Educating, innovating, adapting to a changing environment: the future of MIP

Vittorio Chiesa and Federico Frattini, recently appointed respectively President and Dean, talk about changes, strategy and goals of Politecnico di Milano’s Graduate School of Business

 

After celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2019, MIP began 2020 under the sign of change. Starting from the top. Vittorio Chiesa and Federico Frattini are now respectively holding the positions of President and Dean.

While the people holding positions of responsibility have changed, the goals of the Business School remain the same: offering its students all the tools to compete in an increasingly complex job market. But, to do that, it’s necessary to develop new offerings and new strategies. «The business school scenario has changed», Vittorio Chiesa tells us. «The context in which we act has evolved, it has become more competitive and challenged the traditional educational model, revealing all its limits». It’s a reality that, as Federico Frattini reaffirms, «requires a rethinking of the way the educational offering is provided, increasingly oriented towards lifelong learning».

 

Digitalization that looks to the world

New contents, different formats, lifelong learning: these are the keywords that sum up the MIP guidelines, and which in turn also indicate the challenges faced. «The first involves innovation in the ways education takes place», explains Frattini. «We want to stimulate a reflection on the physical spaces in which we educate our students. The campus of the future is distributed, consisting of smaller, more agile and flexible spaces. It’s an evolution made possible by digital technologies. With this in mind we must ask ourselves about the nature of formats: are they correct? Can they become more integrated with the professional and private lives of our students? We have already experimented with projects in this field, for example with Flexa, but we must do even more with a view to continuous learning».
Digitalization, on the other hand, is one of the two strategic axes that led to the growth of MIP in recent years. «The other», says Vittorio Chiesa, «is internationalization. Our classes welcome students from the entire world. But we must not stop here: we must broaden our geographical scope. And if on one hand we can count on a city, Milan, which can now boast the same appeal of the biggest and most modern European capitals, on the other it also up to us to expand our international reach. The second challenge is this».

 

Together with companies education is continuous

The third and last challenge, instead, relates to the theme of continuing education: «The concept of alumnus itself must be rethought», says Federico Frattini. «Until not long ago, an educational programme like a Master’s ended and students began to work. Today this passage is no longer so clear: there’s a continuous need for education and training, for this reason teaching must be rethought with this in mind. And it’s for this reason that we can’t ignore the development of critical skills and the ability to know how to learn in our students».

The corporate nature of MIP itself offers a privileged point of view on world of work and on the needs of companies, as President Chiesa explains: «MIP is a non-profit joint stock company. Sitting on the MIP board of directors of MIP are numerous leading Italian and international companies. We have noticed that their presence has translated into a multiplication of the value of our offering, always in step with the requests that come from the world of work».

 

A competitive business school

So the challenges are clear. As is the future strategy. «Business education finds itself in a highly competitive context», concludes Federico Frattini. «A business school is in all respects a company subject to strong competitive pressures, determined by the entry of new competitors on the market and accelerated by digitalization. Our priority is to implement a management style for the school focused on increasingly greater professionalization. That can be done by involving people with specific capabilities and skills. Competitiveness, professionalism and speed of action are three keywords for the future of MIP».

 

 

 

 

The product isn’t enough. B2B and the challenge of the digital transformation

Digital also revolutionizes the relationship between supplier and customer. The keywords of companies thus become marketing and service

Marketing and B2B companies: a new, but already essential, combination. Until recently it was the commercial department that was responsible both for the establishment of a reputation with companies and the conversion of those companies into customers. With the digital transformation, the landscape has changed. Italian companies, historically not very attuned to marketing, have suddenly become aware of its importance.
Giuliano Noci, Professor of Strategy and Marketing at Politecnico di Milano, explains this to us: «The change derives from two elements. One is of a technological nature, the other tied to a decline in the results of traditional commercial networks».

