I would do on the exams and then schedule the exams at a convenient location and time.

Perfect fit for me.

Zdravko Ninov

I looked at several options before choosing Heriot-Watt but with my very busy job and family life the EBS distance-learning program offered the maximum level of flexibility that fitted best my needs. It's simply a fantastic way of gaining qualifications without the hassle of travelling and also without having to take time off work, as it is something you can do when it is quiet both at work and at home.

The program's flexibility and the ability to plan and study at my own pace with no deadlines helped me to concentrate more on each unit. The sequence of each course can also be chosen freely both of which was very important to me.

At the beginning I wasn't sure if everything would work out for me studying over the internet but the web-based portal that accompanies the paper-based textbooks is excellent. Always available and very user friendly. I found the numerous exercises offered at each module very useful including monitoring the study progress pointing out areas to strengthen.

The quality of study material was outstanding, supported with numerous examples including many practice-oriented case studies.

The MBA degree I earned at EBS helped me make a big enhancement to my career, not only on better understanding the operational details of my work, but also in terms of understanding management and teamwork in general. In my opinion this program provides students with the necessary skills and academic knowledge for both entry and mid-level positions in business.

Finally big thanks to all the administration staff and tutors for their co-operation, support and encouraging comments.

A'amir Taqvi

The single most important decision I have made in my life was to study for my EBS MBA. Having now graduated from the full-time on-campus programme (and graduating with a specialism in Strategic Planning), I have progressed into the DBA programme offered by the school in their Centre for Strategy Development and Implementation. In my mind and (more importantly) the minds of many employers, Edinburgh Business School is THE school for an MBA in strategic planning. More than that, the books wholly contain the most contemporary content with cutting edge theories and models explained and developed in such a way that, irrespective of your background, you will be able to fully understand and utilize it throughout your career. This is very important when it comes to the enjoyment of learning and retention of what I have learned. I found the course material so useful infact, that I keep the original black boxes on an easily accessible shelf nearby for quick referencing during work.

I now work for a local authority in Scotland, in their Economic Development services for the community; managing and executing strategic action plans developed with joint strategy partners including voluntary, private and public sector agencies. It involves creating a strategic fit and alignment with European economic development strategies right down to the British, Scottish and then finally the local area plans. The competencies I gained just from the invaluable "black books" is used day-in and day-out on my job, and I foresee it being invaluable in my future career.

Likewise, I've even benefited from the creditability just progressing on my DBA has given me - let alone what I will gain from the final award. And the streamlining of the degrees (and flexibility of the courses) makes it so very easy to go from the MBA to the MSc/DBA, allowing almost a '2 for the price of 1' in obtaining the degrees. The degrees are great value for money and I highly recommend the entire EBS programme - especially if you are intending to gain a credible Doctorate title in business, all while doing it flexibly from your everyday life and work schedule!

Christopher J Hughes

I wanted to study for the MBA because my training to date had been very narrowly focused on the financial area of the companies business. If I was to progress further with my career I had to move into a more cross functional role.

I started studying for the MBA with Edinburgh Business School because the literature suggested that the course material would cover everything I needed and that although help was on hand should I need it, there was potential to complete the entire course from home.

I was very impressed with the course material and found that I used very little of the additional support (I used the internet library and chat room once or twice only) with a clear scope of work I set myself a tight deadline to achieve the MBA within three years spending between two and three hours a day.

Administrative areas were very simple and easy to understand and the staff at EBS were always courteous and prompt with responses.

It was only when I qualified that I visited the campus.

The difference to my career was immediate. I achieved the promotion I had sought and had the confidence to carry out the tasks required.

Christine Payne

This course of study was by far and away the most difficult piece of studying that I have ever done. I would also have to say that it has been the most rewarding.

I embarked on my MBA because basically I was a technology person working in an economic development environment with Scottish Enterprise.

My first degrees was chemistry and mathematics. Having a good grasp of technology meant that I could relate to clients on "techy" matters but my business skills were sadly lacking, and this was stopping me from optimising my interaction with companies.

It seemed obvious to me that an MBA would be the best to way to overcome this.

As I progressed through the course work, module by module, I began to see how the whole picture came together –how strategy dictated marketing, how financed affected accounting and so on.

I have learned so much from this course and fortunately because of my job I have been able to put most of it into practice virtually immediately. I know that my performance in my job is now vastly improved.

I would recommend the course very highly but only to those whose private life is such that it could accommodate the huge amount of time required– time which I grossly underestimated.

Claire Hill

Edinburgh Business School campus has expanded since I began studying for my MBA in 2002.

It has been great to meet new people from Scotland / other countries and networking.

There has been a good selection of optional courses and my favourite was Human Resources.

I have enjoyed both the practical side and going on nights out.

I would recommend doing an MBA to anyone but it is hard work and im glad its come to an end for me as its being a long 4 years.

One of my goals was to complete an MBA as you can study various courses to suit your interests and new optional subjects are being introduced.

I have really enjoyed my time at Edinburgh Business School and my 1.5 hours travelling each way has been worthwhile.

Deborah Thompson

Carling don't do MBAs, but if they did, I'm sure it would be like doing one with the Edinburgh Business School. Imagine deciding you want to do an MBA on a Monday, and sitting on your couch reading through your first module by Friday. By this stage you don't have to have decided which of the nine modules you will be studying – you can have ordered just one, or all nine, or anything in between. The modules themselves are very readable and clear, with well-worked examples and test questions. You can study them at home, in the bath, on the train or even in your lunch hour. And boy, are they addictive! I found once I started I couldn't put them down.

When you have read and understood them; and feel confident enough to prove it, you simply apply to sit the relevant paper – at a venue to suit you, in one of four "exam taking weeks" spread throughout the year. After that it's back to studying for the next subject, whilst keeping one eye out for the postman to deliver those keenly anticipated results. You can take as many papers at one time as you wish and take as long as you need to prepare for them (within a maximum of seven years from registration.) When it's all done and you have nine scores of 50% or above, you can head off to Edinburgh for a delightful ceremony and a few days with the parents! Oh, and when you get back to work, the prospects for promotion suddenly seem brighter, you can surreptitiously add those coveted three letters onto your business card, and ... well; mine's a pint please barman! (Oh and by the way; it doesn't do your marriage prospects any harm either!!)

Gillian Bell

I studied my MBA with EBS from 2000 – 2002 on a part-time basis and thoroughly enjoyed the course.

I was attracted to EBS because it allowed on site study over weekends. I was going to be doing my MBA on a part-time basis and really wanted a way of focusing on learning and not worry about getting away from work to make evening classes! I visited EBs before taking the course and was very impressed by the state of the art technology and learning environment.

The weekend studies encouraged for team building ( I am still in touch with many of the friends made) and the ability to leave work behind and focus on learning for a weekend. It was a fantastic experience doing the MBA at Heriot Watt as the classes and standard of lectures are very high. Case studies are used in the main part which help bring situations to life and assist you in applying knowledge.

On completing my MBA enabled me to transfer industry from Insurance to Hotels. Previously I worked as an Operations Manager for an insurance company and then I on completion of the course I became an Operations Director for Hilton Hotels Corporation.

Hilton said they were looking for someone who had both experience and business educational background – the MBA certainly got me the interview and subsequently the job!

On a person level it was a lot of fun although a lot of hard work. It gave me confidence in my abilities and gave me a lot of understanding of all aspects of business from marketing to accounts ... skills I now put to use every day!

Ian Tenner

Having completed two previous degrees at Heriot-Watt I was familiar with the campus making studying for my MBA at EBS a natural choice. Coupled with recommendations from colleagues the flexibility of the course was a huge attraction. In my case this flexibility allowed me to study courses out of sequence having missed part of the first term. It also meant that when my job moved to London I was able to complete my exams at the London centre, rather than having to travel back "up the road".

Utilising everything from conventional lectures to bespoke simulations of Shipping and economic models the course format and quality of learning material was excellent. Classes were small enough to address individual concerns without precluding, often lively, group debate. Despite the complexity of the subject matter the level of support available was first class. An example of this was the Derivatives option. This is a case where obtaining a distinction in something initially so daunting could not have been achieved on effort alone.

The lecturers were both experienced and willing to take the time to answer individual questions. In most cases providing additional, voluntary, study workshops between the end of each course and the exams.

The modular basis of the Specialism I studied allowed me to tailor the elective parts of the course to match my needs. This also meant that I was more readily able to bring back what I had learned and apply it in the workplace.

Anyone considering undertaking an MBA while in full term employment will understand the scale of commitment required, both by oneself and those around you. I would neither have managed without the support and understanding of my wife, or the quality of the EBS course itself.

Krish Narain

I found the course enormously useful for my career development. The core units provided a good basic grounding in business skills and theory. The elective courses such as competitive strategy provide a more focused skill-set for my particular needs. The basic understanding of how businesses work and the needs of managers and employees, management by objectives and reporting skills has enabled me to communicate through all levels of small and large companies.

The flexibility in when and how fast you take the units was immensely useful, especially as my first child was born in the June exam week 3 years ago. With this flexibility simply deferring the exams 6 months was easy and stress-free. Given a busy working schedule and a busy family life this course fitted well with my needs.

