What was the application process like?
It was straightforward. I attended introductory sessions to learn more about the university and the programme, completed the English-language requirement through IELTS, and submitted my application along with the required supporting documents.
In addition, I applied for a scholarship by completing a separate application and writing an essay outlining my motivation for pursuing the MBA and why I believed I deserved financial support.
How did you fund your MBA?
As I was working full time and studying part time, I was able to finance the programme myself.
Tell us about the course and how it was assessed.
The course structure was intensive but manageable for working professionals. Each module typically spanned two to three months, with the coursebooks provided early so students could begin reading in advance.
Teaching was delivered through intensive weekend sessions, usually by faculty from different Heriot-Watt Edinburgh Business School campuses, including:
The first sessions introduced the main concepts, while later weekends were used for:
- deeper discussion
- group exchange
- practice.
Core courses were delivered on campus, while some electives were delivered online depending on the number and location of registered students.
Assessment was entirely exam-based, consisting of closed-book written exams lasting four hours.
This required:
- deep reading
- discipline
- the ability to structure ideas clearly under time pressure.
How did you enjoy the format of the MBA?
The MBA format had a strong influence on my experience. Because it was textbook-based and structured around intensive weekends, I could prepare in advance, then use lectures and group discussions to test and refine my understanding.
It also allowed me to return to academic life after several years in professional engineering practice, which I found personally rewarding.
At the same time, balancing a full-time job with the MBA was tough. For almost two years, most evenings and weekends were dedicated to studying, and many hobbies had to wait. Still, the sense of achievement after completing each exam, and especially after finishing the programme, made the effort worthwhile.
How did you find studying across the university's global campuses?
Studying through a university with global campuses was one of the main reasons I chose the programme. Business is never only about numbers; it is also about:
- people
- culture
- markets
- psychology.
A business idea that succeeds in one country may fail in another because consumer behaviour, institutions and economic conditions vary across regions. Experiencing different cultures firsthand gave me a much broader perspective on how business operates internationally.
I primarily studied in Dubai, where I benefited from a highly international student cohort, and I also completed a finance course at the Malaysia campus. Studying in Malaysia allowed me to experience a different business environment and to explore the wider region, including Singapore. It was a far richer experience than travelling as a tourist because, as a student, I had the time to interact with people, exchange ideas and build meaningful relationships.
In terms of teaching, I found the experience to be remarkably consistent across campuses. Many Edinburgh Business School lecturers teach across multiple countries, creating a unified academic standard and learning experience regardless of location.
Although my primary motivation for pursuing the MBA was learning rather than changing careers, studying in Dubai aligned well with my professional goals.
I intended to continue building my career in the UAE, and the university has a strong reputation in the region. It was also encouraging to learn from earlier cohorts that leading companies, including AECOM, actively recruited graduates from the programme, reinforcing my confidence that the degree would be well recognised by employers.
How has studying in multiple countries influenced your career or perspective on working internationally?
It has strengthened my belief that professional growth is closely linked to cultural exposure. Earlier in my life, I had heard the idea that people should not rush only to climb a fixed career ladder but should also invest in the asset of self-growth.
During the MBA, that idea became more concrete. Studying and working across cultures teaches you how people from different cultures think, communicate, and make decisions. It also gives you the confidence to feel at home in more than one place. My engineering studies in Lebanon, my MBA experience in Dubai, and my course in Malaysia all helped me become more open to international work and more comfortable operating in multicultural environments.
What support did you receive from the university during your MBA?
The university support was important both practically and personally. I was fortunate to receive financial support that covered the tuition of one full course, which helped me financially and made me feel more connected to the university.
I also benefited from the programme team's openness in Dubai. More broadly, the environment supported my ambition to learn, reflect and grow beyond a purely technical career path.
How did you get your current job?
After graduating from the MBA, I hoped to move from the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry toward a more business-oriented role, particularly in strategy, finance or mergers and acquisitions. However, COVID-19 disrupted recruitment worldwide, while Lebanon was also going through a severe economic and social crisis.
I returned to engineering practice and later had the opportunity to work in France as an AI research engineer. At the time, my profile felt broad: engineering, research, AI, and business, without a clear label.
