This week we catch up with Dr Brigitte Nicoulaud, Director, MBA Programmes at Aston Business School. She obtained her first degree in France, and her MBA and PhD in the UK. She has had a long career in lecturing, management consultancy and training, and now teaches Marketing subjects on Aston’s MBA and Executive Education programmes as well as holding overall responsibility for the MBA programmes.
Located in Birmingham, the UK's biggest city after London, Aston University was established in 1966 to specialise in technology, business, sciences, engineering and applied subjects. Its MBA programme, ranked 91st in the world by the Financial Times, gets consistently high approval ratings for value for money and innovative course content in subjects such as leadership and responsible business.
What in your opinion is the best thing about Aston Business School?
Aston is a really friendly campus; all our students tell us how welcome they feel here, and they make great lasting friendships during their studies. Our MBA cohort in particular is very internationally diverse – last year, we had 32 different nationalities represented on the full-time programme.
Briefly explain the different types of students pursuing your Full-Time, Part-Time and Online MBAs What do you think students like most about the programme?
Students tell us they really value our commitment to developing their career. During the consultancy project, students have the chance to showcase everything they have learnt over a 2 to 3 month project. Companies who’ve sponsored MBA projects recently have included Jaguar Land Rover, IBM and Deutsche Bank. We have one of the most well-regarded careers services in the UK. The most recent Economist MBA rankings showed that the student assessment of our careers service was the second highest in the country.
We’re dedicated to enhancing our students’ employability and accelerating their careers. And the best bit is, we provide this service, not just during their studies, but for the rest of their career. As well as this, we are one of the most firmly established research based Business Schools in the UK and I think students particularly appreciate the fact that all our teaching is informed by pioneering research into contemporary business and management issues.
What types of jobs have recent Aston MBAs gone on to do?
Our students go on to develop fulfilling, rewarding careers and some of the roles they go into post-MBA are very exciting. Recent students have become Head of Operations with Ferrari, a Senior Project Manager within the NHS, a Manager with Nike in China, and a Brand Manager with Mars in Germany.
What's your advice on how an MBA applicant can impress you at interview?
Be yourself!! We are not just looking for students with strong undergraduate results and three or more years of work experience. We are looking for individuals who are driven to constantly learn and seek new ways of thinking, creating, and sharing. Demonstrating your passion and self-belief will go a long way in an Aston MBA interview.
Which sectors or industries would you say Aston Business School has the closest relationships with?
Birmingham today is a global centre for business, commerce and industry and we pride ourselves on our established links with businesses large and small, across the full range of sectors. Industries we have particularly strong links with however are Banking and Finance, Logistics, Consultancy and Manufacturing.
What are some of the highlights of living in Birmingham?
Although Aston’s campus is small and friendly, it is located right in the heart of Birmingham, close to everything the second city has to offer. It is a fabulously vibrant, diverse city with world-class entertainment, shops and restaurants. Lots of people don’t realise how green Birmingham is – we have over 8,000 acres of parks and open spaces in the city, making us one of the greenest cities in the UK!
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