Another welcome aspect was the international input from authors from institutes around the world, this gave a very balanced and rounded view fo someone like myself who is an international Sales manager, which was very useful.

The on-line tutition tools were becoming very useful towards the end f my studies and they di offer a level of support for distance learners which was missing from the earlier paper based courses.

Marc Abbott

I began studying for my EBS MBA whilst working for bp back in 1999; I also had a 6 month daughter at that time. The primary reasons for choosing EBS were reputation, flexibility and the support network offered which was crucial for me as I was undertaking the course on a distance learning basis.

Early on into the studying my family expanded and a became a dad for the second time however a serious medical condition with my newborn son meant that I had to take a year out of studying for the MBA. Resuming after a year proved difficult but with the support of my family and employer I was able to progress through the course and most importantly pass the exams. In January of 2003 I had two exams remaining to pass and to make it just a bit more difficult I decided to change jobs and take up a consultancy position with an Aberdeen company this transitional period made the remaining exams much more difficult than I had assumed.

I finally completed the EBS MBA in November of 2004 and opted to graduate in July 2005 at Edinburgh it was truly a day to remember and made all the effort worthwhile. Now in 2006 and thanks primarily to the EBS MBA I have achieved one of my lifetime goals of living and working internationally, in January 2007 my family and I will emigrate to Alberta, Canada where I will take up new employment with Shell Canada.

Looking back I can wholeheartedly state that the EBS MBA was a life changing experience, very stressful at times, but worth every minute and it has proved to be the cornerstone of my career progression. I would recommend EBS to anyone who is seriously considering undertaking an MBA.

Mark Francis

When I was thinking of doing my MBA I did not think that it was possible to complete my 7 courses in 18 months. I was really impressed by the flexibity that I had to do some courses by distance learning and others part time whilst working full time. My part time courses were completed in a first class teaching facility with very good lecturers with market experience. I also liked the ability to pay for courses as I went along which did help my finances. Having completed the course 2 years ago I am now able to make use of the opportunities that have presented themselves with my employer.

Mark Sobczak

Studying at Edinburgh Business School provided me with not only a memorable experience, or a network of people whom have proved invaluable since graduating, but also practical and powerful aspects of business.

The courses were very relevant, with material being practical and delivered at an appropriate level by experienced and recognized experts in their particular area.

The facilities provided a learning opportunity that was second to none, whilst allowing a casual, constructive sense of informality to allow myself and others to grow and develop our skills.

The Business School and, in particular, the MBA programme provided an opportunity to meet like-minded professionals, which has proved invaluable as we have progressed in each of our respective careers although still staying in touch.

Ana Lucia Cristea

I studied an Edinburgh Business School MBA through West London College in Central London graduating in July 2008. It was a very interesting and reasonably challenging experience at the end of which my chances of getting a well paid job and the opportunities for career progression have significantly increased.

The tutors were well prepared, the supporting manuals and materials very comprehensive combining theory, examples and practical case studies- basically all you need for being well prepared for the exams. As a word of advice I would say that the exams are not easy - so you have to be well prepared and have good exam techniques and time management skills in order to pass.

The mandatory subjects were well combined so that it gives one thorough knowledge and a good understanding of the skills needed in order to efficiently run a business.

I would recommend this MBA programme to anyone. It is flexible and good value for money, especially if done through a good college.

Jayshree Shah

Don't be fooled to think that the EBS program is an easy option, you will have to be very disciplined and work hard to successfully complete the course requirements.

Finishing the program is a very satisfying experience.

I found that EBS was very supportive throughout the program and the online help is fantastic.

Lorraine Mohammed

I started studying with EBS by the distant learning program, and later in 2007 moved to the UK and then to the Riccarton campus. From the beginning I found the non teaching staff very helpful, and this was key to helping me settle down with my studies and use the tools available. Once I got into my studies the online tools and interaction with various professors provide invaluable guidance and help in grasping various topics and overcoming hurdles.

On campus, there is the added benefit of face to face interaction with the professors and other students, which I feel takes the learning experience to another level and helps build a meaningful network. The facilities are top notch and very conducive to studying, I love the break-out rooms! The campus itself is quite special; it not massive but it is spacious, very green and lush, you feel as if you are studying in a national park. If you prefer energy the campus pub has a good vibe and my personal favorite was treating myself – after a bout with the books to a Starbucks cappuccino in the café and taking in the news.

What excited me from the beginning was how practical the EBS MBA program was; you had to understand the theory and background but the program pushed you to use it in projects, and when you answered you exam questions you really needed to know how to apply the information you gathered in your studies to have a quality pass. However, above all the single most important aspect of my experience at EBS were the simulation workshops that came with the Economics and Strategic planning modules; these really help to put academic knowledge into practice and has taught me a great deal about management style and running a business.

Nicholas Ross

I was working as an IT Analyst in the financial sector, and had been looking for a study option outside of work to broaden my skills and knowledge. I happened to have a conversation with the Head of IT at the firm, who attested that his MBA was the best career move he had made. When selecting a school, the appeal of Edinburgh Business School was twofold.

Firstly, the internationally popular distance learning study route had a very good reputation. Secondly, it offered good value relative to other local universities - and despite preferring the distance learning study route, I did want to study with a local institution in order that I could have easier access to the faculty for support.

As someone who would be staying in full time employment, and with a baby on the way, the flexibility to study as and when I could (I took a six month break following the birth of my son) was fantastic.

Any distance learning course stands or falls on the quality of the written materials provided, as well as on the support provided to students on campus or online. I found both the coursework and online support forums to be extremely good, with the quick and helpful responses of tutors online being particularly noteworthy.

Upon completion of the MBA I immediately found that more prospective employers and their agents were keen to speak with me than had previously been the case. There were a number of opportunities to go and work in London, but family ties meant I was keen to stay in Edinburgh and I secured a role at Standard Life Investments in January 2008.

Before I started the MBA, the advice given to me was that you get out of the qualification what you put in – and that would be my advice to anyone considering taking one on today. It is a significant commitment in terms of both time and resources, but one that has the potential to repay with interest.

Phillip Ochama

It was the best decision of my life when I chose the MBA programme at Edinburgh Business School, Heriot – Watt. It was a hugely enriching and invigorating experience to spend time with the lecturers and other students understanding the range of issues that affect all professionals from formulating to realising organisational strategies.

As well as making a number of friends and contacts from throughout the world, I learnt that, whilst there are no straight roads, all students face different kinds of challenges, concerns, stresses and strains. Addressing these issues through case studies and sharing experiences in the class in a lively and friendly manner was both hugely stimulating and rewarding. The course facilitated me in relating my work directly to the different business / management models, this in turn helped me to get promotions.

The course was entertaining, valuable and challenging but, most of all, great fun. This is because of the wide choice of courses the EBS MBA programme offers.

I would highly recommend EBS MBA.

Sanna Darboe

First things first, I would very much like to seize this opportunity to thank EBS and whoever is involved in allowing me to gain an invaluable education and experience and most importantly to be a graduate of this highly regarded institution.

This as I regard is a life changing achievement and am sure will very much contribute to my career progression.

It has always been an aspiration for me to one day be in a senior position in a challenging business environment and as such, today's business environment needs highly talented individuals who are dynamic and confident in their role as decision makers.

After completing my professional qualifications in accounting and finance I decided to do a Masters in Business Administration program to enable me to realize my ambitions. The choice of which MBA to go for was an easy one for me after speaking to one of my ex colleagues who went through similar experiences and after looking through the choice of courses to take and with the exemptions given to me which reduces the number of courses for me.

The quality of this MBA program is supplemented by the choices available in terms of the courses to sit and the flexibility in when to take and how many to take at a time not forgetting to mention the materials available in hand and online, this is second to none.

I feel I have really benefited from the program, courses like Economics, Project Management, Organisational Behavior, Marketing and many more have given me enhanced potential to one day become a manager in my own right.

I would like to conclude by once again thanking everyone at EBS and to mention that my graduation day was one of the best days in my life and if not the best ceremonies I've ever witnessed.

Smita Sanyal

I joined Edinburgh Business School (EBS), Heriot Watt University in January 2006 as a MBA student. I opted for MBA with Marketing specialism to gain in-depth knowledge and exposure in Business Management. After searching through different universities and their course structure, I found EBS the most appealing. The course structure and modules were very challenging and exhaustive.

This course is different from other MBA courses because it provides a detailed insight into the different core modules like Marketing and Finance which are the building blocks of every organization. This attracted me towards this degree and EBS the most.

The MBA degree from EBS helped me to acquire an edge personally and professionally in terms of Time and People Management. It helped me to utilize my theoretical knowledge into the practical environment. I could confidently oversee the projects from conceptualization through to successful and timely completion. The marketing strategies learnt during MBA helped me to increase sales and gain an edge over the competitors within companies like GEA and HSBC.

The faculty and staff at EBS were very cooperative and supportive. Their encouragement and advice throughout my MBA tenure has helped me achieve this degree with Grade 'A' in Finance and Marketing Communications. I feel proud to be al Alumnus of this prestigious institution.

Robin Fowler

I started studying 10 years ago to confirm to myself that I had a broad grounding in business. Family life and work intervened at many times to put my studies on hold, but the EBS staff never forgot me and encouraged me to continue.

