Tag: International Part Time MBA

Invest in yourself: develop your soft skills

Posted on | by Beatrice Grillo | Leave a Comment on Invest in yourself: develop your soft skills

The longer the time I spend with my Part-Time MBA fellows, the more surprised I am by the mutual enrichment we get from our different working backgrounds and personal lives: we get involved as a whole person, and this goes beyond our differences.

The benefits for students on an MBA program, along with the hard skills developed during the courses, include the opportunity to work in a team and cooperate proactively to achieve the common goal of finding an effective and original solution to challenging assignments. This is anything but easy: emphasising our creativity, we produce a bucketload of different ideas and everyone tries to persuade the others to follow his or her line. In the end, a fine emotional intelligence is key to understanding when it’s time to find a shared thought, agree upon an idea and lead the road towards the target.

In a few words, enrolling in an MBA program offers a great arena for training soft skills.

In general, soft skills indicate all the transversal competences that are not directly connected to a specific task; they mainly refer to the relationships with other people involved in the organization and the personal attitude to dealing with a task.
Hard skills, on the other hand, concern the ability to do a specific task, require specialized knowledge and technical abilities: they’re easily measurable and they are usually very specific to a role in an organization.

Time and effort dedicated to the development of soft skills is thus an investment for the future development of each person’s career; as the need for specific skills can pass by with the development of new technologies, the attitude to rapidly approaching new, upcoming technologies and coping with disrupting changes will remain.
And these two competencies, learning agility and adaptability, are indeed soft skills.

In the complex labour market in the era of disruptive change, while hard skills must be continuously improved as the necessary enablers to access the game and hold one’s position, soft skills give the opportunity to move wisely and nurture a positive environment that is the key to achieving both one’s personal goals and those of the team.

Moreover, in a time of fast transformations that lead to the development of cross-industry teams and abilities, soft skills represent a business card that is valuable in multiple different environments.
In a multi-disciplinary team the ability to communicate effectively, listen carefully and delegate are key elements for success. And guess what? These are soft skills.

In our path as MIP students, we are offered boot camps, seminars and courses to improve our soft skills: the leadership class at EADA was a great opportunity to reflect on personal attitudes and the different ways to be a leader, shaping our way with the four pillars of authentic leadership.
Seminars offer us the opportunity to dig into ourselves and develop self-awareness, maturing a consciousness of our strengths and dealing with our weaknesses: we don’t get to choose our warts, but we must be able to transform them into opportunities for growth.

As Part-Time students, moreover, we have the chance to put into place the soft skills training both at work and with our MBA colleagues, in very different contexts with bosses, subordinates and peers.

But the downside is that we have pressure coming from both sides and we have to struggle with tight time schedules to balance work and study. Guess what? Again, soft skills are required here.

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.

Bootcamps at MIP: what they are and what to expect

Posted on | by Beatrice Grillo | Leave a Comment on Bootcamps at MIP: what they are and what to expect

First of all, I have to say that I have seen the light…! My Part-time MBA adventure is getting closer to the end and I’m really excited about what this last kilometer will be like. While I am developing one of my last group assignments and at the same time, my final project work, I would like to recollect one of the most meaningful experiences of this tiring, crazy but outstanding voyage.

Almost a year ago I decided to apply to one of the several Bootcamps we could choose from, which were included in our MBA program.

But what exactly is a Bootcamp? It is 30 hours of face-to-face classes focused on a particular topic and designed specifically to create a link between theory and practice.

Besides, the one you choose (I picked “Luxury & Made in Italy Excellence”), represents a chance to focus on topics that are either part of your daily work, or in which you are particularly interested.

The course gives you the opportunity of meeting with various leading realities (Italian and international) and top managers in industry and consultants with whom to network and to gain a better understanding of the key challenges they have to cope with every day. Furthermore, it gives you hints of a potential professional growth path you can follow, by listening to their lives and experiences.

The real case studies are an essential part of the program and foster the discussion on real-life situations that you face in your work. For me, it was of great value to take a deep dive into the concrete issues of my professional life, to look at things in a different way and with a renewed way of thinking. The whole experience is completed with key theoretical principles about which it is always useful to refresh your memory, and I think it is also a nice experience to look at them again with some years of work experience behind you.