Technology requires a closer relationship with the customer

The technological component that requires B2B companies to focus on marketing involves two aspects: «First of all, it is no longer enough for a product to be technologically advanced. To be attractive, it must work in a certain way, according to the customer’s expectations», says Noci. «The relationship between supplier and customer is revolutionized, where the latter doesn’t so much buy the product, but the service associated with it. Traditionally, B2B companies have always boasted a great knowledge of what they sold, which however didn’t correspond to an equally thorough knowledge of the customer and their needs. Marketing is today the tool with which to establish this new intimacy. And it’s here that the second element tied to the technological aspect comes into play: the boundaries of competition are changing. Organic and systemic analyses of the business context, competitors and customers become crucial. Only by knowing all these factors is it possible to intercept trends and respond to the needs of customers, supplying them services that otherwise would be provided by someone else».

The relationship, before the transaction

On the other hand, the performance of commercial networks on which companies have relied until now aren’t comparable to what they once were. This requires a strategic rethink, according to Noci: «The industrial buyer adopts behaviours similar to those of private individuals who buy online. They build up a network of possible purchasing alternatives and only afterwards meet the supplier. This means that you need to think about building an omnichannel system, starting from the classic web site, and also encompassing social media, like LinkedIn. To manage all these new elements, the integration between marketing and commercial departments becomes unavoidable, so much so that function of the latter increasingly resembles that of advisor to customers».
These changes require companies to alter operational paradigms: «The model to look towards will no longer be transactional, but relational, because new technologies sublimate the human dimension. Likewise, one doesn’t need to think in terms of product, but of service. If a company concentrates solely on the product, it can generate operating margins only on that, while the real challenge and the real earnings are tied to services connected to the product itself.
It takes courage, especially for small companies, which can take advantage of greater flexibility: step out from your comfort zone and understand how to position yourselves in a network of businesses offering services», advises Noci.

For managers the challenge is cultural

In this process, managerial figures become fundamental. «They don’t just have to be extremely competent and possess marketing and strategic skills. Since they must guide companies through a change that is above all cultural, they must boast great leadership skills, with allows their lead to also be followed by those who have worked in a different context for many years» concludes Noci. In this perspective, the short courses in the B2B marketing area at MIP have the goal of providing concrete tools to cope with the growing importance of the digital transformation.

 

MIP scholarships and how to apply for them: an MBA candidate’s point of view

 

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” (Benjamin Franklin)

One of the main reasons which holds people back from applying to study for an MBA (besides the fact that you have to go back to school, to study during weekends… but that’s only a matter of motivation) is the high cost.

Indeed, an MBA is often expensive, and the first question which comes to your mind is “will it be worth it?”
Well, according to Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States (not a Mr Nobody, let’s say…), the answer is a convincing and resounding “YES!”

Now, the second question that can come to your mind is, “Dear Benjamin, where can I find all that money to finance my MBA?”

Certainly, nowadays there are many banks which are more than willing to give you a student loan, with low interest rates and deferred repayment. But, even better, MIP offers you several types of financial aid which can make your MBA much more affordable.

Contributions are mostly merit-based and based on academic excellence, personal and professional achievement, particularly strong leadership potential, and superior interpersonal skills.

But which are these contributions?
  • You can find all the information you need about MIP’s financial aid program in the specific section of MIP’s MBA website. I’ll try to summarize the main ones:
    Early Bird Waiver: “first come, first served”, they say. MIP awards a 1,500 € contribution to applicants who submit their application by a given date – look on the MIP website or contact the Recruitment Team to check the deadline for the specific intake.
  • Travel Support Program: MIP offers contributions of up to 60% of the tuition fee to international and Italian candidates living abroad in order to make it easier for them to get to the school every month.
  • Expat Tuition Fee Contribution: MIP offers contributions of up to 30% of the tuition fee to international candidates already living and working in Italy.
  • MIP4Women: in order to develop and nurture a culture of women in management, MIP offers contributions of up to 6,000 € to female participants.
  • Assistantship: Assistantships are sponsorships for students of the MBA who serve in a supporting educational or research role within the program. There are up to 2 assistantships to be awarded, covering up to 30% of the tuition fee for the course.
  • GMAT-based contribution: 30% of the tuition fee goes to the highest achievers in terms of GMAT scores.
  • Entrepreneurship contribution: 2 contributions of up to 20% of the tuition fee are offered to entrepreneurs or entrepreneurs-to-be.
  • High-Flyer Award: 30% of the tuition fee is awarded to two applicants who possess outstanding leadership potential.