With my family older and undertaking higher education I somehow found the time and resources to make that final push to complete the MBA by taking a module at each diet. This demanded tenacity and application whilst undertaking a very demanding job.

As a senior strategy/finance manager, a lot of what I was dealing with on a day to day basis had a relevance to the compulsory and elective modules I was studying, which in turn added new techniques or insight into my decision taking. So this was a course that could immediately be applied to the real world.

My advice to anyone considering this course is to go for it. Its not any easy option, but success really does demonstrate your ability to commit, project manage your time, and perseverance to achieve goals as well as exposure to many disciplines within the business world.

Patricia Armstrong

I studied for my MBA with Edinburgh Business School through distance learning finishing in 1998. Although living in the same city as the University, as a full-time working mother of two, it gave me the opportunity to fit my studies around an already busy life.

The fact that I could study independently and at times to fit in with my lifestyle made it very suitable and accessible to my needs - although I was always aware that additional support was there if I needed it. The materials I studied were comprehensive enough for me to work through on my own and I found the self-assessment tests at the end a really good measure of how I was progressing. The fact that I also had exams every six months was an incentive to help me plan my schedules and stay on track.

It was also helpful that I could consider the theoretical examples alongside actual business experience (although my work was based in the third sector, the learning was transferrable across all sectors). I would say that having an MBA has certainly helped me on the path I have travelled since 1998. I previously worked in Administration and Finance but have since moved from working locally to nationally and from Administration to Management.

My current role involves leading a national organisation, working as a strategic partner of Scottish government, managing a programme of leadership opportunities for leaders across Scotland's Third Sector and working with a range of partners across all sectors.

I would certainly recommend the EBS MBA as an excellent opportunity to enhance your leadership skills, as a programme that can be delivered to meet your needs and as a recognised route for career progression.

I majored in Aerospace Engineering at the Sharif University of Technology some years ago but I'm not the type of guy who enjoys the governmental system (all the renowned companies were governmental). So I decided to teach English at Cavendish College Institute in Iran. After a while I realized that I needed to make progress to use my full capacity; that was what drew me to take my MBA at EBS. Having the opportunity to study at the weekends suited my purposes and although I faced some problems in my second year of living in Dubai, I enjoyed the programme and it broadened my horizons. It gave me the vision to fulfil what I was thinking of for a long time. I'm now in the construction business, enjoying a good knowlege of business. Directly and indirectly, I'm benefiting from my knowlege.

I highly recommend taking part in this programme if you really think that you have higher needs in your life that are not satisfied yet.

My EBS MBA is one of the most effective and beneficial decisions I have ever made with regards to my studies and career.

The merits of the EBS MBA programme are split into two:, flexibility and educational value.

On the flexibility side, as a very busy professional travelling a lot, the programme has allowed me to complete it and graduate taking into account the busy schedule and demanding tasks of business life.

On the educational side it had contributed enormously to my knowledge and understanding of the different management aspects of business life, covering all the disciplines today's managers are required to have in order to succeed and advance in their career, starting from marketing, financing, economics, organisational behaviour and so on.

The most important value of this programme is that it is not just a theoretical one, but actually very pragmatic and business-oriented. The materials in the programme have been implemented on a regular basis ever since.

Today, business requires us to master and understand all fields.

Edinburgh Business School gives you all you need and much more. In Israel, there is a great competition between companies; if you want to stay on top of things you need to stay alert, to study and then make the right choices with as little mistakes as possible.

When I came to study, I just wanted to add the MBA to my resume but I gained much more. The high quality of the teachers (the best that money can buy) and the programme that Heriot-Watt had produced surprised me. I fell in love with Strategic Planning and it changed my point of view.

Today I am trying to implement my studies into my work and making the difference for me and my company. You can choose the way and time of your study, For example, I started my MBA in 2001 and after finishing half of the courses I took a break and went for a one-year trip in South America. After I returned back home (and had got married on the way), I finished the last part in 2005.

In summary, I think Edinburgh Business School gives you tools that can be used in your business, it gives you flexibility in choosing how and when you like to study, it is of good quality and add value for your career. I can say now after finishing my MBA that Heriot-Watt helped me in my career and improved my knowledge and my decisions at work and even at home.

Thank you Edinburgh Business School.

With a technical background in engineering and many years working on business-related activities within the company I wanted to get a more formal education on the management of the business.

When I was looking for an MBA programme, I found out that most of them required at least one full day of classes with a minimum participation of 80%.

As a full-time sales director in a high-tech company, I could not commit to such requirements due to the demanding long hours of the job and frequent business trips.

I found the Heriot-Watt distance learning programme the perfect fit for my needs. It allowed me to continue my job normally and combine it with the MBA programme.

I started the programme in Israel, where Heriot-Watt partnered with a local college that provided classes based on the distance learning programme. I found this an excellent combination that allowed me to participate in the classes when I was in the country, network with people from similar markets and get to know people from other disciplines. While away on business travel I could use the excellent documentation of the courses.

During my studies I relocated to the US, and Heriot-Watt transferred all the materials and exams to a local college, allowing me to finish my degree smoothly.

In summary, I believe this is a very cost-effective programme that provided me with many important tools to better understand and manage the business side of my job and to advance in my career.

The EBS programme has been a delightful, yet challenging experience. From the first time I entered the local administration office of EBS up to the exciting graduation ceremony, I have faced high standards yet a friendly approach.

My academic background has been in Mathematics and Computer Science, although my employment experience was in the business world. The MBA studies were all new to me, and helped me to put logic and theoretical basis into many activities and operations that I have encountered and performed at work.

My tendency towards quantitative subjects made it easier for me (yet still requiring a lot of effort) to study subjects such as Finance, Accounting and Economics. However, I also enjoyed very much courses such as Organisational Behaviour and the course that brings everything together and sums up all the studies – Strategic Planning.

The EBS MBA studies are demanding and challenging, requiring a lot of self-study. The courses are very comprehensive and provide extensive knowledge and business analysis skills. No doubt, the exams are generally very difficult and one should study thoroughly in order to earn good grades. However, as one can take courses at his/her own pace, this makes the target achievable.

I chose to study at an approved partner study location. This method provided me with the opportunity to attend classes taught by highly competent tutors, who always had the patience to explain tough issues and involved actual business issues and real-life examples in their lectures. This studying method allowed me to finish my studies within 18 months.

Looking back, I feel that the MBA studies at HW were most challenging, rewarding and enjoyable, and helped me to develop new skills and capabilities, which are needed in the demanding business world. The combination of high-level in-depth academic studies with the friendly and always accommodating student administration made my MBA studies an unforgettable experience.

I am a chartered CPA. The employment environment in my profession is continuously developing and having an MBA becomes a must if one wants to evolve his career. I was looking for an affordable high-ranked MBA programme that was also flexible so that I could combine long working hours and studies. After checking and comparing the various programmes in Israel, I found Edinburgh Business School's MBA programme most suitable.

The flexibility of the programme was very important to me. Twice during my studies, I had to skip a semester and managed to continue studies immediately. As a chartered CPA I also got exemptions for 2 courses. Those two factors were initially the main reasons for choosing EBS's programme.

I found the programme to be comprehensive and business relevant yet challenging and demanding. I also enjoyed meeting the variety of students; most of them, like me, had business experience that contributed to the discussions we had during sessions.

I come from the finance world. However, the courses that I enjoyed most were marketing and organisational behaviour, Although those courses were the most demanding.

I will definitely recommend EBS's MBA programme to anyone who looks for a thorough programme that is flexible enough to combine with full-time employment.

Since I graduated with a BA degree I had the urge to continue my studies. As an HR manager who participated in management meetings I felt that I had to have a better and wider understanding in issues like accountancy, economy etc.

It was clear to me that an MBA is the right programme; the question was which programme was most suitable for me. I had to take into consideration that I have a family, that I am working and that it must be interesting and flexible.

I was looking for an MBA programme that would enable me to combine those demands. After a research regarding the different options I decided that the Edinburgh Business School MBA programme was most suitable for me.

I discovered that the lecturers are well known; most of them are in academia but they also come from the field, which contributes a lot to the learning.

The broad number of courses enabled me to select those that I found most interesting, and the variety of the courses in each semester enabled me to plan my study in the most convenient way.

I must admit I was not disappointed; on the contrary, I enjoyed my study very much. There is no doubt in my mind that the MBA programme enriched my knowledge and contributed to a better understanding in different areas of my work and private life.

I graduated in February 2009 with an MBA in Marketing from Heriot-Watt University. I found Heriot-Watt MBA program very useful and beneficial.

I am working for about 10 years in a Marketing position in the Israeli Hi-Tech industry. This program provided me very useful tools in my work. It opened my mind to things that I would never have paid attention to. It enhanced my marketing skills and knowledge and helped me to provide the right solutions to marketing problems.

I found the courses to be very interesting and enjoyed the lectures. Even though I have a family with two kids and hold a full time position, I never allowed myself to miss a lecture, hence each lecture provided me new ideas and important information.

I found that the program was very practical. This program allowed me to work full time and still have time to be with my family.

I also found, that I can use the studied material to my own use. To provide the right advice to my wife and friends in regards to business issue.

Lately I got involved in a new business entrepreneurship as an independent distributor in LifeWave company (in addition to my current job). I used my Marketing and Strategic Planning knowledge for this new business.

