From entrepreneurship in Qatar to business studies in Finland

Building on decades of business experience

Originally from Bangladesh, Mohammed Ali Mehdi has spent more than 35 years living and working in Qatar, where he runs his own business. His career has given him practical experience in entrepreneurship.

Wanting to continue developing his knowledge and skills and move closer to that goal eventually brought him to Finland and Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, where he is studying in the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management programme.

For Mohammed, studying at Metropolia has been an opportunity to combine decades of professional experience with new ideas and perspectives.

Applying new knowledge in practice

One of the things Mohammed values most about his studies is their practical nature. Many of the topics covered in his courses are directly connected to the challenges and decisions he faces as a business owner.

He particularly highlights his studies in Corporate Social Responsibility and Strategic Management.

- Corporate Social Responsibility has been really interesting. I have learned many new things, especially about sustainability and responsibility, that I can apply in my businesses, says Mr Mehdi.

The topic of corporate responsibility has been especially valuable to him because of his long experience of doing business in Qatar. The course has encouraged him to look at sustainability and responsible business from new perspectives and consider how these ideas could be incorporated into his own work.

Strategic Management has also been closely connected to his professional experience.

- What I learn about strategy and strategic management can be applied practically in my business, says Mr Mehdi.

For Mohammed, this connection between theory and practice is one of the most valuable parts of studying. The courses provide new knowledge, while his professional background helps him understand how that knowledge can be used in real business situations.

Metropolia provides a supportive learning environment

Mohammed has enjoyed his studies at Metropolia and describes the courses he has completed as interesting and useful.

He has especially appreciated the welcoming atmosphere at Metropolia. Mohammed describes the teachers and the people he has met as friendly, supportive and helpful, which has made his study experience in Finland a positive one.

Even after a long career, he has found that studying can offer new ways of looking at familiar topics. The opportunity to combine previous experience with new knowledge has made the studies particularly meaningful to him.

His experience also shows that learning does not have to stop once a career is well established. Continuing to study can provide fresh ideas, new tools and different perspectives at any stage of professional life.

Learning through an international career

Mohammed’s own journey is highly international. Originally from Bangladesh, he has spent most of his professional life in Qatar and is now studying in Finland.

Living, working and studying in different countries has given him the opportunity to see business from several perspectives. His studies at Metropolia add another dimension to that experience, particularly through topics such as sustainability, corporate responsibility and strategic management.

For Mohammed, the goal is to take the knowledge he gains at Metropolia and put it into practice.

His story is an example of how professional experience and higher education can complement each other: existing expertise provides a strong foundation for learning, while new knowledge can help develop both professional skills and business activities further.