If you would like to check with regard to the availability of a specific contribution, to verify your eligibility or to ask for more details, you can contact the Admissions Team and evaluate all the opportunities with the MIP representatives.

Now, how best can you apply for a scholarship?

I won’t bother you with technicalities, such as “Pay attention to whom to address your application”, “Only use generic forms of address”, “Draw attention to your primary qualifications”, “Use clear and concise language”, “Be honest”, etc. … You can easily find this information on Google.
I just want to give you a few tips from a person who has already applied for scholarships.

First things first: ask yourself why YOU should be chosen. Why YOU, and not someone else? Margaret Mead, an American anthropologist, once said:

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.

And that’s absolutely true! We often apply for scholarships or for a new job, saying, “I’m smart, I have strong relational skills, I am a natural born leader, …”. Well, guess what? 80% of the people who applied have written the same thing as you did. Don’t feel that unique anymore, right?

So, try to express something about yourself which makes you stand out from the crowd. This could be based on facts, experiences, projects… Just be yourself, in your unique way, not the standard candidate you think the school (or a company) is looking for.

Secondly, think about why you chose this school and this program. Consider all your motivations, including the personal and professional ones. Choosing an MBA is a big step both for your life and your career. You don’t want to seem to have chosen it blindfold, right?

Finally, ask for constructive criticism from reliable sources (like me, for instance*). This is not a step people usually take, but it can be extremely useful for making a good application. Don’t be too proud! You’re not (yet) the best at everything, so you can ask for a little help from professors or students already enrolled in graduate schools. They’ll surely have a clearer understanding of what the university wants from its students.

Well, that’s it. These are my practical (and not boring, I hope) suggestions to use when applying for an MIP scholarship. And remember, maybe Benjamin Franklin cannot help you in getting one, but without any doubt, YOU can!

*I actually may not be such a reliable source, but of course I’ll be glad to help if you need some advice.

 

About the author
Marco Di Salvio

Student of the International Part Time MBA at MIP Politecnico di Milano.
Industrial Engineer currently working @ Gucci as WW Supply & Demand Planner, based in Florence.
Tech passionate, Cinema-lover, Sports addicted.
Solving the world’s problems one spreadsheet at a time.

 

 

With digital platforms, the manager becomes an innovation designer

In an increasingly digital context, the role of the manager will resemble that of an architect: a more charismatic and less operational figure, capable of developing visions and building relations

 

Digital transformation and management of innovation: what is happening in these two areas, so important for the future of companies? It was the theme of the workshop entitled Digital transformation and Innovation Management: Opening up the Black Box, held 19 and 20 December at Politecnico di Milano. Among the academics who took part, there was also Professor Carmelo Cennamo, of the Copenhagen Business School. «In an increasingly digital context, the manager’s role will increasingly resemble that of the architect» says Cennamo. «In an economy based on digital platforms, they will have the task of designing new relational architectures with other companies. They will have to evaluate whether it makes sense for the company to use their own platform or to rely on third parties, to understand what role and what strategic position their company must take on within this structure. It is an evolution that brings the figure of the manager closer to that of designer, making it less operational. But the manager remains a charismatic figure, able to develop visions and imagine new configurations in the value system».

Modularity, complementarity, flexibility

The key to this change is digital platforms. «They are platform-based ecosystems that function via relational structures, where companies are interdependent and share a set of related activities», explains Cennamo. Digital platforms have two main characteristics: «The first is modularity. It means that the various activities within a platform can be complementary, but nonetheless remain independent. The second element is indeed complementarity. Coordination is thus encouraged, which takes place because of the peculiarities of this system. It’s a world where classical contractual relationships disappear, in the name of greater flexibility».

