Iran   EBM Graduate 2009-10

"An intense but thoroughly rewarding year ."

Joining WMG’s Engineering Business Management programme was a big step for Iranian student Mahdad Sadeghi. Choosing to study overseas was a major part of that, but also getting used to what he described as “a totally different academic experience.”

Mahdad came to Warwick in September 2009, having gained his first degree in Electrical Engineering in Iran. “I had my sights set on furthering my education, and perhaps moving on to a PhD in the future,” he explained. “Taking an MSc course seemed like the perfect stepping stone, and I researched something like fifteen universities in Europe and the USA before settling on Warwick.”

So what made him choose this particular course? “It gave me a chance to take my engineering background to another level. I wanted to build the skills and knowledge I needed to understand how technology businesses work at all levels: to see the bigger picture, so to speak.

“The more I looked into it, the more it became clear that this programme was perfect for me. I also liked the unique structure of the course and WMG’s approach, which emphasises the practical application of theory. Everything you learn is applied to real business situations through case studies and exercises. So you don’t just learn by listening; you learn by doing.”

Once Mahdad and his fellow students began their studies though, they found that the sheer intensity of the course took a little time to become accustomed to.

“It was very hard at first,” he said. “Right from the first week, there was a lot of work to do and we were putting in some long hours. We also had to get used to a new type of learning that forced us to really think about things for ourselves and formulate our own conclusions, rather than just being fed the information. Staff were very supportive though, and we soon settled well into the teaching and learning pattern.”

Mahdad mentioned earlier that he was aiming to see ‘the bigger picture’ in terms of how technology businesses function. We asked him to explain how the course helped him to do that. “The modules themselves cover a huge variety of different areas. From people management and strategic marketing through to financial analysis, logistics and product design, the programme brought the engineering and business areas together into one cohesive whole.”

That theme continued when it came to selecting a subject for Mahdad’s dissertation. After talking with his Project Supervisor, he chose to work on a project entitled ‘Decision Making Process Supporting Supplier Selection for Hardware in the Loop Testing Equipment’. This combined Mahdad’s background in electrical engineering with the business-focused areas of key decision-making and suppliers.

During his project, Mahdad worked closely with WMG’s International Automotive Research Centre. His Supervisor Gunwant Dhadyalla was also based at the Centre. “Gunwant helped me a lot,” Mahdad commented. “He arranged a number of interviews with people from a range of companies including Jaguar Land Rover. It was a great opportunity to discuss key business areas with professionals who are working at the front-line of current developments. In fact, it was someone at Jaguar Land Rover who first suggested that my dissertation should be published, which I am now planning to do.”

Mahdad graduated with distinction, while his dissertation gained a commendation and a departmental prize. His external assessor was Dr Rebecca Cain, who offered him a fully funded PhD with her team at WMG’s Digital Lab working within the Experiential Engineering Group - the broad focus of which is to involve end users in the design process decision making.

Mahdad's research within the group specifically concentrates on healthcare enviornment design - looking at this from different aspects in order to optimize the patient experience and improve recovery time. "We work with industrial partners to pull together design and engineering with architecture, psychology, healthcare and ICT.”

“I'm very glad to stay with WMG,” he added. “The facilities here are terrific. Just as important, the people are all friendly and very supportive. It’s a lovely campus too and a nice place to be. Actually it’s become like a second home for me!”