Marcin Skibiński

1. What influenced you to pursue an MBA at the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology?

I began my studies with the idea of obtaining new tools in the area of management and monitoring the organizational changes being implemented in the IT company where I was working at the time. The organization was in urgent need of measures to stabilize structures and processes, to define its own DNA and a long-term strategy that would allow for controlled growth. In the long run, I saw the benefit associated with my own development, deepening my knowledge of management in IT-focused organizations and the opportunities associated with taking a broad view of these issues.

2. How do you recall your time on the MBA for the IT industry at PJAIT? What was most meaningful to you during the studies themselves?

I would mention two important points:

• The exchange of experiences between study participants - which had an excellent impact on later decisions and knowledge.
• Lectures, joint exercises and exchange of experience in areas of interest to me - risk assessment, finance and building the organization's strategy.

3. What areas from the curriculum covered during the MBA program were most relevant and useful to you in your professional life?

I was looking for answers to questions about responsible management in an IT company, hence the most relevant areas seemed to me to be those related to controlling the development of the organization on the basis of hard data and the tools obtained for this. In the second place - building soft skills that allow for efficient work and, above all, cooperation with people.

4. How do you assess the cooperation of MBA students during the course and the contact between the student and the lecturer. Are the relationships that were created important to you?

Some of the relationships were able to be transferred beyond the studies, some also function at the professional level, so in retrospect the evaluation is high. During classes, lecturers often addressed the needs verbalized by the group, which made it possible to face real problems and examples, get new insights and gain knowledge from the experiences of other students

5.How did your MBA study contribute to your career development?

I now run my own company, which has significantly changed my thinking about my career as such. My MBA studies reinforced my belief that knowledge is worth acquiring and confirming it with my own intuition to gain confidence in the actions I take.

6. What values, beyond the curriculum itself, were most important to you during the MBA itself?

I assumed, and rightly so, that I would meet new people and their experiences. I would get to know their perspectives, stemming from different histories in organizations, on management processes, real-world problems and how to deal with them. This exchange of experiences took place both in and out of class, and this is the great value of the MBA program

7. What tips could you give to potential college applicants?

First, experience. This is a basic guideline. There is no point in starting an MBA without experience with people, with working with a team. The bigger - the better. Which means it's worth waiting until you've "grown up" for an MBA. Therein lies the power of this type of study - drawing on stories written by other people and creatively transforming them into your own ways of managing.