I decided to pursue the MBA at Queen’s University Belfast to broaden my understanding of business strategy, leadership, and innovation while building an international perspective. I come from an engineering background and later moved into performance marketing and digital growth, where I had experience managing teams in India. However, I wanted to move beyond functional expertise and develop a stronger foundation across strategy, operations, finance, and entrepreneurship. I was also interested in eventually building something of my own, so understanding how businesses are built and scaled became important to me. The Queen’s MBA offered the opportunity to challenge myself in a new environment and learn alongside professionals from diverse industries and cultures.

The MBA played an important role in shaping how I think about business and entrepreneurship. Coming from an engineering and performance marketing background, I was comfortable operating within my domain, but I did not have much exposure to areas such as accounting, corporate finance, HR, business strategy, analytics, marketing management, or the global economic environment. The programme helped me understand how all these functions come together to run and scale a business.

One of the most impactful parts of the MBA was the dissertation. The research required to develop a business plan pushed me to think beyond operational execution and start thinking about building something that could move the needle for a business at a strategic level. I also chose the International Study elective, which gave me the opportunity to spend time at the University of Glasgow. That experience allowed me to interact with professionals and students from different parts of the world including Australia, the US, and South Africa. It helped me broaden my perspective and expand my global network.

Another key influence was Queen’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, which encourages students to explore and test new ideas. Being in that environment helped me start thinking more seriously about building a product and eventually led me to start my company, KARB AI.

Looking back now while building KARB AI, I often find myself applying many of the frameworks and ways of thinking that came from the MBA. Whether it is people management, accounting, strategic decision making, or structuring business problems, the programme helped me develop a more structured approach to building and running a business. Overall, the experience shaped me in ways I did not fully realise at the time, but it continues to influence how I approach challenges today.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the MBA was learning alongside people from very diverse professional and cultural backgrounds. Everyone came with different experiences and perspectives, which made classroom discussions and group projects much more insightful. It pushed us to think beyond our own industries and approach problems from different angles.

The case study approach was also very valuable because it encouraged us to analyse real business situations and think through decisions from a leadership and strategic perspective rather than just a functional role. I also really appreciated the industry engagement and networking opportunities throughout the programme. Interacting with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and alumni helped connect what we were learning in the classroom with real world business challenges.

Another rewarding part of the experience was being part of an environment where people were constantly discussing ideas, collaborating, and supporting each other’s ambitions. That culture of learning and exchange made the MBA experience much more meaningful.

My advice to anyone undertaking the Queen’s MBA would be to fully immerse yourself in the experience beyond the classroom. The MBA offers much more than academic learning. It is an opportunity to collaborate with people from different backgrounds, challenge your thinking, and explore new ideas.

Take the time to engage in discussions, work closely with your peers, and make the most of networking and industry engagement opportunities. Those experiences often become just as valuable as what you learn in the lectures. Also be open to stepping outside your comfort zone. The programme pushes you to think differently and approach problems from multiple perspectives, and that is where a lot of the real growth happens.

You may enter the programme with one goal in mind, but the experience often opens doors and perspectives you may not have initially expected.

Karthik Bangalore Rajendra Prasad

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