It also represents a unique opportunity for networking with the students on other MBA courses (for example, the Full-time MBA, or other international students from exchange programs), because the bootcamps are run across the various international programs. I had the chance of interacting with almost 60 young professionals working or willing to work in my sector, and to discuss and share opinions with them on a variety of topics.

If you can and want to travel, MIP also offers you the chance of taking this course abroad in prime destinations, such as Silicon Valley or Asia.

About the author
 Pietro Cavallo

My name is Pietro and I grew up in Milan, where I am currently living. I work in Switzerland, in the Supply Chain division of a clothing multinational. I am the husband of an incredible wife and father of 2 crazy kids.

 

«Why did you choose Italy?» Tales of students from around the globe

Posted on | by Beatrice Grillo | Leave a Comment on «Why did you choose Italy?» Tales of students from around the globe

In the last article, we talked about the importance of Multinational Networking in an MBA. One of the most important benefits you can get is the development of long-lasting relationships with like-minded people. You can find real friends!

And talking about MBA friends, I’d like to share with you the experiences of some of them: Bruno Pivato from Brazil, Jo Eun Cha from S. Korea and Alejandro Tommasi from Venezuela. I guess their words will be much more meaningful than mine in helping you understand the beauty of diversity:

Bruno Pivato

“I was born in Brazil, where I was educated and developed my career. I have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

I started my professional career in 2005, as an intern in a national investment bank, working in the area of foreign exchange, and then moving to BankBoston. After 2 years in the banking sector, I decided to try a new experience in Marketing, in a totally different company belonging to the medical technology sector. I became a Senior Marketing Analyst and, in 2012, I decided to leave and join 3M as a project manager. After that, I accepted a start-up project linked to Covidien, a big multinational company in the pharma sector. This experience led me to join Zambon, at the HQ in Italy, where I became a “Business Operations Manager”, responsible for Marketing and Business Development for 5 countries: Brazil, Colombia, China, Indonesia and Russia.

It wasn’t that easy to adapt to the Italian environment, but I found out that the best part of Italy is the people. Both in the office and in the street, I have found Italians to be very open-minded and receptive.”

Jo Eun Cha

“I was born and raised in Seoul, S. Korea. I graduated in economics and worked as a Buyer for watches and accessories for 5 years. My dream was to work in the fashion industry, so I decided to study and go for it. I moved to Milan 10 years ago to study and to work. Then Singapore and Seoul again. Anyway, when I was in Milan, my manager called me one day, asking me to join his team in PVH. I accepted and now I’ve been working here for almost 4 years. I always wanted to apply for an MBA, so I decided to do it this year, so here I am.

Why did I decide to come to Milan? Well, Koreans love Italian products and I wanted to learn something about European culture. As soon as I arrived in Milan, I realized that the size of the city was right for me, even if it was much smaller than Seoul.

As far as the working environment is concerned, the Italian and Korean cultures are quite different. In Seoul, you work more and you’re more stressed out. In Italy, people work hard too ̶ but they place more importance on family, food, chatting and chilling. There’s a better work-life balance, and this helps you to perform better in the office too. This made me change my mindset, I guess for the better. I’m now confident that it is possible to set the path for my future career while enjoying life at the same time.”

Alejandro Tommasi

“I was born in Caracas, where I lived until I was 15. The awful political situation forced me and my family to leave our country, looking for safety, opportunities and a future in my grandparents’ land: Italy. At the beginning, it was hard to adapt to a completely different environment; it took me years to finally find a balance. This experience helped me to grow and improve myself. Italy has given me some amazing opportunities: I studied and graduated in Mechanical Engineering, in the beautiful city of Turin.

Italy is a place drenched in culture, history, style, art and nature. I think it is a place which everyone around the world dreams of visiting at least once in a lifetime. I’m confident that this country has enormous potential to excel in every single field, and this potential should be transformed into action and plans for future development.

In my current position, I develop technological machining solutions to meet customers’ needs for many industries. I’m sure that with the knowledge, experience and benefits of exchanging views gained during this International MBA at MIP, I could apply all my energies to contribute to improving this country and its potential, especially in this difficult moment. I’m sure that diversity is always a provider of opportunities, looking at a future in a more and more interconnected world.”

