SBS Blog > Navigating opportunities and innovation with an MSc by Lukas Sperling

Navigating opportunities and innovation with an MSc

By Lukas Sperling - Posted on 6 October 2022

Lukas Sperling decided the MSc in Project Management and Innovation was the right choice to help him navigate a world of constant change.

Multiple factors influenced my decision to pursue the MSc in Project Management and Innovation after completing my bachelor's degree in Business Administration in Germany, and I can confidently state that the MSc is one of the best decisions I have made in my professional career.

We live in a time of constant change, which necessitates a good understanding of project management in order to identify and seize opportunities within such change and foster innovative answers to the major challenges of our world.

The programme combines the development of hard and soft skills through a variety of classes which develop crucial leadership and technical skills. This gave me a comprehensive theoretical and practical understanding of project management in real-world business environments.

During my year on this MSc, I enhanced my professional development as a project manager, allowing me to adapt quickly and become more comfortable with new challenges. With students from all backgrounds and cultures from all around the world, the MSc was even more enriching through applying your knowledge and integrating other ways of thinking and working.

The programme's focus on practical learning, career-focus and group work contributed to an improvement in my people and project skills as a team and individually.

Alongside classes such as “Consulting in Practice” and “Global Innovation Lab”, where I was working on projects for real-world clients, I was given the exciting opportunity to complete an internship and my dissertation with AAC Clyde Space, a Glasgow based company in the growing and highly innovative space industry.

Together with a fellow student, I was part of the company’s overall improvement journey towards strengthening operational performance and strategic capabilities. We collaborated with a variety of stakeholders, notably in the areas of operations and project management, in order to analyse the existing state and shape the future state.

I was able to foster my academic knowledge, acquire further practical experience in project and stakeholder management, and adjust to a new, dynamic environment. The opportunity to obtain hands-on experience in an emerging business and fast-growing industry while expanding my knowledge and professional network provided invaluable insight into the role of a project manager.

After a challenging year with new experiences, I can proudly say that I finished the MSc PMI programme 2021-2022 with a certificate for the highest overall grade.

I would definitely recommend the MSc if you're seeking to develop the fundamental skills and knowledge necessary to manage projects and people.

For anyone doing this programme in the future, my advice would be to become as involved as possible in class, the Strathclyde Community and with the people around you, since this will provide the best learning experience, lifelong friendships, and interesting opportunities such as my internship. Don't be disheartened if you have multiple assignments due at once; instead, see it as a challenge and attempt to complete a small amount of work each day. But most importantly, enjoy your student life to the fullest in Glasgow and take the time to explore Scotland.

Lastly, I can say that Strathclyde surpassed my expectations in terms of its teaching quality, career support, network, and faculty strength. I am now working as a Graduate Project Manager for Mott MacDonald in Manchester thanks to the experiences and knowledge I gained throughout the year. I am excited to see what the future holds.