Finally, I would highly recommend to anyone that considers a business career and would like to enhance their career, to enroll on the EBS, Heriot-Watt MBA program.

'Efficient and great immediate impact to my career': this is how I would summarize my experience and the programme. The way the courses are designed and delivered is extremely efficient for somebody who has a senior and very demanding business role and yet needs to develop their academic skills. The course design is fit for any kind of background and is very easy to understand because it is based on real-life examples.

Having an engineering background, and having reached a management role in my career, the EBS MBA programme offered me exactly what I needed to be able to take my career to the next level, and this has opened a range of new career paths that were not possible before.

It was a hard time for me to manage distance learning and my daily job requirements with long working hours. However, now after I have accomplished the nine MBA courses and graduated from EBS, I can feel how it was worth that time and more!

Every subject has contributed to a better understanding of my job as a sales manager.

Marketing, Strategic Planning and Consumer Behaviour gave me a clearer insight into company marketing and business strategy and the real needs of our customers.

Accounting and Finance enriched my personal finance decisions as well as the business ones.

Influence enabled me to better influence decisions to my favour at the office as well as in my family!

Organizational Behaviour made me better at building successful sales teams.

Project Management taught me how time, quality and cost are essential dimensions that a successful manager should master.

Economics enabled me to make a fortune from the stock market!

Studying EBS's MBA has truly changed my life.

After joining my current company, as a projects Architect, I realized that I had a knowledge gap in management and business tools which would be critical to my career future. To achieve my goals, I decided to study for an MBA and researched and found that the EBS program is the best choice because of the credibility and reputation of Edinburgh Business School, the high ranking of the program in all MBA surveys, program flexibility that would fit my full time job and all the courses can be applied practically to real business life.

After completing 3 courses, the company noticed my knowledge in accounting and finance concepts and the improvement in my management skills and I was promoted to Head of projects department.

By completing the MBA program and learning all the important business concepts and skills I was more confidant and able to contribute effectively to the company's profitability and success. Based on that I was promoted to General Manager and I have achieved most of my goals in very short time, thanks to EBS MBA program.

I really enjoyed the time I spent with EBS.

I still remember 3 years ago I quit my job in Siemens because I realized that there was no room for the kind of career growth I would like. I felt exhausted and stressed.

I thought it was the time to recharge and therefore I decided to take the MBA at EBS which is respected and very welcomed by Chinese people. To be honest, this is one of the best decisions I have ever made.

How can I describe how much this programme helped me? What it gave me the chance to further my career. It is a special and timely programme for me. Actually this programme provided me a new angle of view to feel the world and changed my way of thinking and doing things in business life, consequently it enriched me and made me powerful in heart. The door was closed to me 4 years ago and now there are a lot windows opened to guide me to advancement of my career.

The Edinburgh Business School MBA has changed my life. For many people, having an MBA is good for the CV, but for me – once I started studying it – I realised it was so much more than that.

I was promoted at work because my managers could see that I had started to think differently. I was no longer just a specialist engineer. They could see I was thinking bigger than this. I was asking the right questions. I had the right attitude. And this was entirely down to the fresh perspective my MBA studies had given me.

My advice to anyone thinking about doing an MBA is this: think about it as so much more than just another qualification to add to your CV. It has an enormous impact in all areas of your life. It gets you to look at things logically, to remove emotion or illogical thinking, it changes your thinking so you understand so much more about the world, and this builds self-esteem and confidence. Yes the letters on your CV are great, but it's so much more than that.

I wanted to expand my knowledge. I have always been fascinated with finance and I wanted to educate myself on finance from an early age. My employer HSBC totally supported my studies towards my MBA and eased the way for me. They funded 60 per cent of my tuition and this helped enormously. It shows that they believe in the Edinburgh Business School MBA and how it in turn can benefit its own business model. Invest in staff and their new skills will add value to the business.

I love learning and I had no trouble combining my full-time job with my studies. Edinburgh Business School were totally supportive. I would attend lecturers at Academic City in Dubai on the weekends and read and study after work during the week.

My future is looking very bright. I plan to continue with my financial education and the Edinburgh Business School MBA has catapaulted me towards the banking and finance future I have always dreamed of.

I love my job at HSBC Middle East and am living my dream of working in finance. My Edinburgh Business School MBA has made this possible.

It was the start of my studies with the Edinburgh Business School in Dubai that really sparked my interest in business, but I guess it had always been there, due to my family connections with the world of business. The Edinburgh Business School MBA planted the seed firmly in my mind that ordinary people can do great things.

We studied fascinating examples of successful business such as Coca Cola, NIKE, Dominos Pizza and Pepsi. I have always found real life examples of successful business on the ground really inspiring, and my studies motivated me to think long and hard about how I could apply my technical knowledge and experience to further my own dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.

Studying at night on your own can be isolating and students can become demoralised. Now, with social media, alumni events and smart phone technology, students don't have to feel isolated. Knowing you're part of a global network of students at Edinburgh Business School, working towards the same goals, helps keep you going. If you're having a problem, from getting motivated, to juggling commitments with your studies, you can bet that someone else will be going through the same thing.

It's important to keep connected when studying online, and this is where Edinburgh Business School excels, as the UAE group of students is part of a massive family of like-minded students all over the world.

A desire to understand the world from a variety of perspectives led me to study for an MBA with Edinburgh Business School in Dubai.

This desire to understand the perspectives and needs of my managers and my co-workers inspired me to study for my MBA and the course helped me grow as a person. Coming from a scientific background I now have a full understanding of the drivers of business and the importance of business growth. On a personal level I now understand the economic and business news in the media, and am able to see the world from a variety of viewpoints which has improved my work and personal life enormously.

I think one thing that many people don't factor in is that working full-time and studying requires a lot of dedication. The Edinburgh Business School MBA is great because it is flexible which means you can combine your studies with your work and other commitments.

I am proud of myself that I completed and passed all nine courses within the programme and graduated. I have learned so much from it.

I chose this MBA programme based on three criteria: flexibility, popularity and range of programmes available. The specialism in HRM was perfect for me, and I liked that this programme did not require me to submit periodic assignments, only self-study and examinations as frequently as my work schedule would permit. This was important to me. I was able to schedule my exams according to how heavy my workload was and pace my personal study schedule to suit.

Good programme, great flexibility, with online and electronic study resources to help me along the way.

When I decided to pursue postgraduate studies, I wanted a programme which was internationally recognized, but which was also flexible as I was in full time employment at the time. I assessed a number of programmes, but after evaluating what EBS offered, I decided to pursue that option – a decision which I have never regretted. The modular nature of the programme also fitted in well with my financing needs as my employers refunded part of the cost of the programme based on the successful completion of a module. As a result, financing was not as challenging as having to find a large sum of money at one time to pay for the programme.

The course materials were well written, easy to understand and provided more than adequate information to cover the course requirements. This was of tremendous help in ensuring success in the rigorous examinations. Having completed the requirements for the general MBA, the introduction of the MBA Specialisms was of considerable benefit to me as this allowed me to obtain a qualification specific to my area of employment - HRM. Not only was I able to select courses which were directly relevant to my work, but I also was able to immediately put into practice the principles learnt in a particular module.

Completion of the EBS programme was for me a rewarding personal achievement. As a distance learning student attendance at the graduation in Scotland and meeting graduands from all over the world as well as faculty and staff of EBS was indeed a great experience.

I have no hesitation in recommending the EBS programme.

While working full-time in a demanding job, I was able to complete my MBA on my own timeline. I thoroughly enjoyed the courses I took, and I found the material very comprehensive and clear. A MBA has given me a good foundation in business knowledge to complement my engineering background. I would highly recommend this MBA program based on its flexibility, cost, and content.

I have always been a believer in lifelong learning. In 1998, through a friend, I happened upon the EBS MBA program. With a demanding job and an active recreational life, I could never dream of completing an MBA on a full-time basis so, when I learned of the flexible schedule I was immediately interested. I had also noticed that employers in Canada were seeking the MBA qualification as a standard.

I took three and a half years to complete the program and was able to write my exams at a regional exam centre operated by a local college in the city where I reside. I found the textbooks excellent and the examinations representative of what one would expect to see from a world class MBA program. I had the discipline to keep up with my readings and prepare for my exams. The exams were a fair and thorough test of my knowledge and ability to apply business theory to real-life business cases; passing an EBS MBA exam meant that you knew your stuff!

I had been in the workforce for nearly 20 years at the time of registration and this provided me with real-life aptitude and experience that helped me relate to the EBS MBA business concepts. It also allowed me to practice what I had learned immediately. As a consequence, I got much more from the program than if I had completed an MBA after graduating as an undergraduate 20 years earlier.

After investing a great deal of personal energy and time, the MBA provides me with the self-satisfaction and confidence that one would expect from an achievement of this nature. It also provides me with recognition and admiration from colleagues and clients who are impressed with my new found knowledge and credentials. Ultimately, the MBA contributed to my successful advancement into my current position with the Provincial Government; financially it represented a 20% salary increase.

In hindsight, I am delighted that I had the courage to investigate and enroll in the EBS MBA program. The program's flexible course scheduling, high standards and reasonable pricing structure combined with my self-discipline and my desire to succeed were the key ingredients for success. My EBS MBA has enabled me to advance along a more exciting and prosperous career path.