Well, I don’t have much more to say. I guess my new colleagues and friends have said quite enough to make you understand the many differences (and the possibilities connected with these differences) that you can find in a multicultural environment, such that of the International Part-Time MBA at MIP.

I just want to leave you all with a final quote, by Stephen R. Covey, the famous American educator:

“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities.” 

Let’s hope this strength will help us to get out of this tragic situation, and to increase our confidence in the future with a renewed spirit.

 

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.

 

 

The power of diversity: the MBA & multinational networking

Posted on | by Beatrice Grillo | Leave a Comment on The power of diversity: the MBA & multinational networking

“Networking is not just about connecting people. It’s about connecting people with people, people with ideas and people with opportunities.” (Michele Jennae)

When I enrolled for an MBA at MIP, I already knew that this kind of experience would be much more than classes, exams and company visits. One of the main achievements of an MBA is the network you can create during this period.

I get it, often networking isn’t at the top of everyone’s to-do list. It can be time-consuming, awkward on occasion, and, depending on your personality, incredibly draining.

It can appear that hard skills and knowledge are far more important than having a few words with colleagues or joining events. But that’s quite wrong. Sometimes you learn more by taking a coffee or sharing a slice of pizza with a person with a different background, than actually studying a book on finance accounting (which is still a super-important subject. Nothing against it, I swear!)

And that’s what’s happening during my first months of the MBA; I’m getting to know many interesting people, with different stories, backgrounds, ambitions and nationalities.

Yes, nationalities. I decided to join the International Part-Time MBA in order to benefit from an international environment.

Sundar Pichai, former CEO of Google, once said:

“A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone.”

And I totally agree with this sentence. A multicultural environment (and networking in general) can bring many benefits:

1.     Strengthen business connections:

Networking is about sharing, not only taking. It is about forming trust and helping one another toward goals. Regularly engaging with your contacts and finding opportunities to assist them helps to strengthen the relationships. By doing this, you sow the seeds for reciprocal assistance when you need help to achieve your own goals.

Tell me, would you rather help: A) a colleague with whom you have shared a drink, or B), a colleague who don’t even say “hi” when you run into him? The logical answer would be A (otherwise maybe you should be reading articles on how to deal with problems in socialising?)

2.     Get fresh ideas:

Your network can be an excellent source of new ideas to help you in your role (both present and future). And what about a multicultural network? It can be an even better source of inspiration. Different cultures have different ways of approaching problems. Everyone is looking at situations through a different lens, a unique perspective. This can lead to a wide range of ideas that would benefit any team.

Is it easy? Absolutely not. At least, not at the beginning. During my first group assignment on the Erasmus programme, I was in a group with a Chinese, a Japanese, a German and an American (it sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it actually happened). It was a real mess… One person focused more on the content, someone else more on the form, others on the speech, etc. But mixing up all these different approaches brought us to a final result which was much better than the one we had in mind at the beginning.

3.        Develop long-lasting personal relationships:

Last but not least! The point of networking is not only to develop professional relationships, but also (and above all) to create strong and long-lasting friendships. I’ve always thought that the more you grow up, the more you’re able to find people you share your vision of life with. Your MBA networking contacts will usually be like-minded people with similar goals to your own, so it’s not unlikely that they’ll become great friends of yours.

These are only a few of the benefits you can get from an international environment. But they should be enough to push you try out an experience like an International MBA. You’ll need to discover all the other benefits for yourselves! ?

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.

 

 

Hostmate: how our startup was created at MIP

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on Hostmate: how our startup was created at MIP

The story of this company that operates in the short-term rental market, born in the classroom at MIP. One of its founders, Felipe Aguilera, an MBA alumnus, tells us about it, illustrating opportunities and challenges and offering some advice to those who are about to begin the Master’s programme.

Good ideas, on their own, aren’t enough. They must be studied, closely evaluated, discussed, defended. It’s the best way to bring out their real potential: «In fact, if an idea is born perfect, it means that it’s not innovative», says Felipe Aguilera, alumnus of the Master in Business Administration programme at MIP and among the founders of Hostmate, an innovative startup with headquarters in Milan that operates on the market of short-term rentals. «We manage every aspect of the service, from putting the property online to the cleaning of the apartments, meeting requirements of the compliance side, receiving guests and maintenance».

