Despite practical experience in business growth, I lacked academic business knowledge. Searching for the right MBA program, I sought a blend of my extensive experience and academic rigour. With a solid foundation of a 15-year career, I’ve served renowned consultancies like Deloitte, KPMG, EY, and Accenture for over a decade. My pivotal role before pursuing an MBA was leading the strategy team of an AgriTech startup. These roles shaped my knack for growing businesses and teams.
Yet, I felt a piece missing from my professional puzzle – an MBA. Despite practical experience in business growth, I lacked academic business knowledge. Searching for the right MBA program, I sought a blend of my extensive experience and academic rigour. This quest led me to the Asia School of Business (ASB). The ASB collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in Cambridge granted me an opportunity to spend our spring semester at the institute which I found appealing.
ASB also offered an exploration gateway to Southeast Asia, a region poised for significant growth. At the heart of this region is Malaysia, teeming with startup culture, and ripe with opportunities. Malaysia’s allure extends to picturesque locales, culinary delights, and strategic geographic position, making it ideal for students and travellers.
Living in Malaysia, I’ve experienced the “Malaysia Truly Asia” slogan firsthand, the country being a vibrant melting pot of cultures and ideas. Stationed strategically in Southeast Asia, Malaysia provides access to dynamic economies like Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Bali. This global diversity is mirrored in my class, with students representing these varied nations.
Come Prepared
With the benefit of hindsight, the best advice I can give to anyone who wants to come and study in Malaysia is to come with a plan. It is ok to figure things out, but if you already have a plan, it will save you a lot of time and you would be able to better utilise all the resources at your disposal.
The salary trend in Malaysia is very different from that of the rest of the world but at the same time the cost of living is also very low, so when you access or compare salaries, be mindful of the cost of living as well. Although Malaysia is known for its food, it’s great if you can cook a little as that will not only save you time but money as well.
The author is an MBA student at Asia School of Business, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Originally published by The Free Press Journal.