Back in 2001, after six months of intensive research, I selected EBS MBA as the most reputable, flexible and comprehensive program available. At that time I've given myself two years to finish it; to my surprise, I got so engaged in the material that nine months later I was mailing my graduation package!!

I found the course content clear and easy to assimilate. Course and university support was absolutely outstanding. Courses such as Influence or Negotiation are quite novel and not typical for a traditional MBA program. EBS brings a refreshing challenge of contemporary courses applicable in all areas at a personal and professional level.

Examinations are rigorous and the level of commitment required is high, however, the rewards in terms of retention, learning and applied knowledge are immensurable.

Last but not least, the EBS MBA is recognized and highly valued around the world. It gave me the opportunity to apply my acquired knowledge in North America, South Africa, Romania and Denmark and empowered me to perform at the top of my field.

I am currently working on my DBA with EBS and I find the experience equally rewarding.

I endorse EBS's MBA program for its unique features and its capacity to prepare strong business professionals through a flexible yet demanding educational framework.

I completed my MBA at Heriot-Watt while working full-time, in a dynamic environment, undergoing significant change. Since graduating, I have continued to apply this valuable learning to my position, connecting, transforming and inspiring others in the delivery of our common business goals.

I now chair our Thunder Bay Interministerial Council, a collection of senior managers united in leading change in the delivery of government priorities. In addition, I manage our fleet organization; am our recognized talent manager and a member of our Thunder Bay Ontario Public Service United Way Team.

As a volunteer assessor for The Northern Ontario School of Medicine, I am involved in considering the applications of potential medical students.

In summary, in an environment of transformation, the MBA program has been invaluable in providing me with insight, inspiration and confidence, along a path of continuous learning and growth.

Being pretty busy both at work and with family, I wanted an MBA with maximum flexibility on timing. The EBS MBA fit very nicely with my schedule. While I didn't have to use it, the ability to defer an exam is a nice feature. The 100% final exams suited me very well, again saving me time. While they can be perceived as high pressure, I found that the comprehensive exam made me work hard to have a complete understanding of all the course material. The exams were challenging, but fair. In nearly all cases, they tested on the critical, core concepts.

I found the course content to be excellent, in most cases. Strategic Planning, Project Management and Influence were especially good – I found the reading to be anything but a chore. As well, even though I had taken Accounting and Economics before, the approach in those courses was very practical and added new knowledge. I especially enjoyed the humour in the Economics course.

Attaining my MBA was very fulfilling and I'd recommend the EBS version to anyone.

I am employed with a regional health system in Southern Alberta, Canada. The health region's current CEO introduced me to the Heriot-Watt Edinburgh Business School MBA. She was a graduate of the program and spoke highly of it. I was pleased she recognized the benefit to both the health region and me from the enhancement of my skills and knowledge through this program of study.

The EBS MBA Distance Learning program was immediately attractive for several reasons. The program is well recognized by my employer and other community leaders as a reputable international MBA program. The distance learning program form also enabled me to continue with full-time employment during my period of study. It can be a significant challenge to leave one's career temporarily given the lost employment income and the inability to take advantage of promotional opportunities that may arise.

The program costs were also very reasonable. My expenses were reduced through receipt of two course exemptions given my previous studies and status as a Certified Management Accountant.

Study was at my own pace enabling coordination with family and work demands. I completed one course at a time, delayed only one exam, and finished the entire program within a four-year period.

Core courses were challenging, stimulating, and informative with learning applicable to my work and career. Optional courses were numerous and represented a broad scope of topics enabling study matching my needs and interests. Examinations were available in my city, through the support of our local university, and at multiple times a year.

I attribute my success in achievement of the MBA program to good study habits including development and adherence to a study schedule, regular review of covered materials, use of previous student's course study materials available on the internet, development of my own review notes and strong administrative support from Heriot-Watt.

Completion of the MBA program shows an ability to be challenged, dedicated and goal driven. I have received two promotions since completion of the EBS MBA program and am now employed in a senior administrative capacity.

I highly recommend the Heriot-Watt Edinburgh Business School MBA program to potential students.

In the early nineties I began searching for a way to improve my formal education. At that time I was enjoying some career success, but felt that I would be limited in the future because my formal education was purely technical (Electrical Engineering) with no business studies. I was married with two small children, living in a small town where the nearest university was over one hour away, and I was doing a lot of business travel. It seemed that a distance learning MBA was the best option for me. I would tailor the program to fit my life, unlike several colleagues that opted for "Executive (part-time) MBA" programs. They nicknamed their program "the divorce course" for the impact it had on family life. I would study on the planes, in the hotel rooms and when at home, after the kids had gone to bed. It requires a lot of self-discipline, but I have learned that this is a quality my employer really admires. I often heard "I don't know how you do it!" Frankly, with some degree of self-discipline, studying had very little impact on home or work life, although I would always take one week off work prior to the exams to cram.

I selected Heriot Watt based on the schools reputation, the fact that Professor Lumsden specialized in Distance Education when doing his PhD, and on a recommendation from a business colleague alumnus. Also, I was encouraged by the fact that students in residence used the same course material and wrote the same examinations. My research of distance learning programs lead me to conclude that Heriot Watt was significantly ahead of the pack. I enrolled in 1999 and graduated in July 2003.

While I was studying, I was continually struck by the same self-observation; "I can use this knowledge/information/technique tomorrow". Each course that I took had immediate application to my responsibilities at the office.

My employer has recognized the value of my additional skills. During the four years of study I was promoted twice. Since graduating, my career has been very exciting. I have been given several interesting development assignments in 2004 I was promoted to Vice President – Business Development. Last week I accepted another promotion with a three year assignment in Europe! I will begin in January as Managing Director – Europe.

In 2001 I decided it was time to re-position my IT career towards Business Management, it was not an easy decision since I was residing in Anguilla at the time. Anguilla is a tiny 32 sq mile island in the Northern Leewards of the Caribbean with beautiful beaches but no tertiary education facilities. I knew at the time that I had two options, leave the island for an extended period or find a reputable distance-learning program that I could keep up with. The first option was not really feasible since I had a very young family the youngest of which one yr old at the time and I was working full-time.

I began my research on the Internet and found the Edinburgh Business School MBA program, the program appealed to me instantly primarily because of its flexibility and its focus on quality education. I also remembered that I had heard positive feedback about the program in Trinidad. I sent off an internet inquiry fully expecting no reply, and making up my mind that I would probably have to stand the expense and call eventually.

I received a full packet in the mail within two weeks, and that responsiveness has been the cornerstone of my experience with the Edinburgh Business School ever since. Over the four and a half years it took me to complete my MBA and graduate I have had to call EBS once, and that was because I was having email problems. The staff have always responded to my emails promptly and with great concern that all was proceeding as should be as the following indicates. As you might imagine, on such a small island, I was the only person enrolled in the program so I expected to have to travel to sit my exams, as happens with many other distance learning programs. I was pleasantly surprised when EBS informed me that they would set up an exam location for me in Anguilla in co-ordination with the Ministry of Education. This they did till my very last exam. Again this reflects the experience EBS has with distance learning requirements and the needs of persons utilizing these programs.

As pleased as I was with the efficiency of the administration of program, I was even more pleased with the content of the program. The texts were all well written and easy to understand, very important for me coming from a mathematics background and also having no study support mechanisms available locally. The comprehensive nature of the case studies and the profiler questions in the eMBA courses was more than sufficient to enable a thorough understanding of concepts and principles. In addition each course had a discussion board which the lecturer frequented and answered questions. In my experience, every question I had, was answered by some one of these means. As such I was able to complete all my exams without any failures.

The relevancy of the texts were also apparent since as I was working and studying, I was able to immediately apply most of my new knowledge, and as such transition from a very technical role to a managerial role and bring with it much value to the position I had at the time and my subsequent positions. My career has now changed focus, and I am well on the way to re-positioning I had envisaged. I feel armed with the necessary know-how and more importantly I have the confidence to know that I have the "stickability " it takes to succeed at whatever I put my mind to.

Without a doubt the EBS MBA is not for the faint hearted, but the with the support and services provided by the Edinburgh Business School many of us who may not have had the opportunity to participate in a graduate business program now can.

I found the course quite challenging especially as I was out of touch with academic studies for quite a while. I had to really devote all my spare time as I aimed to finish in less than 2 years. I took time of work (vacation) as otherwise I could not keep up. I found the questions and answers were useful in getting a good grasp of the fundamentals of the courses.

The finance, accounting and economics courses are especially useful as before, I had no clue about these subjects – I just wanted to be a good engineer and that was all. Even at work, I am able to go through projects with the business aspect in mind.

I would really like to apply the knowledge gained in a real live project in my home province of Ontario, Canada. The power generation industry is about to start booming here and I think it would be an opportune time to form a team of EBS grads to exploit the opportunities that will arise. I hope there is a good response - as what better way to apply the principles learned to a new business! This is what Business Administration is all about.

