18/02/2025
Gunel's journey from doctorate to the International MBA is worth reading.
Students like Gunel Azizova make the IE Community truly diverse and international. Originally from Azerbaijan, her studies and work have also taken her to Turkey, the UK and the Netherlands. Looking to enhance her engineering background with the business skills to launch her entrepreneurship dream, she chose the International MBA at IE Business School as her next step. A few months in, the experience is already beyond her expectations. Gunel’s story is perfect for learning how to study abroad and get the most out of yourself.
Enhancing an already international background
Gunel always had a desire to study abroad. She completed her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in her native Azerbaijan. Her university, she says, encouraged students to gain international experience, leading her to take part in an exchange program in Turkey. It proved to be an enriching experience. “I really liked the experience of being out of my comfort zone and country… I realized how much you learn, even if you are in a country that is very close in terms of culture and distance.”
After a taste of studying abroad, she knew that she wanted more. Following graduation, her journey took her to Imperial College London for a master’s degree in advanced chemical engineering. It was another illuminating experience of diversity: “I enjoyed how much I could learn from different cultures without visiting them in their countries. They were bringing their culture and experience and everything to where we were.”
Then, in 2018, she undertook a professional doctorate in engineering in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Gunel ended up staying in the country after obtaining her doctorate, working over the next few years at both American and Saudi companies.
But another international experience was calling, with her sights now set on an MBA. “I was mainly involved in the projects which were technical, and I wanted to understand more than that,” she explains. “I wanted to understand the business side, how decisions are taken, what factors are being taken into consideration. That’s why I wanted to do an MBA.”
Community learning at IE Business School
After doing her research, IE Business School was the only school she wanted to apply to. Her first contact with the university sealed the deal; Gunel was pleasantly surprised by the quick and personal response she received to her initial email of enquiry. She was contacted by IE Business School’s Benelux representative, who set up a meeting to find out what she wanted to get out of her MBA and what her post-MBA goals were.
Following the meeting, Gunel was invited to an alumni event in Amsterdam. There, she was impressed to see how much IE Business School invests in both current students and alumni. After speaking to alumni and hearing their experiences of the global network that graduates had built through the institution, her mind was made up. She submitted her application and began her journey.
“After I came here, I saw there is much more available at IE Business School than I was thinking.”
Toward the end of the application process, Gunel attended an IE Business School event in Madrid. This was her first time in Spain. After the event and taking time to explore the city, Gunel had her final interview with the admissions team. Soon after, she received confirmation of her admission. Then, only a few months later, she returned to Madrid to study.
An enriching experience from the start: How to study abroad at IE Business School
It’s now a few months into the program and Gunel couldn’t be happier with her decision. “Everything is meeting my expectations,” she says. “And some things are even beyond my expectation.” She loves the diversity of her cohort, and notes that they are diverse in more ways than one. “We aren’t only diverse in terms of nationalities, but also in terms of background. We have people coming from acting, there are lawyers, entrepreneurs, some people coming from consulting experience, a chef, a football player… It’s really broad.”
One of the driving forces behind Gunel’s decision to study the International MBA was her long-held dream to start her own plastic waste recycling startup. Since arriving at IE Business School, she has seen firsthand the importance of entrepreneurship. Building her skills and surrounding herself with other budding entrepreneurs has given her the courage boost she didn’t know she needed. “I already have that trust and confidence that it is possible to create a company—that’s something that changed after coming here.”
“I already have that trust and confidence that it is possible to create a company—that’s something that changed after coming here.”
Gunel has also embraced the broad range of resources that are available to her at IE Business School. She has become a fellow at the IE Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center, helping her explore her entrepreneurial side even further. She has also become an admissions ambassador, keen to help give future students the same positive application journey that she had herself.
Study the International MBA for a broader perspective
Beyond her program, Gunel is making the most of being in Spain. Living in a country, she observes, is not the same as just visiting one. “I’m not just here to live and set up my business, but also to integrate in the culture and learn the language,” she tells us.
She’s gaining broader professional perspectives, too. With a very technical background, Gunel was used to being surrounded by other engineers. Initially, she missed this. However, Gunel has noticed that little by little, being in Madrid has helped her to expand her worldview. “I’ve started to see beyond engineering,” she says, citing her exposure to a wide range of different perspectives. “It’s up to me how I see it as a whole and how I’m going to apply it in my startup.”
How to study abroad: New cultures, insights and connections
Gunel is living proof of how people with an interest in new cultures, career advancement, skill development, entrepreneurship and connection can find the environment to thrive at IE Business School. She came with a dream to start her own business, and only a few short months in, she has gained valuable insights that will help her reach her potential.
Her advice for aspiring future students? First, she says, do your research. Explore our website and read about whatever program interests you most. If possible, visit an open day, either in Madrid or through a local IE University office. And, perhaps most importantly, speak to current students and alumni to hear their experiences. “The programs are updated based on the feedback that they get from students, which is a very good thing.” Gunel really valued the personal contact and insights that she was able to gain before making her final decision to apply: “I was really happy that they were giving their honest opinion.”
