Neda Asadfalsafizadeh is studying MSc Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship. In her guest blog she talks about why she chose to study at Bournemouth University and what she’s enjoyed about the course so far from the location near the beach to the range of units studied and the opportunities available to students. 

I would like to share my exceptional academic journey at BU, as I would highly recommend it at least once in your lifetime. As an international student, I decided to study at BU because of four main reasons: credibility, curriculum, weather, and affordable cost.

Neda Asadfalsafizadeh in the Bournemouth Gateway Building library, pulling out a book from the shelf

To elaborate more, I would first start with credibility, the BU Business School is accredited by AACSB International, which makes it more attractive for me to choose. Secondly, the core units such as “Business Model Innovation”, “Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Design”, and “Small and Medium Enterprises and Entrepreneurial Finance” that are in the curriculum were more attractive and practical to me compared to other universities. Thirdly, Bournemouth is in the Southern part of the UK, which has more accepted weather for me to live in. It is also a touristy and beachy town which makes it a lovely and suitable place to unwind the stress. Last but not least, BU offered a better tuition fee that was more affordable for me.

BU provides a welcoming and inclusive community. It values diversity and encourages students to embrace different perspectives and cultures. The faculty, programme leader, and staff members are all very friendly and dedicated to making the university a better place for everyone. This creates a positive and supportive learning environment where I could feel accepted and appreciated. This friendly environment is accompanied by offering high-quality academic courses taught by experienced and knowledgeable faculty members.

I chose this course due to my relevant background and I wanted to broaden my skills and learnings in a new cultural environment. I always seek innovative ideas and try to help entrepreneurs find stability in their businesses. This course curriculum equips me with a diverse range of practical ideas and tools. The most interesting part of this course is that the lecturers offer many opportunities for hands-on learning and real-world experience. Most assignments especially the ones for core courses are challenges of an updated real business world. This attitude brought me an enthusiastic feeling of learning that I am using my academic knowledge in practice and gaining valuable skills that will benefit me in the future.

Students sitting in a study room in front of computers in the Bournemouth Gateway Building

We are presented with a wide and diverse resource of practical units and a reading list that helps to enhance our academic and technical skills for the future. Moreover, the accessibility to various data via the BU library such as credible financial and business data would update our mind about real life. In addition to these, we practice soft skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, communication, negotiation, and presentation in seminar classes by working in groups. The assignments would also equip us with some practical skills such as critical thinking, academic search and writing, and design thinking, which are all useful for our future careers.

Furthermore, engaging in the opportunities like job fairs, graduate skills programs, and student projects that are offered by the library, careers hub, and business school management, are great ones that would directly offer hands-on and useful skills for future careers.

To wrap up, If I were to offer advice to anyone, I would highly recommend embarking on this experience. I am confident that the experience would be both unforgettable and enjoyable due to the welcoming academic environment that BU offers.

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MSc Innovation Management & Entrepreneurship