Student Name: Jorge Sandreschi Stelmach
Course: MSc Accounting and Finance with CIMA
Hometown/Country: São Paulo, Brazil
Year of Course: Postgraduate
Jorge was born and raised in Brazil, where he completed a bachelor's degree in Business before going on to study for his first master's in management. He always dreamed of coming to Scotland, and after first visiting Edinburgh in 2013, he decided that the capital would be the perfect place to start the next phase of his academic career.
Why did you choose to study at QMU and what attracted you to the course?
QMU was an easy choice as the lecturers demonstrated that they were very well connected within the professional world from the first point of contact. This was very important to me. Of course, we get taught the theory in every class that we go to, but it also comes combined with real-life experience, which goes a long way when it comes to our formation as accounting and finance professionals.
As well as the great lecturers, the MSc in Accounting and Finance is directly connected with the Chartered Institue of Management Accountants (CIMA) and students can benefit from many exemptions for CIMA qualification.
The University's compact size was also attractive to me as I do not feel like a number here, and every staff member is very welcoming and supportive.
Why did you choose to study in Edinburgh?
I visited Edinburgh in 2013 and felt in love with it! Edinburgh is a stunning city - it has a castle right in the middle! Not only that - it has a lovely shore, but it's also close to different Munros (Mountains) and most importantly: Scottish people are very friendly!
What have you most enjoyed about your course? What has been your highlight?
The connection the course has with an important institution like CIMA, not only gives the students exemptions but ensures that all topics taught in class have a usage in real life; the lecturers are teaching us fruitful things that will serve us well throughout our professional lives.
What have been some of your challenges with the course and university life? How have you overcome them?
Being an international student, one of the challenges I faced since day one was the culture barrier. I am very happy to say that at QMU I found a lot of great support, but I am even more delighted to say that the lecturers in the Business School have been great and provided me with all the necessary knowledge required for me to adapt to my new professional life in Scotland. They are willing to share their experience, from how people in Scotland do business to economic environment perspective during Brexit and COVID times.
Have you won any awards, scholarships or internships?
o I applied for and received the QMU International Scholarship; this was most welcome, and it showed me from day one how supportive QMU can be. The University has a culture of providing excellent support, and receiving the Scholarship made me want to succeed more than ever!
"I am very happy to say that at QMU I found a lot of great support, but I am even more delighted to say that the lecturers in the Business School have been great and provided me with all the necessary knowledge required for me to adapt to my new professional life in Scotland."
Are you a member of a QMU club or society? If so, what was the reason behind your choice and what do you enjoy most about it?
I am one of the Class Representatives. With this experience, I was able to see how Lecturers and Program Leaders collect feedback from students and how they transform this into actionable ideas. I am very impressed! They really do care about students, and all issues mentioned during our conversations are currently being addressed. Again, I cannot emphasise enough how supportive the staff at QMU can be.
What's your 'top tip' for making the most of being a student?
o QMU has loads of resources such as a careers service and mentoring opportunities. Those are included as part of our student package and should be used from day one! The culture at QMU is all about helping students thrive, and the staff will try and help students with anything in their reach.
What are your plans after graduation? Tell us about your ambitions and where you see yourself in the future?
My current plans after graduation involve getting a job in accounting and finance (and hoping that this assignment will be in Scotland!) I intend to go back to Brazil in around three years from now and tell everyone about the incredible life experience I've had in Scotland.
[Published January 2021]