Cross-cutting skills for a one-of-a-kind service

As often happens, Hostmate was born out of brainstorming: «About three years ago, together with some friends and colleagues, we started discussing the so-called megatrends in the property market. Among these stood out home sharing», says Felipe. «And so we created Hostmate. Currently we operate mainly in Milan, but we are slowly expanding in Turin and Venice. Rome and Florence will be our next big challenges. We want to distinguish ourselves from our competitors and to offer a unique service». There are many variables to manage and they require a wide range of professional skills: «For this reason, two other MIP alumni joined the team: Virginia Soana, currently business manager, and Amr Aladl, operations strategy advisor. Two people with very different academic backgrounds, in law and engineering. But the complexity of the business requires this», explains Felipe. «Our primary objective is to offer a high-level customer experience, which for us is one of the most important parameters. The customer must be satisfied: it’s the best guarantee for the success of our business. But to meet their needs, we must know every facet of the business».

Between bureaucracy and innovation

The operating context is also important. «Italy offers two fundamental advantages for the short-term rental market: widespread home ownership and large tourist volumes. On the other hand, however, we find a strong resistance to change, along with the bureaucratic and administrative aspect: it’s truly challenging to manoeuvre through the various requirements», explains Felipe. Luckily, these limits are compensated «by the great availability of talented and young, and not so young, people, who have a desire to innovate, change the rules, fight the fear of what’s new».

A Master’s that teaches how to do

Characteristics that also marked Felipe’s experience at MIP. «My previous training was in the field of finance, but I felt the need to gain further expertise in logistics, operations, in innovation in general. In particular, I felt the need for a Master’s that led me to “do”, in addition to “learn”. The MBA has fully met my expectations. We had the opportunity to work with professors who shared excellent guidelines for the definition of “agile” business models, operational and organizational, able to survive in uncertain and continuously changing environments, like that in which we live today. In the same way, open communication and the constant sharing of experiences with my colleagues favoured the proliferation and the improvement of ideas which then materialized in concrete projects. Hostmate is one of these». Lastly, some advice for those who are about to embark on this path: «You have to prepare yourself for an intense period of study and work, and don’t forget that a large part of the value of the MBA comes precisely from this dialogue between colleagues, like that between me, Amr and Virginia, and professors. So, speak up and raise your hand».

A response to the challenges of Covid-19

Although the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the hospitality industry, Hostmate and their team have managed to react:  «We decided to take advantage of this particular situation to fast-track some important projects included in the strategic plan, in particular, Hostmate Accommodation Facilities and Hostmate Rentals Centre», says Felipe. «The first project, for example, aims to help the less digitally equipped establishments by adding their property to the main virtual booking platforms, managing it, and helping them to communicate with their guests». With respect to the future of the sector, however, the alumnus makes this comment: «We expect tenants and guests to pay more attention to hygiene and health issues and to increase the use of digital channels for booking, communication and payment of services, but we will be ready to face the new challenges».

Leading the new generation workforce

Posted on | by Tania Tornese | Leave a Comment on Leading the new generation workforce

 

The essential digital skills for the leaders of tomorrow

To be a successful leader you need to have the right mix of soft skills and technical knowledge.

Soft skills, also known as “interpersonal skills“, relate to the way we interact with other people and include reliability, effective communication, problem-solving, people management, change management and more…

Alongside these very important skills, there are hard skills, the job-specific knowledge and technical abilities which are constantly shifting and evolving over time in the dynamic working environment in which we work today.

To manage resources and interact with different teams, you need important leadership skills but also specific digital hard skills that an International Part-time MBA at the MIP School of Business aims to develop in its traditional courses, elective boot camps and company visits.

 

  • Data science skills and the ability to make data-driven decisions: a leader must know how to read and manage data, generate reports and forecasts, identify sales opportunities and estimate profitability since organizations collect and analyze large amounts of data to make objective decisions and transform their processes. In the Data Analysis course, for example, I learned how to apply statistics to business from collecting the relevant data to writing technical reports useful for strategic decision-making.

