5 reasons to study Project Management at MIP Politecnico di Milano

I do not mean that you really need an excuse to move to Milan to study at a leading European business school and brush up on your project management skills, but here is my list of 5 reasons to do a Master’s degree in International Project Management at MIP Politecnico di Milano in case you are not convinced yet.

    1. It looks cool on your CV and increases international job prospects

MIP Politecnico di Milano is consistently improving its position in global rankings every year: according to the Financial Times’ rankings for 2017, the school is now placed in 41st position out of the top 95 European business schools, which confirms its quality and increases brand awareness among your future employers. Thus, even if you return home and decide to seek work in your hometown, a diploma issued by the university is likely to be looked on favourably by employers. In case you want to focus on the international job market, the university careers centre will help you to develop a career path through organised workshops and business events with top companies, as well as to prepare for the application process by improving your CV/cover letter and simulating an interview. Furthermore, the Master programme will give you an opportunity to work on a real project, which will provide you with an additional competitive advantage: during the Consulting in Practice class, we analysed and developed recommendations for a £500 million project for the largest commercial development site in the Scottish capital, Parabola Edinburgh Park.

    2. You will gain truly international experience

This particular Master programme is a double-degree course taught in English and offered jointly with Strathclyde Business School located in Glasgow, UK. Both countries, cultures and university systems vary greatly, which requires flexibility and adaptability  ̶ but such an experience will definitely open your mind to new ways of learning, working and living. Be ready to use the first semester effectively to fully appreciate life in Italy and open your heart for the new adventures in Scotland coming in the second semester. Additionally, you will spend the whole year studying with hundreds of people from all over the world. This exposure to so many different types of people will not only help you to develop communication, social and even language skills but will also give you a solid knowledge of nations different from your own and the specifics of working with them.

    3. You will brush up on your soft skills and expand your professional network

This Master programme will provide not only ‘hands-on’ knowledge of project management tools but also enhance and foster your ‘soft skills’ such as leadership, teamwork, interpersonal communication and presentation skills. During the whole year, we practised  group work with people from different countries and backgrounds, focusing on a post-heroic approach to leadership in order to increase creativity and make this process agile. Moreover, both universities organised multiple workshops and guest lectures with industry experts, where we improved our presentation skills, career goals strategy and solid theory gained during the classes. Additionally, we had the chance to volunteer at the World Business Forum held last year in Italy and participate in the Entrepreneurial Series events throughout the semester in the UK, which provided an opportunity to practise networking skills and see leadership in action.

    4. You will say ‘Goodbye!’ to stereotypes and make lifelong friends

Well, it is fine if you do not like every single person you meet, but the chances that you will have at least one lifelong friend are still very high (if you are good at keeping in touch, of course). It is common sense that solving problems together strengthens friendship. There is no need to explain what the problem of survival in a foreign country does to people: #brotherfromanothermother will definitely become your favourite hashtag under the group photo. There are additional exciting things which come with that friendship:

• All your stereotypes will be destroyed: you will see that all people, regardless of sex/race/skin colour, are arguably the same;
• You will make a small, but effective contribution to world peace: by talking about your culture, preparing national food for new international friends or hosting guests already in a home country, you will prove that information given by mass media is not always correct;
• You will discover new foods such as kebabs, platanos, arepas… and this list will never end;
• Wherever you go, you will always have free tour guides in every corner of the world.

    5. You will have an opportunity to explore two beautiful countries

In between classes and exams, studying will leave you with plenty of time to discover the beauty of Italy and Scotland (or the whole of Europe if you so wish). Whether you are visiting iconic landscapes or tourist spots, trying new food or shopping at local boutiques, that is always a more exciting way of spending your spare time than scrolling through Instagram!