MBA - Our students tell us why it's worth it

4 Questions for Jan Bongers

Jan Bongers, former Verbund student and Bachelor of Engineering, works as a quality engineer after his MBA studies. In this blog post, he reveals how he felt about the MBA programme after his dual degree programme and why, in retrospect, the studies were worth it for him.

What motivated you to complete a career-integrated MBA?
First and foremost, I decided to do the career-integrated MBA after completing my bachelor's degree in engineering in order to have better professional opportunities in the job market. For me, the topics of business administration and management were particularly important in order to broaden my professional perspectives. In combination with a more senior position, the better pay also motivated me. In addition, it was very appealing to me to continue gaining work experience while completing a high degree.

What was your daily work and study routine like?
During my time as a student, there were times that were more time-intensive and times that were less time-intensive. During my study time, only the first semester took place in presence, the other three I completed exclusively online. Online, I completed many assignments and presentations in group or partner work. Many exams were also completed together. During the week, there were many meetings via Zoom outside of the lectures, for example to discuss group work. The lectures were then held on the weekend.

For me, the online lectures made things a lot easier. Among other things, the travel time to the university was eliminated, which saved time. The virtual rooms via Zoom have also made group work easier.

How did you manage to balance full-time work, studies and private life?
There were no major changes for me, as I started dual studies immediately after graduating from high school. I then went on to complete my MBA studies. I was used to the routines and the time management through the dual studies, which is why not much has changed for me.

What advice would you give first-year students of a career-integrated MBA?
In order to successfully complete the career-integrated MBA, students should be interested in the Degree programme. Students should be able to organize themselves well and work in a disciplined manner. Students should also have clear goals in mind and know exactly what they want to achieve with the studies in order to maintain motivation.

In my eyes, the Degree programme is definitely worthwhile and has been very interesting. Due to the practical experience of the lecturers, the contents are taught in a practical way. I was able to put myself in practice very well through the theoretical examples. The lecturers were happy to pass on the knowledge to us students. I also had a personal meeting with Mr. Vergossen before the studies. This convinced me throughout. He seemed very committed to me and answered all my questions.