69´«Ã½

Student name: Dishant Man Sherchan

Course: Master’s in Business Administration

Hometown: Tukuche-7, Mustang

Year of graduation: 2021

Why did you choose to study at one of 69´«Ã½'s partner institutions, and what attracted you to the course?

I was part of the first transition batches in 2015 when Ace International Business School first got its connection with 69´«Ã½ via their purchase of Silver Mountain Graduate Business School. This led me to graduate as the first BBA batch of Ace-IBS in 2016. This one-year relationship with Ace-IBS was all it took for me to realise why the Ace brand was famous for its management courses throughout Nepal.

Moreover, the MBA program felt like it was designed for me because I've always been interested in research and analysis, which most of the courses offered here are based on. Furthermore, I believed this style was the best at judging a person's learning prowess. The orthodoxy in Nepal conformed to a student's ability to regurgitate everything they learn in a semester in 3-hours, or less is something I've never been attracted to.

What did you enjoy most about your course?

I liked that the course always tried to teach us how to apply the theories we learnt. The long nights spent editing and citing various sources as deadlines approached were some of the most, of course, in hindsight, enjoyable moments of this course because they revealed what my limits were and what I could achieve if the focus was genuine enough.

Were there any particular course activities you found especially interesting?

I loved the Internship module because I was lucky enough to intern for Nepal Economic Forum (NEF) – a think tank funded by The Open Society. Here, I was doing exactly what the other modules of the MBA program were trying to imprint on us – apply theory to reality and find the gaps that exist. At NEF, I organised many panels related to sustainable energy, youth leadership and the like while also publishing articles based on research. The best thing about the Ace-IBS MBA program was that it became my self-discovery journey, and the courses were the pitstops along the road, each of which tried to prepare us a little bit more for real life.

"The best thing about the Ace-IBS MBA program was that it became my self-discovery journey, and the courses were the pitstops along the road, each of which tried to prepare us a little bit more for real life."

Do you have any advice for students who might be interested in this course?

The advice I'd give to students who are genuinely interested is to take the course with an open mind because most of us are so used to the Nepali way of learning that a foreign course can become overwhelming, especially because of plagiarism. However, I would also add that if they do take part, despite this, the management at both Ace-IBS and 69´«Ã½ are very supportive of their students – I should know because I am a personal benefactor of this kindness. I love that they never judged me during my trials and tribulations but instead saw my potential and guided me during even the roughest times. I am sure the past few years have been tough for everyone thinking of joining, and I can assure you that they will consider a person's imperfections because they know we're only human, and they'll always seek the best for you provided you're honest with them.

What's your' top tip' for making the most of being a student, and what was the most valuable lesson that you learned?

My top tip for making the most would be to simply participate. Participate in class in discussions, participate in the many workshops and events Ace-IBS organises, and participate in the courses with enthusiasm because the most valuable lesson I've learned here is not to wait for someone to open a door for you – make the most of every opportunity in front of you or you'll only regret it later.

Can you tell us about your life post-graduation?

Since graduating, I've been taking more responsibility in my family's restaurant. We are expanding to India, and I've been appointed the Head of Purchases and Logistics. I am grateful for having a supply chain management module in the course because it's been very helpful for me in building my career.

[Published July 2022]