“The MBA was not only one more step in my professional career but a way to explore a new phase in my life” by Khaled Mohamed Hossam

My name is Khaled Mohamed Hossam and I am from Cairo, Egypt. In 2010, I graduated from the Cairo University faculty of Engineering – Electronics and Communications Department. Since 2011, I worked at IBM “International Business Machines” world trade organization as an electronics & communications engineer.

I am also a professional handball player in one of the biggest clubs in Egypt. We have dominated the African championships for more than 5 years in a row. We have won many African championships and we played in the World cup for Clubs “IHF Super Globe” twice.

When I took the decision to do my MBA degree at EADA (with a very competitive scholarship), I knew that I would leave my team and that I might not play handball again. But there was a voice in my head that asked me, “Do you think that it is that easy to stop playing handball?” I decided that it would be impossible to quit my 22-year handball career, and I contacted all the handball teams in Barcelona, including FC Barcelona. I sent them an email describing my achievements and explaining what I was going to do here. I wanted to continue playing.

One day, I was checking my email and I found a mail from the coach of the FC Barcelona B-team, saying that he would really love to help me find a team in Barcelona. I was very happy to be one step closer to realizing my dream. After a couple more emails, he told me to come meet him at Camp Nou when I arrived in Barcelona. We ended up having a cup of tea and after a long conversation about handball, my school and other things, he told me I could start training with the FC Barcelona B-team. Depending on my performance, he would make a final decision. I was really happy with this news, and after two weeks of training, the coach confirmed that he wanted me on the team.

Now I am training with the FC Barcelona B-team while doing my MBA at EADA –a real dream come true for me.

– Why did you decide to do an MBA?

For me, an MBA was not only one more step in my professional career as a software engineer, but a way to explore a new phase of my life and open up a whole new experience. I had spent my life playing handball and/or studying. I felt saturated; I needed to tackle a new experience and explore my potential in a new environment.

I realized that my profile wasn’t the typical one; I had an engineering background coupled with a solid athletic career. In the past, I had always kept them separate, but this made me feel that there was something missing. I wanted to be part of a new experience for athletes; I felt that studying business was important to filling the gap that my two interests had left me with. I believed that the combination of engineering, business and sport could offer a new perspective.

Although the MBA in itself is a valuable degree, I wanted to more than just add another certification to my CV. I wanted to live a new experience that allowed me to explore my potential in a new area: business.

– Why did you choose EADA?

In terms of EADA’s rankings (Financial Times) and accreditations, it is clear that the institution has a very good reputation. The AMBA and EQUIS accreditations also demonstrate that the school and programme meet the highest international standards.

EADA also offers a comprehensive set of student services during the programme itself (Career services, study abroad, etc.). Moreover, the connection between the school and its students continues after graduation through access to professional opportunities and the international alumni meetings. For me, EADA was not only a business school, but a community of links between current, past and future participants.

Another advantage of EADA is the location. Studying my MBA in the city of Barcelona has had a huge impact on me; the rich architectural, artistic and cultural heritage of the city has become part of my everyday life.

When I was looking for an MBA, I was very impressed with the personal and professional development modules in EADA’s programme. One of my goals was to embark on an experience that would enrich my skills while helping me identify and improve my weaknesses. I believed that the modules in the EADA-Residential Training Centre could do that.

 – Describe your experience at EADA

For me, the experience at EADA-Barcelona has been incredible. It has been very enriching to meet classmates from all over the world and share different points of view. Outside of the classroom, I have been able to learn more about other cultures as well, making me a more flexible, broad-minded professional.

The modules in the EADA-Residential Training Centre are completely focused on the soft skills, challenging us to reflect on our current ways of thinking and analysing. I had always heard people talking about “leadership”, but I understood the real meaning of the word when during these modules. We learn about the different leadership theories and apply them in collaborative exercises.