 

  • Programming and software development: basic programming, web and app development knowledge are required to work with both internal resources and outsourcing agencies. Programming is also important for knowing how to identify opportunities, define specific project objectives and requirements, estimate the times, costs and resources necessary for implementation and guide technicians in development. In this case, the boot camp dedicated to Biomarketing used real cases to show how to use digital technology to analyze the market and to improve our understanding of the customer. Moreover, the company visit to Accenture highlighted how the company supports other businesses in the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and in the development of software used for data collection and analysis with the aim of improving sales strategies, customer management and process transformation.

 

  • Network and information security, cybersecurity and privacy knowledge: the advent of the GDPR in Europe during May 2018 put data security and privacy at the top of the agenda for many project teams. Also, consumers are now more conscious of the risk of sharing their personal information online and they expect to have their data protected. As project leaders, we will need to be able to set guidelines for project delivery that include data security approaches, work with the IT and legal teams and ensure that the required standards for security and privacy are met.

 

  • Social media selling and digital marketing: today, buyers won’t engage with a seller without visiting their company website first. Social selling uses social media to find, connect and develop meaningful relationships with potential customers. Product managers must master digital marketing skills to create digital content and promote products and services. The company visit to Moleskine, in this case, was very impressive. The company is completely digitized in its processes, marketing and customer relations while selling some of the most traditional products on the market: diaries and notebooks.

 

In the next few years, when we will be in team leader positions, we will be working with a new generation of workers who have grown up in a fully digitalized world. We should use our digital skills to coordinate them, understand their needs, support them with the tools they require, set goals and evaluate their work.

On the other hand, since technology allows new generations to be confused in values ​​and ethics, and to be lazy in habits and have little emotional intelligence, we should teach them the timeless virtues like commitment, responsibility, and the valuable soft skills that they may not understand, like emotional intelligence.

We will learn from them how to take advantage of new technologies and we will use our digital and soft skills to leverage their abilities and create the best working conditions to maximize their performance.

That is the critical role we will play.

 

About the author
 Andrea De Donatis

I am Andrea De Donatis, a student of the international part-time MBA at MIP Politecnico di Milano. I Graduated in energy engineering and I am currently working in technical sales for a leading multinational electronics company based in Milan.
I am very passionate about technology, IT and digital marketing. I strongly believe that disruptive innovation is vital to create new value.

 

 

Life is great in Milan

Posted on | by Tania Tornese | Leave a Comment on Life is great in Milan

Life in Milan is definitely amazing! Maybe here, my “Milanese” pride is coming out, as Milan is my home, where I live, study and am building my family ̶ but it’s true that it’s a really great city!

First of all, to describe Milan I have to say that it is not a city you fall in love with at first sight; life here must be lived to the full and Milan discovered before you can really appreciate it. My colleagues and I are finding that the International Part-Time MBA at MIP Politecnico di Milano certainly gives us plenty of opportunities to do this, both in terms of the access we are given to the thriving world of business and, of course, socially, where there is so much choice available. I am happy to act as a guide to show off the many facets my home city has to offer.

So, where to start to convince you?

Milan has changed a lot throughout these last few years and I can say that now it can easily be compared to the most glamorous European destinations. It is a city where you can have all types of experiences without ever getting bored. In many aspects you can feel a rare energy of a city that is growing and remains true to itself. Let’s start for example with culture: Milan has its own hidden and less hidden gems, such as Castello Sforzesco or the Duomo with its amazing Madonnina (built in 150 years through the donations of the people of Milan), the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, the Pinacoteca of Brera, the Cimitero Monumentale and so on… places like the universities are worth a visit: the Politecnico, the Università Cattolica (where I left my heart) or la Statale are amazing ancient institutions of culture and beauty (but also incredible places to rest). The entertainment scene is also varied: you can go to one of the most famous opera houses in the world, La Scala, or to the cinema or to the many museums or exhibitions that have started up in recent years. Milan, of course, is famous all over the world for its fashion, with opportunities including shopping in the iconic via Montenapoleone or visiting the Prada Foundation. In any case, whatever your destination, you will notice that most people in Milan pay great attention to their clothes and to beauty. There are so many little made in Italy boutiques that have risen up all over the city that if you are addicted to fashion, you won’t be disappointed.

