It will have been a full three months by the time we return to Oxford next week, and indeed, it seems a long time ago since Module 7. This past September saw the departure of the EMBA IVs, and we were treated to a glimpse of what we can look forward to this time next year – the satisfaction of having earned the MBA degree from Oxford!

We’ll be on our own for Module 8, and then the New Year will usher in the EMBA VIs and we will be the ’senior class,’ the experienced ones who can advise the incoming class on what to expect for the first 12 months…

What will I tell them? Surely, when they ask me if it’s difficult, I will answer with a very affirmative YES.

We may not be going to the moon, but as JFK said, we do it not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard.

I will also repeat what we heard from Stephan Chambers that Monday morning way back at the start of Module 1 in January: the EMBA is transformational - professionally, academically and personally.

Professionally, I’ve been engaged within my organisation to lead bigger projects with larger commercial impacts; I will articulate the internal business case for my entrepreneurial project, and the execution for my core project. Though not yet complete, the EMBA has already set me free to think and act as a leader rather than a manager – to do the right thing, instead of just settling with doing things right. 

Academically, we’ve each written about 40,000 words thus far, articulating ideas, consolidating research, analysing outcomes, quantifying performance, exploring organisational behaviours… We’ve become fluent in the language of business. And Edward has already alluded to the lively discussions arising from pursuing the Oxford MBA in the midst of global financial turmoil and oil prices which rise and fall like the tide on the River Thames.

Personally, we’ve forged alliances with people who are globally-minded, dynamic, capable, and crucially, keen to make a difference. We’ve earned the respect of one another – especially those with families and other competing commitments. And for the record, our class has already seen four new births this year!

Of course the aspect of fun is not to be overlooked! Here in London, after picking up lost momentum from our London study group meetings, a bunch of us met for an evening of ice skating and drinks at Somerset House, followed by dinner at the Albannach on Trafalgar Square. Indeed it was a relief to be amongst classmates and friends without being constrained to discussions about the weighted average cost of capital and the vailidity of our assumptions in the acquisition of the Colinsville aluminium plant…

Earlier this evening during our Finance Study Group conference call, anxiety about forthcoming exams was expressed very candidly. Indeed, it didn’t escape our attention that there was as much silence during the call as there was discussion. That said, we also had our moments of laughter – Dave’s misunderstanding that our Operations Management text was a Christmas present comes to mind…

So with that thought and until next year, it’s time to sign off and resume studying in earnest…