A few years back, as a public servant employed by the provincial government in Ontario, Canada, in the very focused, technical field of regulating employer-sponsored pension plans (or occupational pension schemes as I believe they are called in the UK ), I was seeking a way of expanding my perspective and knowledge in the field of business and finance. I had previously earned a professional accounting designation in Canada, namely Certified General Accountant, and hence had been familiar with earning academic credits through the purely examination-based approach. A university degree at the masters level and specifically an MBA was extremely desirable, but I had to recognize some constraints in getting one. I still had one daughter to put through university and obviously wanted to remain in full-time employment. Spare time was limited due to my commuting time to and from work and there was also the time I needed to allocate to my home and family life.

Heriot-Watt University's prospectus indicated that their MBA program would suit my needs. Keith Lumsden as founder and head of the school with his impressive background and reputation in North American and UK academic circles, combined with the UK university standard-setting system, convinced me that the program would be of a high quality. The core courses in the program were solid and the optional courses allowed significant specialization. The program also allowed considerable timing flexibility for the student but at the same time did not compromise on the standards required to achieve the MBA.

With two exemptions granted by EBS for the Quantitative Methods and Accounting Courses in hand, and funding of three of the courses provided by my employer to get me started, I proceeded through the program one course at a time, taking Finance and Economics in quick succession to plug some of those gaps in my business background that were urgently needed. In just over three years I had completed the program and was off to Edinburgh with my family in tow to receive the MBA at the November 2003 Convocation. In addition to the degree recipients I expected to see from within the British Isles, I was astounded to see the number of graduands from all over the world at that ceremony, from as close as Denmark and Norway to as far away as Taiwan. I now take great pride in being part of that select but world-wide group who are the EBS alumni.

If you can work independently for the most part, are prepared to put in the hours to study the course materials in depth and to practice applying the knowledge by self-testing from the exercises and sample examinations provided, I would recommend the EBS MBA Program to you. I note that today there are even more options available for students from the university, enabling you to be more precise in tailoring the program to your needs. For these reasons I highly recommend the program.

Completing the program has given me more confidence and skill in resolving issues that I face at work and addressing the needs and difficulties of stakeholders. Right now I miss the studying and the challenge of the examinations, and as I am approaching retirement I am thinking how I might get started on that Doctorate of Business Administration program that EBS offers.

Since starting work in the financial services industry my career objective was to obtain a senior executive position in the corporate finance department. My view is that a MBA degree is definitely the most valuable generalist training and business education option to prepare executive managers in effective decision-making and strategy development.

Once the MBA route was chosen it was then a decision on which university program. After exhaustive research EBS was a clear preference because of its outstanding reputation and the rigorous standards of the U.K. university system. By completing the degree on site in very beautiful city of Edinburgh I further benefited from more international exposure during the education experience.

The EBS MBA provided interesting core courses and an extensive selection of electives so that I could customize the program towards my personal and career interests. Each course was professionally developed and designed with significant detail. Instructor support was seldom required as a result. The software simulation packages provided with certain courses were very stimulating and effectively augmented the theory.

When I enrolled in the EBS MBA programme, I had a hectic schedule and was traveling extensively for business. I was in sales, working and living in Montreal (Canada) and wholesaling mutual funds for an investment firm. At that time I needed a MBA programme that had the flexibility and also the quality that I expected from the most reputable MBA programmes. My research led to me to the Edinburgh Business School.

My busy travel schedule prevented me from attending regular evening classes and carrying heavy books around. I therefore found the modular courses and the online help to be very convenient. I wrote three exams in Montreal. I then had the opportunity to move twice for professional reasons - when I moved to Toronto I was able to write my exams in Toronto and when I relocated to Paris (France) I wrote another 2 exams there. The transition was seamless. The support staff in Edinburgh was fantastic and made everything extremely easy. I wrote my final exam – Strategic Planning – back in Toronto. I graduated in 2003.

I also found the programme to be extremely well designed. It really helped me to cement my business knowledge and gave me the tools that I needed to analyse, assess and solve the business challenges that I face everyday.

I sat my first EBS MBA exam in 1996 and my last in 2001. The mere fact that I had embarked on the program seemed to make a difference in my career. I was chosen more often for challenging assignments, which made me very visible to senior management. This allowed me to be seen as a knowledge expert in my group, none of whom had graduate degrees. The rank above me was replete with accredited accountants, many of whom also held an MBA and other degrees. Before long I was seen more as their peer than as a peer to my own business level. I was also consulted extensively by them whenever they needed something out of the ordinary from my group.

A major business restructuring occurred in 1999, and of the 9 people in my business group, I was the only one offered a position in the new structure. It was a significant promotion. Perhaps not curiously, the only person in the rank above me who maintained his position was also more than midway through an MBA program.

About a year after I finished my MBA, an opportunity rose for a position I considered ideal. I was the only person interviewed by the business head, and received the position.

Looking back, it was of course not the mere fact that I had embarked on an MBA. It was the changes that occurred in me - how I approached my job, and how I addressed business problems. The knowledge came from the studies, and the professionalism with which I approached work grew out of my enlarged sense of my own abilities in the business arena.

Educational opportunities have always held great interest to me. Most of my career has been within the financial sector – Insurance and Risk Management specifically. I completed several industry related credentials (CIP – Chartered Insurance Professional), FCIP – Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional and CRM – Certificate in Risk Management).

In 2000, upon completion of these designations, I was pondering my next educational endeavour. In addition to working in the insurance industry as a senior commercial underwriter, I was also teaching part-time at Grant MacEwan College. I was considering pursuing teaching as a full-time career. A colleague of mine at the college suggested that an MBA would not only be an asset, but also a requirement, in securing a full-time teaching position in MacEwan's School of Business.

My colleague referred Heriot-Watt to me as a well reputed school where I could obtain an MBA through distance learning. I reviewed the website, found the information I needed and proceeded to apply to the program and order my first module. I completed the program within two years. I found the distance learning format fit perfectly into my schedule. When I had lighter teaching loads, I had more hours to spend on studying. When teaching loads were heavier, I progressed at a slower pace. The flexibility the program provided, allowing me to customize my own schedule, was wonderful. I worked very hard, but the rewards were well worth it!

Since completing my MBA with Heriot-Watt, I have obtained a full-time teaching position in MacEwan's School of Business. I have also been appointed as the Curriculum Coordinator for the Insurance and Risk Management diploma program. In addition, I am the Program Chair for three diploma programs within the School of Business. I enjoy a very fulfilling and rewarding career which would not have been possible without completing my MBA. The program offered at Heriot-Watt helped me realize my dreams. I am now contemplating the next step: a DBA at Heriot-Watt?

When I began the Edinburgh Business School distance MBA program in 2005, I was working for a large international mining company and was about to begin a 2-year stint at a fly in, fly out construction site in northern Labrador. I knew that I wanted to pursue an MBA, however I was having trouble finding a program that was going to be flexible enough to fit my demanding travel schedule. I then heard about the EBS MBA program and after comparing it to other distance MBA programs in the UK, US and Canada, it was clear that the EBS was a perfect fit for my needs.

Never having taken a distance course prior to joining this program, I was pleasantly surprised at the various media and discussion forums available for content delivery. This variety was very useful to me since I was equally as likely to be reading from my Economics book pdf on my laptop while flying in a plane, reviewing pages from my Marketing binder during down time at the construction site and reading posts on the Project Management discussion forum at my kitchen table.

I found the content to be very interesting and since I was completing the program while working full time I was able to translate it to my day job, particularly in the area of project management, which helped me understand the content that much more. The knowledge I have gained in this program has also played a part in my career progression. I am still with the same company and I have had three jobs of progressively increasing responsibility since joining the MBA program.

Finally, in 2008 after three years of taking one or two courses per semester, my wife and I made the trip overseas to attend the graduation ceremony in Edinburgh. It was a strange feeling to walk around the Heriot-Watt campus knowing that I had been a student for three years but had never set foot there.

I continue to recommend the EBS distance MBA program to my colleagues, friends and anyone interested in pursuing business education at the graduate level that faces challenges in their schedule due to professional or personal constraints.

After 21 years in business management, I changed careers in 1999 to teach in the Ontario college system. Shortly thereafter, the provincial government changed the college's Charter to include to the granting of degrees.

My undergrad degree and professional designation alone would not allow me to teach into the degree programs, so I needed a Master's degree. The obvious choice for me was an MBA, but which one and from what institution? I had to study on a part-time basis, so I began my search.

I decided to enroll in the MBA program with EBS, beginning my studies in January 2004. There were two primary reasons for choosing EBS; flexibility and value! Like many people I was already juggling a very busy family, work and professional life, and I needed as much flexibility as possible to fit my studies into an already busy schedule. I did not want to be tied to a structured schedule where I had to be in a classroom on a specific evening at a specific time.

For this to work for me, I needed complete flexibility, and the MBA at EBS provided that opportunity for me. Additionally, there are many other good programs I could have chosen that would have required a significantly greater financial investment. In my opinion the MBA at EBS provides for much better value dollar for dollar.

I found the program of study to be relevant, current, and rigorous! Not only have I benefitted directly from the program, it has also enriched what I bring to the classroom and offer my students each day. I successfully completed the program in June 2008, and my family made the trip to Edinburgh to attend graduation ceremonies in June 2009.

I highly recommend the MBA at EBS! It was an excellent experience! Thank you EBS for such a fine program!

