SBS Blog > Valuing a Scottish education by Ron Bandiera

Valuing a Scottish education

By Ron Bandiera - Posted on 25 July 2019

A visit to Scotland and Strathclyde convinced Ron Bandiera that a Scottish education was worth the transatlantic move. Here he provides some insight into the MSc in Project Management and Innovation.

At the age of 49 I decided to leave my current role as a Senior Project Management Consultant in Toronto, Canada and pursue a post graduate degree. In September 2017, I took a trip to Scotland and visited the University of Strathclyde; I was convinced this was the place for me. So, I researched the university and Business School and applied in December. I was very excited to receive an offer straight away for the MSc in Project Management and Innovation.

During the induction session the directors of the various programmes mentioned how fast the year will go and they were not kidding! This year just flew by, it was like being on a bullet train - you don’t realise how fast it is going until you get to the end and think, ‘that was fast!’

The programme is coming to an end for me with just my dissertation remaining. I enjoyed the courses very much.

One highlight has been the sense of accomplishment I get from completing all the assignments. 180 credits are not a walk in the park - there were some late nights and working weekends - but it was all worth it. Also meeting people from around the world during the group work has been another highlight - I now have friends from China, Columbia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore, USA, and Scotland.

Overall, the course content itself was very good, the academics were very knowledgeable in their areas of expertise and there was a good mix of international students with different backgrounds and learning styles. We also had guest lectures that presented a glimpse into the various industries which provided the lectures with a practical side to the theories.

Glasgow has a slogan, “People Make Glasgow” and it is so true: it was one of the reasons I came to Scotland to obtain my post graduate degree. Coming from Toronto, a city of almost three million people, it was a nice change to be in a smaller city while still being able to enjoy a vibrant city centre and the rich history of Glasgow. It is not a surprise to see that Glasgow was awarded one of the Top 10 Student Cities in the UK.

My hope for this programme and my degree is to provide the knowledge I required to improve my career prospects. Having over 20 years of experience combined with an MSc from the University of Strathclyde should put me in good stead for my future career prospects.

To prospective students I’d advise them to enjoy every moment because the year goes by so fast. I once read, “I wish I were where I was, when I wished I were here.” I can’t remember where I read it, but now I understand what it means, the saying is so appropriate for how I feel right now. For me, the saying would be, “I wish I were back on the first day in September, when I wished I were here in June.”

I personally think the PMI programme is a fantastic programme for students wanting to become project and programme managers. It has a great mix of both practical and theoretical aspects. I can’t help thinking the PMI programme is the embodiment of the vision that John Anderson had in mind when he bequeathed his estate for the foundation of an institution devoted to "useful learning" which is now known worldwide as the University of Strathclyde.