Large and small face the test of disruption

A change of this nature has significant repercussions on all companies, big and small. «The potential is absolutely disruptive» says Cennamo. «We are witnessing a progressive disintermediation, which brings together previously disconnected actors. Platforms help to put an offer directly on the market, thus creating a liquid market that easily overcomes the limits of the traditional one». For small businesses the advantage is considerable: «It’s possible to go past local markets, reaching an immensely broader range of potential customers». For larges companies, especially incumbents who have always offered premium type services, things are a bit different. «Let’s take the example of high-end hotels, which enjoyed privileged relationships with their customers. For them, a more liquid market also meant a more transparent and competitive market. And this entailed a certain difficulty. But the same goes for banks, which look with apprehension at the advent of fintech companies. With digital platforms, those who had no assets managed to find value».

The importance of “vision” for the manager

From the digital platform to cognitive enterprises, the distance isn’t far. «The company has always been a structure that received inputs and sent out outputs, often material. Today the raw material to be processed is data, fundamental for those who want to exploit technologies like big data, machine learning, artificial intelligence… The evolution is this. However, there are two risks: on one hand, small companies may find themselves with a volume of data that is too small, insufficient for the technologies we have mentioned. They could thus be forced to rely on someone else, a bigger player. On the other hand, managers must not blindly rely on data processed by artificial intelligence. Because you also must know how to interpret this data, and to read it critically. A real manager will never be able to do without their capabilities of strategic vision», concludes Cennamo.

 

i-Flex EMBA: Kick off of amazing journey

 

I’d like to introduce to you my first, kick-off week of the i-Flex Executive Master of Business Administration at MIP Politecnico di Milano by starting from the end: the warm hugs, the willingness to meet again soon and the mutual feeling that it was as if we had known each other for years.

Yes, it might seem odd, but in just a few days we started to build up a strong relationship that we are sure will last for the whole 20 months of the program and even longer. It started on the introduction day when we first met up, a class of 61 friends coming from all parts of the world. It’s a melting pot of people from China, Japan, South Korea, Mozambique, Nigeria, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, the USA, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Hungary, Germany, Finland, Romania, Turkey, Switzerland, Poland, etc. ̶ and, of course, Italy. Everyone brings with them their experience, professional and, mainly, personal views, their culture and way of facing problems.

How did it begin? We passed two days in a quiet atmosphere at a historical Italian countryside “villa”. The silence of the Ligurian mountains was our background. Talking (it’s so essential to communicate), doing outdoor activities together (emphasizing the concept of learning by doing) and briefing what we actually did, all helped us to get to know the other participants, understand their way of thinking, trust each other and collaborate toward a final common goal: to learn.

The initial hesitancy soon broke up. It was so pleasant to find other open-minded and easy-going people, too attractive the sharing of their own experience and learning from others, too important the common goal. The structure of the activities, with a gradual increase in the level of cooperation, facilitated a gaining in confidence and the ability to recognize other participants’ strengths.

With this awareness we tackled the first week of lessons, analysing the problems with everyone’s contributions, looking hence from all our different points of view. It was an immersion in the initial topics, into which we surely could not have gone in such depth if we hadn’t trusted and respected each other. We built up a class, we become friends.

We all now have great expectations from the amazing journey that awaits us, and we know that it’s feasible to all go on together, as a unique team. To use one of our outdoor activity mottos, we are “stronger together”!!!

 

About the author
Vito Conversano

Student of the International Flex Executive MBA at MIP Politecnico di Milano.
Chief Information Officer @ San Marzano Vini SpA with extensive international experience in IT & strategic consultancy for fortune 500 companies. Creative, Curious, Travel lover. Passionate about discovering new concepts, learning continuously and developing new ideas.

 

 

The first step of a long journey

 

When I am asked to tell people about the week in Barcelona I say: “It was amazing, I’m proud to be part of that group, I’m proud of my choice to study for an MBA”.

When I chose to enroll, it felt like a leap in the dark: I was going to be bearing a long-term commitment, filling up my daily schedule (and the weekends!) without any guaranteed profit at the end of the path.
After the week in Barcelona, I’ve been able to have the first sight of the benefits: great courses, a super group and the mandate to lead my own career.

