GoinG back to the books
The story of how a UAE working professional took inspiration from his wife’s MBA qualification and enrolled on his own online Masters course with the University of Liverpool.
in partnership with
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Humble beginnings in the summer of 2008, maha Abdul Hameed Al nasser mounted the stage of the liverpool’s imposing Philharmonic Hall and received her master’s degree from the Vice Chancellor of the university of liverpool. As she held her degree, thinking back on her three-year journey as an online student, little did maha know what was running through her husband Feras Fadel Al Jabi’s mind. Watching proudly from the crowd, he was now more convinced than ever to sign up for a master in business Administration with the university of liverpool. Ctrl+Alt+leArn: Feras’ decision to start the programme online was well considered. Feras had watched maha grow both professionally and personally; transformed from an individual who would question her capabilities to a more confident professional. initially, he had some common misconceptions about the learning experience of online education, but with each day that maha spent on the programme, Feras grew more certain that studying online was the perfect solution for his learning requirements. He was working full time, had a family to think about, but he also wanted to invest in himself as a growing professional.
He knew he would have the same support as maha did from enrolment until graduation. When maha decided to embark on her mbA, she was guided by her enrolment Advisor, who helped her make the right programme choice and set the right expectations about life as an online student. That support was continued by an intake Coordinator and student support manager. The first step was the completion of the student readiness Course, which demystified studying online for maha and eased her entry into the world of online learning. As Feras watched her progress from one module to the other, he realised how interactive and collaborative the programme really is. Contrary to what he had imagined, maha never studied in isolation! The small classrooms of around 18 students (often from all over the world and belonging to at least 6 different nationalities) facilitated a peer-to-peer exchange and collaborative learning. maha’s commitment and dedication paid off three years later when she was invited to graduate in liverpool in the summer of 2008. Feras wasn’t going to miss his wife’s big day. He had grown more convinced about the decision he was about to make. not only did he see his wife graduate with her online peers, receiving the same degree
from the university of liverpool as her campus counterparts, but that evening at the grand graduate reception he came face-to-face with maha’s instructors, student support managers and the team responsible for ensuring her success as a graduate. groWtH – PersonAl And ProFessionAl today, Feras is on his 4th module and he is clear about his aim for going back to school. “I want to gather an academic and institutional experience in the field of managerial skills; and this helps me keep up-to-date with the best practices in my industry.” maha was also in it for the experience, “I was looking at something to support my career achievements.” And when the learning experience is coupled with a salary hike and professional development, putting in all that work seems worthwhile. maha says that her colleagues and seniors were surprised by how she could manage to complete her mbA successfully with all the other commitments in her life. Following her enrolment, maha was promoted to a better position. she also had a 40 per cent salary increase post-graduation. “I think studying while working leads for more respect and trust, especially when your seniors see that you are capable of doing well academically while managing
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to complete all assigned tasks successfully.” maha’s confidence about herself and in her abilities has subsequently grown. interACtiVe CollAborAtion in addition to a salary hike, the benefits of studying as a working professional include interacting with other senior working professionals from around the world. “The varied nationalities and the different backgrounds within each class made being on the programme greatly enriching,” says maha. Feras agrees: “The classrooms guarantee a smaller group of students from different parts of the world and with different skills.” studying with like-minded professionals from across the world has changed how both Feras and maha now look at work-related situations. “It has had a positive impact for sure. The group discussions are an eye opener. At least eight of the case studies discussed have occurred in reality in another part of the world; and I actually have the chance to discuss it with the author right away,” says Feras. Adds maha: “The experiences shared between classmates are enriching. It enhances our understanding of how people can handle the same situation in different styles using different methods.”
suPPort is key striking that fine balance between study, work and family is important for our online students’ success. Feras, who started his mbA in January 2009, says time management is the main issue for him. “I need to allocate a fair amount of time every day to my studies and suddenly it becomes demanding. I do try to strike a balance, but it’s a challenge.” but maha believes that once a student gets more experienced with knowing how to look for the right information in the online library, things get easier. “It’s not easy to be back as a student with daily assignments and tasks, even if you have the work experience. It all takes a while to get used to,” says maha. “The start was difficult considering my work and personal commitments. I am a mother of two kids and when I started my MBA, I was working in treasury operations. I used to start my day by 8am and finish only at 6pm.” What kept maha going was the support. “At home my husband used to motivate me and constantly encourage me to take this challenge face on. And while on the programme, Liverpool’s Student Support Managers were always there in case of any concerns raised, or difficulties faced during modules.” not to forget the ‘F’ factor. “Being able to study online provided me with flexibility. I could study whenever I
needed to, and was able to access the classroom from anywhere there was an internet connection. I was never restricted to a specific time or place.” rePutAtion For professionals like maha and Feras, the flexibility, support and growth offered by the university of liverpool’s online programmes remain unparalleled. Additionally, as a member of the russell group of leading research universities – the ‘ivy league’ of uk higher education – the university of liverpool is at the forefront of academic provision. Founded in 1881, with the establishment of university College liverpool, the university of liverpool was one of the first civic universities built in 1892. today, more than ever, it continues to lead the way as the first uk university to introduce online masters degrees, in partnership with laureate online education. to find out more about the university of liverpool’s online master degree programmes, please click here. if you have any questions or queries, send an email to middleeastalumni@ohecampus.com