I always consider the completion of this MBA programme one of my greatest achievements. Being a Chartered Accountant with an undergraduate degree in this same discipline, I have received a substantial amount of technical training but have never been trained sufficiently in general business subjects. Because of this, I researched different MBA programmes offered by many universities before finally selected the EBS programme.

There were mainly three factors affecting my decision. Firstly, the programme must have a solid and well-rounded structure. EBS MBA was and still is one of the best programmes one can find in the market. It includes all the subjects I consider most relevant to a graduate level programme but never goes overly specialized in any specific subject area unless one chooses to pursue a specialisation in that discipline.

Secondly, the programme must offer sufficient flexibility. In my opinion, no other MBA programmes in the world can beat EBS MBA. Lastly, the tuition fees must be at a reasonable level. My finding is that while EBS MBA programme maintains a very high academic standard, its cost is almost among one of the lowest in the market.

As in other academic programmes, some courses are better than the others in the EBS MBA programme. In particular, the Economics course is one of the better courses (if not the best) I have ever taken.

This MBA programme has helped me to acquire a well-rounded education in general business practices. What I earned is not merely a degree certificate but also all the knowledge and the perspective that comes with this study. Without this programme, perhaps I would still be a competent accountant, but I would never be as well-rounded an accountant as I am now.

Immediately prior to beginning the EBS MBA, I completed an Executive Diploma in Management with the University of the West Indies. Selecting EBS MBA was very easy. A co-worker had recently returned from the UK where she completed the program and she was very satisfied with the experience, and so I did some further research of my own and came to the same conclusion; that the EBS MBA is among the top in the world and so I signed up. I wrote my first exam in December 2002.

The road to success was very lonely for the greater part of the program. I was the only EBS student on the island when I started the program. It was not until about 2006, a fellow co-worker started the program. Closer to the end of my study, I convinced another co-worker to sign up. There were many defining moments during the course of my studies. I was promoted to Business Planning Manager in 2002 with responsibilities for strategic planning, budgeting and forecasting. This new appointment was very demanding, especially because the most significant aspects of my duties coincided with the exam timetable!

In October of 2003, I was transferred to the position of Customer Service Manager, a position I currently hold.

In 2006, I took a break from the program for about eighteen months to construct our house. It was proving too difficult to manage the construction of our house, work and do the program. But I was committed to my studies and in spite of the challenges I was more determined than ever to finish what I started. I had to defer subjects at times, because it was just impossible to study…..but I did not quit.

I resumed my studies after our house was constructed and in June of 2009, I graduated with an MBA with specialism in Marketing. My wife and I travelled from the Commonwealth of Dominica for over 15 hours to get to Edinburgh. This was a dream come true on several levels. I promised Zilia I would take her to London and I promised myself that I would finish what I started. No matter what the circumstances……………………and I did.

Studying Heriot Watt Univerity's Edinburgh Business School MBA long distance program has completely changed my life. I have gone from a teenager who did not know what to do with her life to a successful economist working for the Mexican government.

I was always good in math and English, but never thought about doing a long distance program until a friend of mine recommended the HW MBA program to me. I gave it a try since I thought I had nothing to lose, and I'm glad to say I was right.

When I started the MBA program, back in 1999, I had to mail the green sheets to enroll in the program, after two passes I would be a matriculated student. Sadly, only after my first fails, I realized the program requires serious commitment and it was then when the race began. I became a serious student and workout diligently all exercises in the big black books, I communicated with some of the students to exchange ideas about the modules and with my first two passes in 2001 I became a matriculated student.

Learning about Economics in the MBA program made me realize I would want to become an economist and as soon as I could, while still doing the long distance program, I enrolled in Economics school at my local university in Tijuana, where I graduated with distinction.

I am very happy I was able to attend my graduation ceremony in July 2008, the time of the year when weather in Edinburgh is simply gorgeous... up to now, the most memorable day of my life.

I never thought I would ever reach the day where I would see myself as a Heriot Watt graduate since there were several obstacles I had to overcome to achieve this goal, but I always had the support from EBS when I needed to defer exams. I took advantage of the installment payments program when doing my last module. I also took advantage of Edinburgh Business School's widespread testing centers, taking some of the modules in Mexico City, and others in California, USA.

Heriot Watt's, Edinburgh Business School MBA long distance program has given me not a title but a profession, its up- to-date material and interactive website has widened my horizons and has helped me develop an acute mind. Today, I'm not just a graduate who has a job in the public sector.

I began my online MBA programme whilst I was working full time as Marketing Manager of several car dealerships. The reason I chose the Heriot-Watt programme was the fact that it is highly considered and flexible, in that the online programme enabled me to study on my own time with no mandatory classes I needed to attend.

Classes were available at a registered university in my country so for the first two courses of the programme, I attended classes to attain a feel as to what was required to successfully pass these exams. Once I attained a solid understanding of the course structure and felt comfortable with the syllabus information provided I completed the balance of my courses on my own. Help was always available if I needed by going to the university registered in my country or writing directly to the university professors in Edinburgh and past papers and essays were all accessible online.

The courses I covered varied widely and there is a wide choice of courses you can choose for your electives tailoring your degree to your needs. I would certainly recommend the programme to anyone interested in attaining an MBA especially without time to attend weekly classes due to work demands such as travel.

Two schools of thought exist about furthering academia, one is that work experience is more valuable and the other regards educational levels attained highly. I faced both situations so my decision to do my MBA was for personal self-fulfilment and growth. You feel a great level of accomplishment once completed and it is yours forever to be used to help you climb your career ladder or simply your own ladder. As Maslow himself iterated ' Self Actualisation' is the highest form of motivation.

It was never my intention to pursue an MBA. As an engineer, I wished to gain a deeper understanding of economic and financial decisions made within organisations. As such, I completed my first two modules in Economics and Finance as stand-alone courses. The content and communication of the information within the module was such that I was able to apply knowledge gained immediately in interaction with all my "publics". I was hooked and had to learn more. The Influence and Negotiations courses provide life skills that summarize and rival the information presented in private workshops.

I have completed my MBA and graduated with distinction.

EBS has a system that is progressive, accessible and challenging. It enabled interaction with business colleagues worldwide. Both the EBS academic and administrative staff have proven to be responsive to the needs of the student population.

During the course of my study I have formed friendships with academics that will last a lifetime.

Thank you EBS for making learning enjoyable, addictive and pertinent to the workplace.

The Edinburgh Business School MBA experience far exceeded my expectations. In deciding to pursue my postgraduate studies I researched the various MBA options available and confidently selected the EBS program because of its flexibility, reputation and recognition.

The quality of the teaching materials was first-class, as they were well written and effectively communicated the complex concepts. In addition to presenting theory and practice, the authors fostered critical thinking with their narrative and encouraged independent thought.

Further, the attractive selection of elective choices available allowed for a broader academic encounter. The range of electives truly enabled both specialization and an in-depth understanding of the functional areas of management. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the advanced subjects in my particular area of interest and easily transferred this knowledge into the workplace.

I highly recommend the EBS MBA program for any experienced professional seeking to further equip themselves for the challenges of today's dynamic and competitive world. It truly provides a competitive advantage.

I was interested in an MBA programme with the greatest degree of flexibility that suits my busy lifestyle with the following attributes. It must be reasonably priced with high standards and quality.

I investigated all the other programs offered and decided to pursue the Heriot-Watt MBA distance-learning programme offered through a local school in Trinidad. That is the School of Business and Continuing Studies (SBCS).

I then proceeded to purchase my course material, which was available in both hard and soft copy, and henceforth the journey began. Tutorials, phone, group study and other peers supported me. As I started passing my exams and moving from one module to the other I really enjoyed the fact that I could study at my own pace where and when it was convenient. I was also able to postpone my exam when a personal challenge arose and continued to maintain full-time employment thoughout my studies. Not to forget the four hours a night sleep I had to ensure to pass my exams, which were administered by our local University (UWI) that was within very close distance to my home.

I found the course to be challenging, multifaceted, in depth and applicable to the current business environment. The broad-based MBA curriculum covers the important aspects that business people at middle and top-level management need to know and it allows you the flexibility to specialise in a specific area if desired.

The concepts and issues addressed in the program are of immeasurable benefit to both my personal and professional life.

In conclusion, it takes a lot of commitment and hard work but it is definitely worth it. When you have completed the programme you feel a sense of true satisfaction to be treasured. I have recommended the programme to my brother-in-law and sister; they are currently meeting the challenge and so can you.

My completion of the HW MBA was fundamental to the execution of my plan to effect a career change. Up until the start of the program I worked as a Consulting Engineer to the International Oil and Gas industry.

I had three desires. Firstly, to leave the and oil and gas industry to work in an area more closely aligned to product management, business development and negotiations. Secondly, to be elevated to a higher level of management in advancement of my career, and third to return to my native Caribbean homeland, having lived and worked for a major portion of my adult career in the United States.

I have been successful in all these objectives.

The education and training I received in my first module, Marketing, assisted greatly in my acquisition of my first job outside of the oil and gas industry in a Product Management role. The other courses all contributed to a comparatively rapid advancement within my new industry to a position of Senior Management in a Product Marketing and Engineering Management.

With the selection of Negotiation module, I found my sweet spot and new niche career.

I am now the lead commercial negotiator with wholesale customer/competitors for the largest telecommunications company in the Eastern Caribbean. Never before has this position been held by a native born soul.