At EADA (the business school that hosted us in Barcelona), we attended courses about Leadership, Organizational behaviour and Macroeconomics: for me, it was a first time for all three subjects, but the professors were crystal clear in transmitting the core knowledge and, most of all, the right state of mind for approaching problems.

The two soft skills courses brought me a new awareness: leadership is an attitude, not a blessing, and thus must be learned and chosen as an approach towards team-members, regardless of the role.
The group is the greatest surprise: I didn’t expect it could be so easy to build bonds in such a short time. I think that the key of this link is the common state of mind: we all want to be leaders of our future.
We have been great colleagues during the courses, sharing personal experience and knowledge and helping each other to complete the assignments: the outdoor activity of the leadership course was a great idea to break the ice during the first day.

Due to the epidemic of fever that spread among us, we also jokingly supposed that this time spent outdoors had ruined our health: however, it strengthened our attitude of comradeship, leading us to share medicines and help those who couldn’t attend the lessons.

At the end of the day we also became friends, hanging around in Barcelona for tapas and a drink: now I can say that all the effort we will need to make on the hard path of an MBA will be less of a burden, because it is going to be shared in a supportive environment.

This MBA will be a long and demanding journey to build my career: the Barcelona experience is the cornerstone that makes me feel confident of the final result.

About the author
Fabrizio Liponi

My name is Fabrizio and I work as a tunnel engineer in the construction of Underground Line 4 of Milan. Born, raised, studied, living and working in Milan: I love my city and I’m proud to take part in building its future. Travel addicted, I love to meet people and different cultures.

 

 

Blurred Lines: Hybrid Online and Campus MBA Courses Come of Age

Business schools are moving towards a new paradigm, where the physical dimension is not alternative to the digital one; they are integrated

The boundary between online and on campus MBA programs is blurring, says Riccardo Mangiaracina, director of the International Flex Executive MBA at MIP Politecnico di Milano. “We’re moving towards a ‘phygital’ paradigm, where the physical dimension is not alternative to the digital one, but they are integrated,” he says.

Students on the school’s Full-time MBA are not limited to the campus in Milan: they can study in the cloud. “To guarantee the maximum possible flexibility, for the first three terms candidates can decide where and how to follow every lesson,” says Mangiaracina, whether online, in-person or anything in-between. They can tune into lessons on campus digitally via video link and also meet faculty in the flesh for tutoring.

Time-poor managers are less willing to forgot earnings and put their career progress on pause for two years to get a traditional campus MBA. This has prompted an increasing number of business schools to change their offer, with Online MBA degrees proliferating. Between 2013 and 2018 there was a 69 percent surge in the number of schools offering Online MBAs accredited by AACSB.

Meanwhile, demand for the Full-time MBA is waning. Global demand has been down for the past two years, according to exam administrator GMAC, and especially in the US where even some of the elite schools are reporting double-digit application declines. Some have taken to shutting their programs, like Iowa’s Tippie College of Business: between 2014 and 2018 the number of AACSB accredited institutions in the US fell 9 percent.

A move to ‘hybrid’ MBA programs

Online and in-class were previously two distinct markets but this distinction is increasingly being eroded. Many top business schools run ‘hybrid’ MBA programs that blend both digital and physical study, giving students the best of both worlds. These include courses at Babson College and Durham University Business School

The future of the MBA will be a combination of both online and offline to bring a truly immersive experience to students,” says Pietro Micheli, director of the distance learning MBA at Warwick Business School in the UK. “Putting lectures on video means more time can be given to discussion and seminars where ideas and theories are analyzed more.

The blurring of these boundaries means schools will continue to innovate, which benefits students handsomely. Warwick has two film studios that develop online business games where students can simulate what happens when they make strategic management decisions, for example. The school is also trialling a virtual reality experience that brings learning to life.

This improves students’ interpersonal skills and leadership qualities that are needed to motivate and work within a team,” says Micheli.

