ESMT Berlin MBA

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ESMT Berlin MBA

What distinguishes top MBA programs from other programs? Accreditation and world-class education are important factors, but that alone was not enough to sign a contract with SuBulingzi from China.

The 32-year-old student applied for the top four business schools in Germany and received offers and scholarships from all business schools.

For her, ESMT Berlin has some X Factors that no one else has. It’s a good place, a strong network, and a diverse culture.

Through the network of German business schools, students have the opportunity to interact with influential guests, including the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

She also had the opportunity to practice classroom learning through the Responsible Leaders Fellowship (RLF) program that comes with the MBA. In this program, ESMT Berlin students collaborate with social organizations at the end of their studies.

Through this program, she travels to São Paulo, Brazil, and is now working with social organization Vaga Lume to deliver books to children in remote areas of the Amazon countryside.

Prior to earning an MBA in Berlin, he worked in Trivago in Shanghai, China. Her work at her travel booking company allowed her to know more about Germany, and she soon realized that she wanted to work there.

We talk to a 32-year-old woman to find out more about her social work projects and how her MBA bridges the gap in business knowledge.

What distinguishes top MBA programs from other programs? For SuBulingzi in China, ESMT Berlin has some X Factors not found in other B schools. Source: Su Bulingzi

ESMT What made you decide to get an MBA in Berlin?

One of the very clear things for me is that I wanted to get an MBA in Germany.

I applied for the top 4 business schools in Germany and got offers and scholarships from all of them. One of the basic reasons I chose ESMT is its location. Berlin is a hub of innovation and technology in Europe and is a perfect starting point for anyone like me who is interested in the internet industry.

Another very important reason is ESMT network – The ability to connect students and businesses is invaluable, and there are also ways to interact with the many powerful guests who visit us. The latest guest was Olaf Scholz, the new Chancellor of Germany.

Last but not least, I chose ESMT because of its strong and diverse culture. We have professors from all over the world and our class students come from over 20 countries. For someone like me who is interested in working in an international environment, it’s a great place to learn, fail and adapt to working with international teams.

Tell us about your experience with Vaga Lume in Brazil. Why did you choose that particular project and what so far?

Brazil is the country I’ve always wanted to visit after my volunteer experience in Venezuela. As a kid, I was a kind of bookworm, so their mission to deliver books to children in remote areas of the Amazon countryside excites me.

A good book is like a good trip that can bring us a new perspective on life and inspire us. Like fireflies, it is the English meaning of Vaga-lume, named after the organization. Along with the mission, the project itself is very attractive. My team is working on financing. This is an integral part of NGOs. We are particularly committed to international financing, testing our networking skills and business expertise.

Due to COVID-19, the team has not met in person for the past two years. As a classmate and colleague of the project, I started a weekly meeting every other week from the start of the project so that I could integrate into the team. There was also a team event where the whole team got together to do a walking tour in downtown São Paulo.

My team leader, Fernanda Prado, is an excellent leader and a talented cosmetologist. She knows where the team wants to go, but it also gives her a lot of flexibility in discovering what we can and want to do for the project.

My other teammates are also very smart and I enjoy working with them. Rafael Sasso, who has a very rich and interesting career path, has the patience to answer all my questions, but how to prioritize the “million” tasks he has on his plate. I always know. Filipe Cincinato is the creative spirit of our team, always passionate about new ideas and tells us everything about his project.

Elisa Villaméa, who has just graduated from college, has already gained a lot of experience in communication and partnership building during her internship at Vaga Lume.

Source: Su Bulingzi

What have you learned since you were involved in the project?

The ability to network is very important. I learned this at the MBA, but during the project it was further enhanced. While I was an MBA, I gradually became more confident and more comfortable. In the project, there are many moments I’m networking and I see myself doing so intentionally and unintentionally.

For example, to learn how to better utilize resources on international funding platforms, I attend online networking events and discuss their experiences, learning, tips, and struggles with many other NGOs. increase. I also introduced a girl who works for an NGO in Uganda to one of my classmates who is currently doing RLF in Uganda. This also focuses on the education of children.

Rather unintentionally, I persuaded the graduates to donate to support my project with VagaLume. I was doing a virtual coffee talk to understand his post-MBA trip in Germany where I introduced him to the project. I didn’t intend to donate in this talk, but it was natural.

Working and living in Brazil should be very different from being in China or Germany. How do you find it?

Brazil is a bit like China to me, unlike Germany. Unlike Germany, which is almost entirely closed in the evenings and Sundays, São Paulo lives most of the time.

The first night I arrived in São Paulo, people were eating, drinking and hanging out with friends outside the streets, bars and restaurants. Bars and restaurants usually have no windows or walls and are more open.

It is reminiscent of Daipaidon, a type of outdoor food stall in China.

During the day, not only restaurants and cafes, but general commerce, gyms, galleries, etc., all remain open towards the street.

Before I arrived in São Paulo, my colleague / classmate who arrived two weeks ago had already warned me that most of the people here do not speak English. The moment I arrived at the airport, I thought it was true. I also learned that the people here are very friendly and willing to help at any time.

One of the first things I needed to take care of was getting a SIM card. The girl who helped me became very patient while we communicated primarily by translating the text over the phone. She gave me whatsApp number and she helped me even on holidays.

This restaurant is also near the place where I’m staying, which the girl who always receives orders called “Amiga” from the second day. She is always happy to see me.

São Paulo has a tropical climate and greenery can be found almost everywhere. There are large trees on the street, which acts as a perfect cover from the sun on hot days and helps keep the street cool.

esmt berlin

The Top MBA Program provides students with excellent networking opportunities. According to Su Bulingzi, ESMT Berlin students can interact with powerful guests visiting the facility. The latest guest is German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Source: Ina Fassbender / AFP

Did you have the opportunity to explore Brazil?

Exploring São Paulo was very interesting, but the adventure to the more natural side is about to begin. Visiting Rio de Janeiro for the carnival was great!

It’s a completely different style of city, and I loved learning about its deep history of colonization and exploring the nature that surrounds the city’s scenarios. In the future, I plan to go to Amazon as a way to learn more about Vaga Lume.

Finally, what are your future plans?

My goal is to work as a project manager for an internet company. That is one of the main purposes of getting an MBA. I am excited to find a place where I can harness my learning and passion from my current project with the MBA, Vaga Lume, and all the interactions in between.