Li Dai
Full-time MBA, 2004
Country of origin: China
Employer: Uniproma Industrial Co Ltd
'One year MBA, three countries, a global experience'
When I began the Lancaster MBA in the Autumn of 2003, I did not expect it to be such a fantastic experience.
Several months after enrolling on the MBA, I won the opportunity to undertake a Learning Tourism project that was organised by Lancaster University. The project required me to work as a consultant for the historic house of the poet William Wordsworth in the Lake District. It was my first ever consultancy project, and I had to squeeze it into the already tight MBA schedule. With strong support from the Learning Tourism team at Lancaster University, I delivered a report that was described as “excellent” by the client. While working on the project I also enjoyed the scenery of the Lake District, which was incredibly beautiful.
Later in the year the Lancaster MBA Managing in Action [now called the Consultancy Challenge] project enabled me to learn how to find a solution in the most efficient way, when one is under great pressure and working within constraints.
Thanks to the capability and confidence that I built up on the two projects, I obtained a summer internship with DHL Solutions in Germany. The internship came about through the partnership between Lancaster University Management School and Deutsche Post (which is the parent company of DHL). Learning by doing, and particularly by interning abroad, was harder than attending lectures, but it was also more fun. My two months in a global company on a challenging project – making friends with interns from other top MBA schools all around the world, and increasing my cultural awareness of continental Europe – formed a precious period in my life.
Through its international exchange programme, the Lancaster MBA also gave me the chance to participate in the ISP exchange at St Gallen University in Switzerland, which ran from October until December 2004 – immediately after I had completed the formal part of my MBA at Lancaster. The ISP exchange is a European-focused programme specially designed for MBAs from around the world. The courses were practical and highlighted the European perspective, which was very useful for my new job – marketing and development strategy in Europe. Life was also different in Switzerland. I visited a cheese factory, Olma (a local farmers’ fair), and even got to the top of Europe – the Jungfraujoch – which happens to be a “twin-mountain” with Huangshan Mountain in China!
The above are only a few of the many opportunities provided by Lancaster’s MBA and International offices. It is impossible for me to overstate how much I benefitted from the MBA Career Management Programme. For me, career management is more than just job-hunting or career consulting. The Lancaster MBA Career Management Programme helped me to understand myself, and discover the potential capability and confidence deep inside. I've now set up my own consultancy, advising companies on international business and supply chain management, and I find this self-knowledge even helps the management of my team in the long run.
Talking about courses, I liked most the wide choice of electives. I am personally more interested in the ‘soft’ side of management. So I took Leadership and Change Management. The teaching methods and the perspectives provided by the professors were European, or western, of course. However, the encouraging and open atmosphere enabled everyone to talk about his or her own understanding. This was really helpful for me in providing a broad context – even when I was considering Chinese issues.
Finally, a few words about life in Lancaster: this is a small city with a lovely river and a canal. My room in the University student accommodation at Chancellor’s Wharf was just beside the canal, so close that I could feed the swans from my balcony! Jogging along the canal (which I didn’t have much time to do!) was healthier than in any gym, I believe.
Everyone dreams; only a few take them seriously. I’m now trying to realise mine, and I know the Lancaster MBA was the starting point.