At the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University, the Hybrid MBA uses the same professors, career services and leadership training as the full-time version, and students can transfer between the two courses.

Students don’t want to compromise just because they are going to school online,” says Cindy McCauley, executive director of online masters programs. “As such, schools are going to have to adjust to meet rising expectations of students looking for more than just a way to check the MBA box.

In particular, schools’ career service will need to adapt to take into account the different job prospects between online and full-time students. The latter students typically quit their jobs to do the MBA, so are more likely to make a career switch than the former. Online students, on the other hand, generally choose to stay in their job and are more likely to want to progress in that role.

As a result, our Online MBA program career counselling involves a career coach working one-on-one with students,” says Patricia Mills, vice dean of online courses at USC Marshall School of Business. The career service for the full-time program tries to provide more opportunities to connect students with prospective employers on campus for interviews and career fairs.

It is a similar story at Warwick, where Micheli adds: “The average salary increase for distance learning MBA graduates was 34 percent three years after graduation. But they are later into their careers and typically in senior management role so the jump in earnings is never as big as the full-time MBAs, whose increase is 94 percent.

Online vs. in-class: how to decide on an MBA?

How can students decide which degree format to take? Micheli says Online MBAs allow people to connect with other students from all over the world to understand different cultures and make business contacts they would never otherwise have.

A full-time MBA on the other hand allows people to step out of their hectic work life, learn skills and knowledge across every aspect of an organization and give them breathing space to ponder their next career move.

Mills at USC Marshall says that ultimately, a high-quality MBA equips professionals with the business knowledge needed to succeed in today’s world, regardless of the mode of study.

Whether those courses are taken online or on campus, part-time or full-time, the student is likely studying the same concepts and completing similar assignments,” she says.

Schools are finding ways to reach different students with different needs.”

The trend is ultimately good news for students, says DR Widder, vice president of innovation at Babson College.

Overall this clash is good for students, as it puts pressure on schools to make available more of the benefits of each type of program to all students.

Students want more flexibility. This challenges schools to make program elements and courses from one program accessible to others, creating many internal challenges but in the end, serving students better.

Read the original article on FINDMBA

Overseas MBA Applications to Europe…

Most European institutions reported growth in applications from abroad this year[…]

Samantha Williams would have been well served by excellent business schools in the US, her home and birthplace of the MBA. Yet she chose MIP Politecnico di Milano in Italy to do the flagship business qualification this year.

Her transatlantic crossing reflects her perception that Italy is open for business. […] International students can stay in Italy for a year after graduation while they search for a job.

I chose to receive my MBA from an Italian university because of the ability to return to Italy for an extended period of time and further my career,” says Williams. “Also, the USA can feel very closed, even though it is a country of immigrants. And I wanted to experience something more international.”
Diversity enriches the learning experience through group discussion. Williams says: “I have been able to increase my knowledge of the EU and gain different perspectives.

MIP registered a 25 percent increase in foreign students enrolling in its full-time MBA course this year, and they comprise 70 percent of the overall cohort. Federico Frattini, director of the course, explains that Italy’s reputation for arts, culture and fashion are also attractive to overseas students.

MIP’s diversity is typical of European business schools, which have long boasted more global intakes than their peers in the US, where a confluence of factors — including the perception that overseas students are less welcome — are behind a fifth year of declining demand.

In contrast, according to figures from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC, which runs the GMAT), 60 percent of European institutions reported growth in their applications from abroad this year. Almost 80 percent of overall applications to these schools came from abroad, with 59 percent from outside the EU. […]

 

Read the full article on FINDMBA

Crafting culture for sustainability. The student hackathon

Join us to craft a sustainable culture!

POLIMI School of Management organises an interdisciplinary hackathon for WSM.

On January 08-09.01.2020, the next generation of managers, designers, policymakers and opinion leaders come together to create novel ideas as well as illustrative suggestions for sustainability in fashion under the moderation of Dr. Hakan Karaosman.

You are invited to join us to lead the change and act upon the solution.

