Keshav Bansal

Why did you choose your course and Leeds University Business School?
Management as a course covers the study of mostly all major functions of running an organisation. As a fresher, I was unsure about choosing a specific subject that I wanted to specialise in and hence, decided to start at a broad level. As I studied different modules throughout, by the end of second year, I was able to develop my core interest in Finance, which was my discovery module.

Leeds University Business School is a highly reputable university in the United Kingdom and caters to an immensely diverse group of students coming from all over the world. This intrigued me to apply to Leeds. In addition to this, Leeds is a wonderful city for students and as an international student I felt very welcomed and was able to settle down with ease.  

What aspect of your course have you enjoyed most so far?
The teaching methods at the Leeds University Business School are very practical. This really added to my learning and made my course more enjoyable. For instance, the Starting Your Own Business module in the first year was an excellent way to learn about start-ups and how they take shape into a business. We were required to work in teams and come up with a business idea, conduct public surveys and do the required number crunching to identify the fund requirement for the business. Putting theory into practice was really helpful grasping different concepts and understanding the actual business environment. 

The opportunity to undertake the work placement year is definitely one of the most exciting part of my course at the University. It has put forward multiple challenges in front of me and at the same time prepared me to face them. Especially at this early stage of my career, my priority is to gain the maximum amount of exposure and hone skills that would enable me in progressing further. Halfway through the placement, it has been an outstanding learning experience already as the amount of knowledge and exposure I gain on a daily basis is overwhelming. 

What do you enjoy most about the learning and teaching methods used on your programme and the facilities available, and how do you feel you are benefitting from them?
As mentioned above, imparting education while adopting a practical approach really expands the learning curve. This has been an integral part of my course curriculum and made my time at University both knowledgeable and enjoyable. In my work placement, the amount of knowledge I gain a daily basis is extremely overwhelming and compliments my theoretical learning at the University. 

Being the course representative in my second year provided me an outstanding opportunity to provide feedback regarding module delivery and raise any other concerns students had. Being able to connect with the academics directly really bridges any gaps in communication that might exist between students and the management. As a result of which, certain alterations can be made for the benefit of the existing students and also the forthcoming ones. 

Have you had the opportunity to meet with any businesses/employers during your time at the Business School? If so, could you provide some information on how this will contribute to your development? 
I have got numerous opportunities to connect with business professionals at University. The career fair is an excellent place that it brings together multiple employers from all fields under one roof to answer any queries that the students might have. I made full use of this opportunity to meet professionals and improve my network. This not only helped me make a more informed career decision but also honed my communication skills. Other than this guest lectures that we had were really interesting as the guests shared their personal experiences which gave us an excellent insights. Moreover, there are a large number of corporates that hold networking sessions at the Business School every week. 

Tell us a little more about your experience on the work placement that you have undertaken in the UK and the support that you got from the Business School? 
The opportunity to do a placement year really intrigued my interest as I believe it is an excellent chance to gain knowledge in the chosen industry and would definitely be an addition to my degree value. Especially at this early stage of my career my priority is to gain the maximum amount of exposure and hone skills that would enable me in progressing further. Fortunately I finally got the opportunity to work in one of the Big Four firms Ernst and Young. I received the placement offer in the Transaction Advisory Services (TAS) line of EY in the Business Valuations Department.

As mentioned in the above answers, the placement year is the biggest contributor to my learning experience at University. The placement job role perfectly aligns with my career interests and is related to what I studied in Corporate Finance. The chance to work in a practical setting with the base of all the theory I had learnt in this specific module really motivates me work harder and gain as much knowledge and exposure as I can. The Business School really helped me to network effectively through organising different events. The careers centre assisted me in designing my CV and provided me additional assistance with interviews. All this really enabled to become more confident and get selected for the role I am currently pursuing. 

What has been your experience of living in Leeds as a city? Do you have a favourite place/thing to do in Leeds?
There are so many places that I can think of as my favourites in Leeds. Leeds is an ideal city for students. The city centre is in proximity and has amazing options to eat and shop. Most importantly, I love the nightlife in Leeds as it is enjoyable and economical at the same time. During my time in Leeds, I loved watching football matches at different bars in town as I really enjoy the enthusiasm people have for the game. Other than this, the range of restaurants is very diverse and I love eating different cuisines all the time.