Tell us about yourself and your background

My name is Amin Elsheikh and I’m Sudanese. I have lived all my life in Sudan where I studied for my BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering. During my time at university, I helped co-found a venture named Orooma, that went on to become the number one recruitment platform in the country.

Soon after, I joined DAL Group, a diversified business conglomerate, mostly working in sales and marketing roles, where I became the youngest manager in the history of the group.

Why did you decide to study at WBS?

At the time I applied to WBS, I had been working as a sales manager for two years. This was my first time leading a team, and soon I realised that my expertise and knowledge were being pushed to their limits. I decided to equip myself with the best practice knowledge to be able to progress in my career.

I wanted to challenge myself for my MBA, aiming to study at a world-class school and get exposure to a very diverse cohort and teaching faculty. I also appreciated the very personalised recruitment process that made Warwick Business School (WBS) stand out from other schools. This translated to a relatively small cohort size, which makes the learning experience much more hands-on and allows better interaction with faculty and colleagues. I remember looking at the WBS programme before applying, and seeing modules such as Marketing, Strategic Thinking, and Finance made me very excited to apply.

What did the WBS scholarship enable you to do?

I was very privileged to receive a scholarship from WBS during my application. Months after my application, a war broke out in my home country of Sudan, which meant I lost access to most of my savings. After contacting WBS, they were very generous and understanding, and provided me with a substantial scholarship.

The scholarship gave me a goal and a plan to get to, it provided me with a sense of direction throughout my journey fleeing the country. It would have been impossible for me to pursue the MBA without it.

How is your course going so far?

The course has been very rewarding. Comparing my experience with the MBA to my undergraduate degree, I understand that pursuing a degree in a field you’re passionate about is one of the most rewarding experiences.

Academically, it has exposed my knowledge gaps, and given me access to cutting-edge research in business. Personally, it has been challenging being away from family, and keeping up with news about my country.

What would be your advice for anyone currently applying for the MBA?

My first advice is to look retrospectively; what are your reasons for pursuing an MBA? Make sure you understand why you’re doing it. It is a very challenging and rewarding experience but only if you’re doing it for the right reasons.

My second advice is to be yourself throughout your application and interviews. I know a lot of people said this, and you’re probably tired of hearing it. But that’s the golden rule for any application - if an assessor can’t get a feel of who you are throughout your application, they are probably not going to consider you.