“In Italy, I studied business with a strong focus on finance. At the time I spoke with an entrepreneur who told me about the challenges of creating something from scratch, investing time, effort, and money and seeing the results of that hard work. The conversation left an impression on me: I thought it would be awesome to start my own business one day.
While researching master’s programmes, I considered studying finance, but I wanted to understand business as a whole—how strategy, finance, and operation all come together. That’s when I discovered the University of Twente. I read that it's known as the most entrepreneurial university in the Netherlands, and this immediately caught my attention. I considered studying Industrial Engineering & Management because I like problem-solving and creating things. But in the end, I chose the Master’s in Business Administration, and I’m happy with my decision.
Various opportunities
I’m studying a wide range of subjects, including change management, law, and entrepreneurial leadership, to understand how all aspects of a business are interconnected. The study programme also places a strong emphasis on the triple P: profit, people, and planet. That means I’m learning how companies can create efficient processes while staying environmentally conscious and considering their employees' well-being. What makes a company isn’t the processes but the people behind them. Usually, problems arise not because of the employees but because of a faulty process. By reorganising how people work, even with the same number of employees, a company can achieve better results.
The Master’s offers seven specialisations, so you can focus on a specific business domain. As I want to build leadership skills and help businesses grow internationally, I chose the specialisation in International Management and Consultancy.
Another great opportunity is to do a double degree at a university abroad: in Italy, which has been my choice, Finland, or Germany. In my opinion, studying abroad makes the learning experience even more valuable because you expose yourself to a different culture and meet people with other beliefs.
Group assignments
Each module includes a practical assignment, and one of my favourites was coming up with a business model for Johnson & Johnson’s healthcare division. What made it so valuable was the team I worked with: my group included students from South Africa, Japan, and Germany. We all had different backgrounds, and it was interesting to see how each of us approached problem-solving.
The purpose of the assignment was to design a business model to reduce waste in medicine production while still making a profit. To do this, we researched how Johnson & Johnson currently operates and estimated the costs of potential changes. We created an investment plan showing how the company could fund those changes while ensuring they would pay off over time.
Personal growth
In my free time, I like to invest in my personal growth. That’s why I joined the university business incubator Novel-T — I wanted to explore if a startup idea I had was worth pursuing. I learned a lot about analysing a market, understanding potential customers’ needs, and creating a business plan. Besides, I had the chance to meet inspiring entrepreneurs. Being surrounded by smart people pushes me to think in new ways.
I'm also involved with UNICEF on campus, where we raise money for various humanitarian projects. Additionally, I work as a teaching assistant for first-year bachelor’s students in accounting, which I see as another way of building my leadership and teamwork skills.
My future
I still dream of starting a company, but for now, I want to gain as much knowledge and industry experience as possible. I’m considering a career as a strategic consultant helping companies enter new markets or advising on research and development investments.
The best part about consulting is that no two days are the same: every project brings new challenges and learning opportunities. I love the idea of gaining new insights every day and helping businesses make smarter decisions.”
