Full time MBA Testimonial: ‘What a year it was!’

After five years of work experience in Turkey, Anil Yildirim decided to reward herself by moving out of her comfort zone, investing in her personal and professional development and gaining further international exposure. ‘In my opinion, MBA was a great option, which ticks all the boxes to equip myself with the experience and skills that I needed at this stage of my career,’ Anil said.

Prior to her MBA studies, Anil Yildirim from Turkey had worked in major multinational companies, such as Mondelēz International (formerly Kraft Foods) and GlaxoSmithKline. During these years, she took an active role in developing short and long-term brand strategies, integrated marketing communications planning and new product development & launch processes. 

Why did you choose the TIAS MBA?
‘First of all, I wanted to earn my MBA degree in a country where I would prefer to live after my MBA education. In my opinion, the Netherlands is a great country for education with its international and entrepreneurial business environment, development opportunities, work-life balance and open-minded culture.

After deciding the country, I searched for a school that could offer me more than a traditional business education, and a program, which embraces emerging business trends, leadership approaches and socially responsible businesses. When I read about the philosophy and vision of TIAS’s MBA program, I was impressed by the societal aspect and sustainability focus of the program. In addition to that, TIAS MBA program stood out for me with genuine communication of the admissions committee during application process and a generous scholarship, facilitating my funding of the MBA.’  

How was your overall one-year MBA experience?
‘When I look back on this year, the first sentence that comes to my mind is: “What a year it was!”. I moved to a new country, went back to school, made friendships with people from fantastic countries and cultures, learned a lot from brilliant academicians and professionals, participated in stimulating workshops and coaching sessions, partied and travelled, prepared a graduation project in one of the respected global Dutch companies and completed my MBA studies with the “Best Student Award”. In one year, I could tick off many items in my bucket list! And beyond all these items, I took the initiative to chart my own path rather than waiting for the right opportunities to come and find me. In that sense, I am proud of myself and my classmates for being brave enough to make this happen. Speaking of my classmates and cultural diversity, I should mention our magic Whatsapp group that can ease your life in any place on Earth by providing instant translations, cultural and business tips, food and place recommendations from China to Brazil or South Africa.’

How will you use the knowledge and skills acquired through your MBA in the future?
‘There is this one question we see quite often in TIAS: “What if new generation leaders need a new type of Business School?” This question triggered me to think about how I can leverage my learnings in the face of changing business dynamics and leadership expectations in the new era. In that sense, TIAS MBA provided not only in-depth business knowledge but also a wider lens to continuously evaluate and adjust myself to become a more adaptable leader. After this year, I feel more confident to work in any culture. I can see the societal and environmental angle of business decisions more clearly. I am much more aware of my strengths and improvement areas. Overall, I feel more prepared to make an impact in any role I will take on in the future.’ 

Full-time MBA

Our full-time Master of Business Administration (MBA) program enables you to bolster your career by achieving carefully planned objectives. With a program encompassing academic, personal and societal progression, you will target key areas of development, making you an accomplished leader, both professionally and socially.

Read more about the Full-time MBA