I hope to continue to leverage my MBA to become CEO someday, either of my own business or of a leading multinational company based in the Caribbean region.

I continue to exercise the entrepreneurial spirit I developed along the way while completing the HW MBA.

I am currently employed in the energy industry in Trinidad and after having completed the Association of Chartered Accountants (ACCA) course I was not satisfied with just being a Chartered Accountant. I began my search for a MBA program that embodied not only a financial background but other fields of academia that would make me a well-rounded professional.

I assessed several MBA programs offered by other universities, and I was bombarded with a plethora of programs through distance learning. My assessment of each program was based on criteria of course content, syllabus objectives, flexibility for part-time students, cost and overall recognition by major industry sectors within my home country. It was clear the Heriot-Watt MBA was the most outstanding, recognized and flexible program available. Heriot-Watt ranked number one on my list.

As a young accountant my financial resources were limited but Heriot-Watt granted me two exemptions based on my ACCA qualification which meant I attempted seven out of the nine modules for the MBA. I pursued the MBA between December 2003 and December 2006 whilst holding down a full-time job. I was not able to afford tuition provided by the local affiliate school, yet I successfully sat and passed all seven modules with A and B grade passes.

The text for each module encompassed not only the syllabus content but a full and comprehensive bibliography of recommended texts along with helpful websites that compliment relevant topics to be examined. This was particularly useful for the Marketing and Organizational Behaviour courses, which required a more "out of the box" approach to answers. As a result of such in-depth research I became more analytical in my approach to my work-based encounters.

It should be noted that each text provided up-to-date data and research complete with comprehensive diagrams, graphs and charts. This data supplemented with the suggested author and text list at the end of each chapter made me truly grasp the topics at hand.

Guidance was also given by Heriot-Watt University as to the order in which to attempt modules for eg. Marketing first then International Marketing. This allowed for stepping stones toward the final goal of completion of the MBA, baby steps before walking. It also created enthusiasm in me that more challenging modules were yet to come.

As each certificate arrived in the mail greater was the anticipation toward graduation day. A combination of hard work, in-depth research, time, passion and guidance from Heriott-Watt helped me to achieve my MBA. I have not only achieved my EBS MBA, I have also grown as an individual and as a professional. For that I will always look back and be proud.

I started my MBA with EBS in late 2005 by attending classes in Trinidad where I live at the satellite/affiliated School of Business and Computer Science (SBCS). Though options were offered for part-time study after working hours and on weekends, I wanted a way to complete my MBA with minimal inconvenience and hassle involved in long commutes, rush-hour traffic and night driving.

I decided to travel to Scotland to complete several of the modules at EBS on campus. Despite the costs involved with international travel, it was far more convenient to complete intensive programme sessions on campus over 4-5 days each than it was to endure 5-month semesters in Trinidad attending evening classes. The choice of accommodation provided was excellent given the options of Graduate housing or the comfortable hotel-style Paul Stobbart Building and I always felt like I was in a home away from home.

Completing the intensives in Edinburgh not only gave me the opportunity to travel and to connect with students from all over the globe, but it was also a truly rich and rewarding learning experience given the course format, the professionalism and experience of the lecturers and the opportunities to immerse oneself in the different global perspectives.

The whole experience with EBS was a joy – the staff were super-efficient and kind and went out of their way to offer assistance when approached. The campus's location allows quick and easy access to the city-center by public transport and the campus always felt very safe – even if returning from the city at late hours.

I graduated this June 2009 – approximately 4 years after I started. Had it not been for attending the Executive/Intensive Courses in Edinburgh, I may not have completed my degree or would have certainly taken much longer to do so. The EBS course was the perfect fit to my busy life and trying to balance a demanding job, new marriage and home renovations with studies. Just a few months prior to completion of my last MBA modules, I recommended the course to my best friend. She is now a full-time MBA student on campus and having the experience of her life!

I completed the MBA with specialism and graduated June 2009. The only regret I have with respect to my decision, to do this programme with EBS, is that I did not make the decision earlier.

The planners and co-coordinators of this programme have ensured they covered all corners in the planning of this degree. They have dealt with the issue of entry through the creation of entry paths for persons with formal qualifications and those with life learning.

In this regard they introduced the novel idea of no hassle entry and matriculation after the completion of four courses; a brilliant way to test students' capability to continue. The structure of the programme also allows for the flexibility of constructing an MBA programme to suit the peaks and troughs of your schedule and your areas of interest.

The online access, including watercooler, and supported by a prompt, courteous and committed administrative staff mimics an on-campus setting. The breadth of the programme and the real life case studies also provides tools that you can implement during your period of study and see immediate results.

In short, it is a programme that changes your approach to day-to-day business by changing your thought patterns.

Studying with Edinburgh Business School was a rewarding experience in many and varied ways. I embarked on this programme to enhance my professional career. This was accomplished with a surprising added value.

As an individual, the knowledge and insight acquired assisted in my personal transformation resulting in a renewed understanding of people in any type of situation/environment and has provided me with the harmony/balance and understanding to respond in a positive manner in any given situation whilst creating a path for encouraging growth in any situation. This is most valuable to me.

Now, I'm self employed, partnered with my husband and we own and operate two different international companies together. I have the confidence of the MBA credentials with my name which in itself is self rewarding and commands respect in today's world of international business. This MBA programme not only instills the educational knowledge in a person but it literally transforms a person providing the incentive of becoming a better individual to make a difference in the world without one even realizing it at the time. For me, it has helped me reached another level in the lesson of life and has guided me in finding my purpose on this planet.

I am very happy to have embarked on this programme, it was not an easy road, my journey comprised of real life situations to deal with in every aspect but I did not give up. I found the strength and encouragement in my husband, family and friends and I am very grateful to them for their support.

Embarking on this study programme, like everything else in life, is a Partnership consisting of two equal parts forming one vessel, to work in complete unison, both parts must be giving. Therefore my message to all who embark on a study programme with Edinburgh Business School is to "Give your gift openly, freely and honestly", the rewards are self gratifying.

I chose the Heriot-Watt MBA because it was being offered by a well respected University and because the flexibility of the program is a good fit for working adults. The MBA offered a comprehensive business education program using a principled-centered approach along with relevant and effective case studies.

The programme was challenging but extremely rewarding, I definitely view attaining my MBA as a great personal accomplishment and it would be remiss of me to not say that the program has certainly changed the way I approach my job and all the tasks in between.

I would have no hesitation in recommending this course of study to persons who want that extra edge to distinguish themselves from others with similar qualifications but more importantly to persons wishing to widen their perspective by learning new approaches to old problems.

Having decided to pursue this qualification has been one of the best decisions I could have chosen for myself and my career.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Over the course of my career, I have had three major goals. They are:

1. Enhance my skills to advance my career.
2. Continue to educate myself and to get an advanced degree.
3. 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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The need to improve my business knowledge and expertise whilst maintaining flexibility with an internationallt mobile career was the main driver for choosing the EBS MBA and MSc in Strategic Planning programs.

I found it an immensely rewarding and challenging experience that gave me the intellectual tools to address the many varied challenges one faces on a daily basis in our South American business unit. It has helped develop my career immensely as I moved from different positions and countries to my current Director role in our South America business unit, based in Brazil.

The courses are well written and I was able to apply the learning as I went along. It's a great program and I strongly recommend it.

Of course, it also helped being Scottish as I was aware of the excellent reputation of Heriot-Watt University. As I complete the MSc I am currently pondering the idea of joining the EBS DBA program!

When I was looking for an MBA I knew it had to be one that I could do from anywhere in the world and one that would allow me to study at my own pace. I am not typical of the average person who pursues their MBA. I am an expatriate wife who has lived in 5 countries on 4 continents. As our lives as expatriates will be coming to an end soon I wanted to update my qualifications to something I could use when we eventually settled down and I was living in a country which would allow me to work. Edinburgh Business School offered me the options I needed. I knew the reputation of the University as my husband had received his Civil Engineering degree from there. I sat all my exams at the British Council in downtown Santiago. It was a major shock to have to sit an exam after so many years out of university but they did become easier the further I was in the programme. The University does a good job of providing its students with access to the professors through their online administration board. They also provide access to past exams which is an excellent way of ensuring you are ready to answer the questions and that you know your course work. There is also a student internet site that allows you to interact with other students and ask questions or form online study groups which make you feel less isolated.

I felt a real sense of achievement on gaining my MBA. I am confident that when I do go and look for work that having an up-to-date MBA from Edinburgh Business School will go a long way in helping me find what I want.

Through its distance learning MBA programme, EBS has allowed me to pursue and finally achieve a coveted degree. The flexibility of the approach along with the user-friendly textbooks – written by authorities in each field – provide the student with the opportunity to set the most convenient working rhythm. This feature is especially relevant for those who are already working. The material covers modern subjects and provides up to date information making it exciting and challenging to move through the pages. A fine support and feedback system is available to the student, even on a personal basis. One can easily clarify facts by e-mail and also the friendly website is a clear advantage.

An MBA degree is necessary for career advancement and we can say that a degree from EBS carries a lot of prestige.

For people with a tight job schedule like myself I strongly recommend enrolling in EBS's distance learning programmes.