Building a strong network with a diverse cohort

Distance learning MBA* participant, Duane Robinson, explores how the Warwick residential weeks provided an opportunity to strengthen his network and build strong relationships with his cohort. 

Start of a Journey
Whilst choosing my MBA programme, a key guiding principle was to be part of a diverse cohort at a leading academic institution. Diversity is not restricted to business sectors but extends to cultures and values.   

Diverse labour forces are booming in every industry and I was excited to enrol in a curriculum that would foster and encourage this reality.

Warwick Business School enabled me to be part of a diverse network that had over a hundred different nationalities from across the globe. At the start of the MBA, I was thrilled with the different viewpoints and opinions offered by my peers during the curriculum. I was eager to meet my peers in person.

Warwick Week – My Peers
The time had come to connect with my cohort in person finally. Peers and colleagues were no longer just a forum name and a digital footprint, but available to interact with in person.

In my immediate vicinity, on my left sat an Italian national living in Switzerland and to my right a Chinese national living in the UK. I had sought this exact diversity during the selection of a graduate program. As we moved through the curriculum and its group activities, every topic was met with a different and refreshing new vantage. Healthy debates took place and I learnt how different cultures approached problems and resolved challenges raised by the group activities. I had the luxury of expanding my horizon beyond the Canadian thought processes. 

Warwick Week encourages you to solidify connections made online. I have networked and met with a fantastic group of individuals through the online MBA, an opportunity I may not have had otherwise. 

Warwick Week – Professors, Lecturers and Guest Speakers 
For our cohort, Warwick Week One covered Operational Management while Warwick Week Two focused on Marketing. Professors for both were charismatic and engaging. When students raised questions, the professors responded not just with theory and literature, but also with practical real-life examples. The span of their knowledge was not just limited to one industry but across many.

Lecturers were also present for both Warwick Weeks adding further depth. Some of the topics covered were developing growth mindsets and refining leadership capabilities. Guest speakers consisted of executives and alumni across various industries allowing us to query and absorb how their practical journeys have been.

Warwick Weeks enable a platform to interact with world-leading faculty and industry executives.

In Closing
Networks are an integral part of success. Warwick Weeks allowed me to connect with individuals across the globe, spanning different industries and diversities. Every person I encountered had a story, a journey, and varying opinions – it is irreplaceable. 

I have made connections I hope will last a lifetime. 

*Please note that the Distance Learning MBA is now titled Global Online MBA.