Mohamed-Nour Akalay: MBA E-Business

Mohamed-Nour Akalay

MBA E-Business, 2006

Since leaving the University of Bedfordshire (Luton campus) in 2006, Mohamed-Nour Akalay has been teaching as a foreign lecturer for Xiamen University, at the Tan Kah Kee College in Fujian Province, China. Akalay is the only foreigner to be teaching majors, in Business Communication, Marketing and E-Business. These are trial classes as the College wants to test the students’ capacity to study in English.

Mohamed-Nour has very good memories of his time at the University of Bedfordshire. “The course was excellent; I felt I was asked to use my brain instead of my memory. The university also offered me all the necessary resources to do so.

“I loved the multicultural and truly international environment I worked in. The differences in people’s background were valued as I am both French and Moroccan.

“The Putteridge Bury Campus was superb and the class rooms very comfortable. I’ve lived my whole life surrounded by books thanks to my father. I love reading French and English novels, as well as self teaching books. I thought the facilities gave the university a very good image.

“The course allowed me to learn and gain skills and knowledge in communication and management. More importantly, I now know how to use this knowledge - talk about it - make it understood by others.

“Our lecturers had a marvellous sense of humour but being a foreigner was not used to the typical British humour. However, we felt that they were relaxed and made us relaxed to. They would tell us all about their experiences which made us feel good.

“My degree has definitely helped in obtaining work in China thanks to new found friends on the course who recommended me to the Xiamen University.

Prior to his E-Business MBA, Mohamed-Nour’s background had been in market research and web and software design. His ambitions for the future are to return to Morocco with a Chinese partner to form a joint venture. “Morocco is a growing market and it is also the door to Europe with several Chinese companies already in business with Moroccan companies, so there are enormous opportunities for future growth.”

Interviewed: October 2006