If you are a sports fan, you cannot miss a match at San Siro, the heart of soccer in Milan (A.C. Milan is now struggling a bit, but new support is always good!)

Of course, we are in Italy, so food is fundamental! Milan is known for its risotto giallo with ossobuco (though this is a bit heavy for summertime…) or the cotoletta or panettone. In any case, if you feel homesick, Milano can offer you every type of cuisine at a high level.

You will fall in love with Milan simply by walking (or taking its iconic tram) through its streets and its neighborhoods, each so different from the last.

You will find your own favorite: Porta Romana if you want to chill out, the Navigli if you want a good drink and some romance, the beautiful new skyline of Garibaldi and City Life if you like modern style or Isola if you are an hipster ̶ and even all this is only scratching the surface.

In few words.. “Milan l’è un gran Milan“

 

About the author
 Pietro Cavallo

My name is Pietro and I grew up in Milan, where I am currently living. I work in Switzerland, in the Supply Chain division of a clothing multinational. I am the husband of an incredible wife and father of 1 crazy kid and ½…  I’ll keep you posted when the second ½ arrives…

 

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

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on 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.

 

 

The first step of a long journey

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on 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.

 

 

Learn together, build together

Posted on | by Veronica Rafaniello | Leave a Comment on Learn together, build together

 

Two entire weeks abroad at leading European business schools are part of the International part-time MBA program defined by the MIP Politecnico di Milano School of Management, which has a duration of approximately two years.

During the first academic year, I had the opportunity to visit Barcelona and attend classes at the EADA Business School with my colleagues. On that occasion, thanks to the team activities organized by the coordinators, we broke the ice, got to know each other and also developed personal connections. This year, for the second international experience, we flew to Munich in Germany, as guest students at the Technische Universität München (TUM). In this exciting journey, we strengthened the friendships that were born in the previous one and that we had cultivated during the entire first year.

The second international week kicked off, as scheduled, early morning on Monday 28th October but I actually started planning this journey with my colleagues many months before, eager to spend another entire week far from the frenzy of our daily work routine, to meet those companions again who I now call friends and to spend some quality time with them.

Unlike the first experience, this time I was not at all afraid of facing the journey. I already knew that it would not be a further commitment in our already weary working life but rather the perfect getaway. I already knew that finally, I was going to have the opportunity to fully immerse myself in the MBA program but also to be able to count on new trusted friends, divert my mind from everyday problems and relieve tensions.

With this in mind, I left for Monaco early to reunite with most of the other students already on the weekend preceding the start date of the lessons, with the desire to explore the city characterized by the typical calm and tranquillity of Bavaria, taste the traditional local cuisine and, above all, to share our experiences in a pleasant setting.

As colleagues started arriving at the hotel, they were greeted by those already present among great smiles and hugs and a shared feeling of friendship typical of those who have known each other for a long time. In these conditions, driven by the desire to face this experience day by day together, getting up early to go to class has never been a burden but a pleasure!

From Monday to Friday I followed the Corporate Finance, Project Management and Capital Markets Law classes held by the TUM professors. In particular, however, I had the opportunity to get in touch with two of the most important German companies on the international scene: BMW and Lufthansa. For an industrial engineer like me, what could I say? Visiting the production sites of a giant car manufacturer like BMW was a daydream. By giving us access to these two companies, MIP has remained faithful to its promise to offer an International Part-Time MBA which is particularly interesting for those involved in an engineering career path.

Today, from this second international week, I can say that I have brought home a new wealth of scholastic knowledge, a unique experience in direct contact with the excellence of the German industry and, above all, the consolidation of friendships born during the first year. I am sure that with these friends, in the future, I will also weave business relationships and meet them again as customers, suppliers or business partners.

But why wait for our career to bring us together again? We have already organized our third international trip: we are ready to leave together for the next destination as soon as we graduate…

 

About the author
 Andrea De Donatis
I am Andrea De Donatis, a student of the international part-time MBA at MIP Politecnico di Milano. I Graduated in energy engineering and I am currently working in technical sales for a leading multinational electronics company based in Milan.
I am very passionate about technology, IT and digital marketing. I strongly believe that disruptive innovation is vital to create new value.