Entry no. one in the diary of MBA-Aspirant Dominik Prinz:

Joining the Maastricht School of Management-Community 

Five languages to come and meet each other, 1200 pages of study material, three destroyed hen’s eggs, a celebration with guests from 20 nations – and in between a dozen of new team-mates. All of them at the very beginning of a way lasting two years. That’s how to briefly sum up the first day at the Maastricht School of Management. Briefly for that reason, that time seems to become unexpectedly valuable here. Last but not least because 1200 pages want to be read sometime. But let’s go step by step …

On Friday, June 22nd, 2007, fell the starting shot. The starting shot to a new chapter in the career of the EMBA pioneers assembled. Being one of them as a German I only represent a single nationality out of seven. In addition there are teammates originating from Italy, Denmark, Japan, Russia, Ethiopia and Brazil. An exciting combination that already at the first day offered many opportunities for intercultural interaction.

For example, during a team building exercise. Here, the task was to use 40 straws to pack a hen’s egg in such a way that it is likely to survive a two-meter freefall as save as possible. Three teams developed three completely different „packaging concepts“. Yet no one could actually prevent the eggs from experiencing a „collateral damage“, both problem-solving strategies and especially country overarching competencies could be improved to a maximum.

That this would be brought to even a next level should be experienced shortly after when more than 20 nationalities joined at a MSM festivity in the evening, where they spoke the universal language of „celebrating and dancing“.

Nevertheless, the first day of studies quickly proved that the everyday life of an EMBA-student could look somewhat different, though. Meaning, yet as exciting, the first days of the first module proved themselves to be a bit more exhausting.

Accounting for Managers, Financial Accounting and Quantitative Statistics granted –thanks to the first-class lecturers – many insights to management practices.

This definitely makes you wanna go for more. And: It gives you an idea of what one means when saying, „learning is for life“. Which links to what the MSM dean closed his welcome speech with when he said, „Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life!” I for my part am looking forward to that – and will definitely keep you posted!