Charles Haanyika from Zambia

When I decided to join the course, I was mainly looking for a qualification against my name to help raise my profile as a consultant. When I look back now, I realise that I actually bargained for more than I initially intended. The course did not only put in my face the environmental problems confronting our homes, communities, countries and the world at large mainly due to energy use. The course prepared me to be able to understand the root causes and offer potential solutions to the people and institutions at the centre of the environment situations that confront us today…Governments, Business and society.

As a more mutual age student, I was often academically challenged during the course. However, the highly interactive teaching methods, group assignments and discussions provided an excellent environment for students of different backgrounds and experience to exchange ideas. Learning with younger, more academically able students rejuvenated me and helped stimulate my performance. On the other hand, I always felt a sense of responsibility to share ideas from my many years of practical experience.

The course was held for most part in the historic town of Franeker. Here, the people have known how our planet works for many centuries (visit the Planetarium Museum there). However, now they miss their much cherished Friesland annual ice skating competition, which attracts tens of thousands of participants and public but which has not taken place for over a decade due to inadequate snow fall and freezing. This brings home the issue of climate change. As an environmental student, it was easy to understand the potential threat of flooding to Holland (low land) due to the melting of the polar ice because of global warming since more than half the country is below sea level. There could be no better learning environment than in a country where the issues of climate change and greening the industry affects every citizen personally.

As the course came to a close, I found myself being challenged by the prestigious MBA award to go out there and contribute to a better environment and living conditions of people particularly in developing countries.