We interviewed Portuguese student Maria Clara Goes, who graduates from EADA’s International Master in Management this year. Clara holds a BSc in Law from Universidade Católica Portuguesa. Before coming to EADA, she was in charge of international volunteering projects and started a subsidiary of a Portuguese start-up in Oporto, Portugal.
In the interview, Clara shares her experience in the Cross-Functional Management Specialisation. Participants in this specialisation completed a project with Enric Pujol, SVP Corporate Operations of Avicanna Inc. The project analysed the challenges facing the innovative biopharmaceutical company Avicanna. This is one of 3-4 specialisations offered each year in the third trimester of the International Master in Management. The specialisations provide an opportunity for participants to explore where their passion lies and jump-start their career.
Why did you choose the Cross-Functional Management Specialisation?
The world is changing and evolving, and with it, I wanted to develop the skills to face the transformations we are all experiencing. The Cross-Functional Management Specialisation includes modules that I thought would give me a new vision on the digital world like Financial Markets and Change Management, which were taught by amazing professors. Because many of the topics covered were new for me, this was a great way to finish my master’s programme and gain insights that would be incredibly helpful in the future.
In the specialisation, I learnt how to deal with a major (digital) transformation in a company and how to do the best for our employees during the transformation. I can now develop a bigger, more accurate marketing campaign using the latest tools as well as perform well in financial markets.
The Cross-Functional Management Specialisation opened my eyes to these concepts, and taught me how to put them into practice – it has changed my approach to almost every aspect of business.
How does what you learned relate to your future goals?
I have always wanted to be different in both my personal and professional life; I wanted to understand how changes in the world impact the way we do business and the way we relate to one another. The Cross-Functional Management Specialisation opened my eyes to these concepts, and taught me how to put them into practice – it has changed my approach to almost every aspect of business.
How did the faculty and professionals in the specialisation contribute to your learning?
The faculty were extraordinarily specialised in the subjects that they taught – their knowledge of the topic and compelling teaching style made the material easy to follow. The professors even found a way to reach and make the classes engaging for the students participating via Zoom.
What was the most important thing you learned from working with a real company for the project?
During the entire year, we have been working with case studies from real companies, identifying the problems and trying to solve them. Now we have the chance to do the same thing, but with a real company – it is really challenging! It is a chance to put everything we have learned into practice and demonstrate our knowledge and reasoning skills. Working with a real client has taught me that fast, straight-to-the-point problem solving is essential in business – we had to manage our time very carefully and organise teamwork to highlight each other’s strengths and resources in the most efficient way.
I feel prepared to face the challenges of transformation, and that is a major advantage in this “new world”.
How did the specialisation prepare you for your future career?
This Cross-Functional Management Specialisation developed the skills and mindset necessary to adapt and perform well in different environments, which is what companies today want from professionals. Organisational structures across sectors are transforming and the new teams of professionals are going to have a huge impact on companies and the way that they evolve. I feel prepared to face the challenges of transformation, and that is a major advantage in this “new world”.
To read other interviews in this series, click on the following links:
- MiM Cross-Functional Management Specialisation: Rankin explores how tech can maximise performance.
- MiM Specialisation Consulting: Lucia and Anne-Sophie learn about the industry first-hand
- MiM Specialisation Innovation Management: Judith and Cosma bring ideas to life
- MiM Specialisation Entrepreneurship: Aryan learns a new approach to business