That mix began to make sense when I joined Dar as a computational designer/structural engineer. My engineering experience, research capabilities, and MBA background were useful in developing and implementing new computational approaches in the AEC industry.
Why did you decide on a career in this industry?
I have always been drawn to both art and analytical thinking. As a child, I was interested in drawing and creativity, but I was also passionate about:
- critical reasoning
- mathematics
- programming.
I first considered architecture, but I became inspired by architect-engineers such as Santiago Calatrava, who combine:
- constructability
- form
- structure.
That led me to structural engineering as a foundation. My career did not follow the exact path I imagined as a teenager, but it stayed close to the same ambition, connecting:
- creativity
- engineering
- mathematics
- practical design.
What does your role involve, and how does it differ from previous positions?
It involves developing and applying computational methods to help model, analyse and design complex structures. It combines my structural engineering background with:
- digital workflow development
- research skills
- text-based programming
- visual programming.
Compared with previous roles, it is less about delivering one isolated engineering task and more about translating new methods into practical tools that can be adopted across departments and offices.
It also requires an understanding of organisational behaviour, because implementing computational design is both a technical and a change-management challenge.
How do your engineering background and MBA complement each other in your current role?
My engineering experience gives me the technical credibility to understand structural problems and communicate with design teams. The MBA helps me frame those problems strategically, such as:
- why a workflow matters
- how it creates value and should be implemented
- the way in which people and organisations may respond to change.
In my current role, I apply knowledge of organisational behaviour, strategy, project management, marketing, and finance to support a digital transformation initiative within a multicultural, international company.
How is an MBA viewed in your industry, and do you feel it gave you a competitive advantage?
In the AEC industry, an MBA is not usually a technical requirement, but it can be a strong differentiator. It signals that an engineer can think beyond calculations and drawings and also understand:
- implementation
- leadership
- strategy
- value creation.
Of course, the degree alone is not enough; character, ambition and credibility are essential.
The MBA has helped me communicate with decision-makers and present technical initiatives in a business language that's more likely to be understood and taken seriously.
What practical or professional skills did you develop, and how have you applied them in your role?
The most valuable professional skill has been the ability to connect technical knowledge with practical context. In engineering, technical capability is necessary but not always sufficient.
Earlier in my career, I learned that design approval, negotiation, stakeholder management and understanding the regulatory environment can be as important as the calculation itself.
The MBA added structure to that practical experience. It helped me:
- assess risks
- build arguments
- communicate change more effectively
- propose strategies.
I apply these skills today when proposing computational design workflows that improve engineers' work, increase efficiency and create value for the company and its clients.
How has completing an MBA shaped your career plans, and what impact has it had on your career since graduating?
My main goal in pursuing the MBA was to gain knowledge. I already had a technical foundation in engineering, but I wanted to understand how businesses, markets and organisations operate.
Since graduating, the MBA has shaped how I make decisions and present ideas. It helped me navigate difficult periods, including the COVID-19 disruption and the crisis in Lebanon, with a more strategic mindset.
Although I didn't immediately move into a pure business career, I used the MBA to:
- analyse digital transformation opportunities
- pitch strategic initiatives
- prepare business plans.
Today, it supports my work in computational design and my longer-term ambition to contribute to business, research and possibly entrepreneurship.
What advice do you have for others considering an MBA?
- Be clear about why you want an MBA. People pursue an MBA for many different reasons: changing careers, accelerating their current career, moving to a new country, starting a business, building a professional network, conducting research, or simply broadening their knowledge. Your purpose should guide the school, programme and learning format you choose.
- Do not expect the MBA alone to change your life. An MBA is an investment in your skills, not a guarantee of money, promotion or success. Its value comes from combining what you learn with your character, professional experience, curiosity and discipline. Choose it because you are genuinely motivated to learn and grow, not simply because of market trends or external expectations.
- Think of an MBA as either a service or a product. For some people, the MBA complements an existing profession by making them better engineers, architects, doctors or scientists through stronger leadership and business skills. For others, it becomes the product itself - the gateway to a new career in management, consulting, finance or entrepreneurship, where their previous profession becomes the supporting expertise. Neither path is better than the other, but both require a solid foundation of education and professional experience. Don't rush into an MBA simply to add another qualification to your CV. Pursue it when you know how it fits into your long-term aspirations.
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