Overarching Questions
  • How to ensure environmental and social sustainability across multiple layers from design and production to consumption and communication?
  • How to establish connections between different disciplines for sustainability?
  • How to engage civil society to be part of the solution?
Key Dates
  • Expression of interest by 20.12.2019
  • Notification of acceptance by 27.12.2019
  • Hackathon on 08-09.01.2020 at POLIMI School of Management
The Way Forward
  • Expression of interests and CVs must be addressed to Hakan.karaosman@polimi.it by no later than 20.12.2019
  • Invited participants will work in groups under the supervision of academics on 08-09.01.2020 at POLIMI School of Management
  • Each group will create posters and deliver pitches at the end of 09.01.2020
  • All participants will be invited to WSM FASHIONREBOOT on 11-12.01.2020
Registration

Register here to participate

From MIP to Luxottica: the story of Thea

Thea, Alumna IM4

 

Graduation Day, for most of our students, is not only a goal to reach but also the launchpad for new challenges. That’s exactly what happened to Thea Lovise Jorgensen, Alumna of the International Master in Multichannel Marketing Management (IM4), who’s now part of the Luxottica Futuresighters International Graduate Program.

Proud of her achievement, we could not miss the chance to have a chat with her!

Congratulations! How did you get to apply for the Luxottica Futuresighters International Graduate Program?

Luxottica’s company presentation was one of the first I attended at MIP. I still had months before my master would end and was pretty fresh in the search of what companies to apply to. However, there were two things I was sure of: I wanted to be part of something that enabled me to continue learning and develop in different fields, and secondly, I wanted to be part of a company which had a mindset and a culture that I could associate myself with.

The graduate program at Luxottica had exactly those two things. The culture inside Luxottica fosters integrity, respect, transparency and fairness. Being a Luxottican means that you are hard-working and proud of what you do, but at the same time very humble and enjoy every step of the way.
Their graduate program, in particular, is a 24-months development path that offers a 360 degrees insight into Luxottica’s vertical integrated business model, experiencing a cross-functional and cross-country rotations career path. I can not think of any better way than this to fully emerge myself into continuous learning and develop as a professional.

This looks great! You mentioned that was thanks to MIP company presentation that you got interested in Luxottica. Besides this experience, is there any other skill acquired during the Master that helped you to succeed in the selection process?

The most important learning that was crucial for me to succeed in the selection process at Luxottica, but also something I will take with me for the rest of my life, was the value of working with people from different cultural and professional backgrounds. Different-thinking minds working tight together everyday to reach different goals is hard, but in the end, it has a value that no career or money would ever make up for.

Indeed, the international spirit is one of the main characteristics of our Specialising Masters. Are there any other aspects of your #MIPexperience that made an impression on you?

For me, the time I spent at MIP was a time filled with opportunity. When you start studying at a university, your main objective is to learn from the time spent inside the classroom. Of course, this happened at MIP, but there was also so much more. The university gives you the opportunity to learn and develop through promoting teamwork, organising numerous events like company presentations, workshops and outings, and, more important than anything else, MIP foster and facilitate for their students to be creative and start their own activities. Combining a schedule filled with exceptional opportunities, an international network of students, and great team-players that turned into my best friends, MIP gave me one of the best years of my life.

So glad to hear that! Do you have any tips for current and future IM4 students to enjoy this experience as much as you did?

A year might seem like a short time, but if you make the most of it, take opportunities and work hard, it can change your life in directions that you could never imagine.

Just a last question before saying goodbye. What are your plans for the future?

Right now my focus is to do well and make the most of the opportunity I have been given inside Luxottica. I am currently working in e-commerce in Milan, but in a few months, I will move to Agordo, the place where the company was founded more than 50 years ago, and where they now have one of their largest manufacturing plants. After this, around October next year, I will be moving abroad for my international rotation of the graduate program. Where I will go and what I will do is still unknown to me, but I am sure that whatever comes my way will teach me a great deal and shape my life in a positive way.

Thank you Thea for sharing your experience and your career growth! Good luck!