For the 2011 EMBA intake, the course began in January 2011 with a packed orientation weekend run by recent course graduates, including an introduction to a truly formidable pack of course notes for the first term (below).
I met my 'learning team' - a group of around 7 people who you work with for the first year. With a range of backgrounds, experience and nationalities, I was relieved that the group got on pretty instantaneously - and pleased that I think we'll have fun working together. The orienteers downloaded their experiences, advice, anecdotes and good luck and left us eager to get into the course. I'm joining around half of the EMBA students to do the course in a modular format - meaning we're at Cranfield for several week blocks a year - each densely packed with course content.
So the first week began. Packed with lectures, preparation, reading, questions and a fair few social moments - I found the experience both intense and brilliant. Even though people said it would be tough, the sheer density of the volume of work still took me by surprise. Thankfully the combination of learning and working alongside great people more than made up for the lost sleep.
By the end of the week I was already looking forward to coming back in March a little more prepared for the experience. In the meantime we've got plenty of homework and preparation to do - with virtual weekly team meetings set up for the months ahead and our first assignment deadline in February.
On the train back to London, I'm overwhelmingly relieved to have 'survived' week one but more certain than ever that I've made the right choice to do an EMBA.
