In the 2022 Financial Times Global MBA Ranking, the Fudan MBA program ranked 32nd worldwide, and No.1 among business schools of the Chinese universities. Distinguishably, it is also one of the best performers globally across several criteria, including No. 2 worldwide and No. 1 in China for Salary Percentage Increase, No. 1 in Asia for Careers Service, No. 1 for Career Goal Achievement Rate in Chinese mainland, and No. 6 worldwide for Career Development.
Curious about the Fudan IMBA? Click here on read on to hear Sagar’s experience at Fudan IMBA!
Sagar Chaudhary, alumnus of the Class of 2018 from Nepal, is based in Shanghai and shared his study life in Fudan MBA and his experience of career transition, benefitting from the curriculum as well as from the Career Development Office (CDO) of Fudan University School of Management.
Ten years ago, working in financial and renewable energy sector back home, Sagar traveled a lot to China. With his interest in this country growing bit by bit, and with the vague idea of seeking a change of direction in his career, Sagar decided to apply for the Fudan MBA program in Shanghai.
“I found China truly fascinating,” Sagar explained his motivation. “Every time I came here, I could discover something new. I was mesmerized to see the speed at which things changed here. There are so many innovations going on! I came to start my MBA journey here with the aim of learning more about China, and hopefully bringing some Chinese achievements back to Nepal someday.”
After his graduation from Fudan MBA, Sagar joined a European fintech startup based in Shanghai as a business analyst and copywriter. Soon after that, he transitioned to a Communications and PR Manager role at Chinaccelerator, a leading startup accelerator and venture capital firm. Half a year ago, he became a Business Development Manager at Ogilvy, one of the famous advertising companies in the world.
“Shanghai is a great city to be in, especially because of the career opportunities that are present here. Things just move so fast here and there is always something new happening, you really are always on the move. This is arguably the best city to live and work in,” said Sagar. “It’s true that the competition has increased dramatically over the years, but that shows exactly how much experienced and qualified talents want to come live and work in Shanghai. I think China in general presents great opportunities for expats.”
During his study in Fudan, Sagar especially enjoyed marketing and negotiation classes, which brought much help for his future career development. And Fudan MBA iLab Business Consulting Project was one of the most impressive practices besides the study in the classroom. “We got the chance to actually implement the theories learned in class into real-life business problems that the partner companies were actually facing,” Sagar recalled. His team worked for six months on a market entry plan for a Finnish company, which involved learning about a completely new industry, strategy making, as well as client expectation management, which were all very precious experiences to Sagar. He was very excited about the opportunity of observing both the Chinese and the European business culture at the same time, and as the one international student in the team, sometimes he acted as the cultural bridge between his team and the client.
Sagar believes one of the most important gains from his study in Fudan MBA is the insight for doing business in China. Looking back, he feels particularly grateful for the wise arrangement where most of the assignments involved group work, which allowed him to spend a lot of time with his classmates from different places and background, so that he could see how they tackle problems, observe what is more important to them, and gain unique perspectives on the different business culture.
Beside the classes and projects, Sagar actively participate in the campus activities in his MBA study. He was a committee member of the Professional International Student Association, and he also cofounded the Fudan Blockchain Association, which all helped tremendously in improving his management skills.
With the goal of career transition in mind, during his two-year MBA study, Sagar explored the possibility for his future professional development through several internships, involving totally different functions and industries, including research analyst in a venture capital firm, business development in a fintech startup, editor in a lifestyle magazine… It was during these trials that Sagar discovered his passion for marketing and communication, as well as for startups.
When regarding to the career development, he was also grateful for CDO, which regularly organizes workshops and career consulting sessions to help students find their career paths, featuring HR representatives from top companies. The detail-oriented career tutors at CDO usually came up with a list of potential companies that suitable for Sagar, and suggest him to try.
After the graduation, Sagar still stays in touch with his classmates as well as with the school, “It’s like having a big family here in China,” said Sagar. “I’m always happy to talk to new MBA students, or just help in any way I can. The Fudan MBA study experience opened many doors for me. The school has been very supportive, so whenever I can, I try to do the same and give back as much as possible.”
Sagar believes he has achieved a great work-life balance at this moment. “I feel I’m still learning a lot professionally and there are more career growth opportunities here in China for me to explore.”
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Thanks for sharing your experience at Fudan IMBA, Sagar!
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