I graduated January 2006 with B.A. Hons. Business Managemnt, Marketing and HRM. I am planning to go for my Masters of Business Management (MBA) September 2007. I have applied to University of Strathclyde, Lancaster University, Birmingham University (all these universities are in the UK) and China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) (these Universities are in china).

Some of you might ask why I want to study in China. The reasons are:

• My family is into business and most of our businesses are with the Chinese.
• CEIBS is no 21 in the world while HKUST is no 47 (I’ve attached a copy of 2006 MBA Ranking). Since these schools are the best in china they will definitely attract the elites Business Men/Women of the Chinese society. This will enable me network and make contacts that will help both me and family in our businesses.
• Last but not the least these Chinese MBA is more value for money than UK MBA. These Chinese schools even though they are better than most of UK schools their MBA tuition fees will cost me between 19-21 thousand pounds. While tuition fees for UK schools in their league will cost me between 24-30 thousand pounds. Again living expenses in china is about 40% of what I currently spend in the UK.

Finally I would like to return back to Nigeria when I Grad. Because this UK is dead. It is not easy for an African to get a job here. My brothers most Nigerians wey dey UK dey suffer no be small. You go see dem dey pose nothing gum dem yansh. But shame no let most of them return to Nigeria.

For the most fortunate ones that have a good job:
Gross Pay is about £30,000.
Income tax will be about £7,000
Council Tax £2000
VAT £2000
Car Tax and Insurance £1000

They are left with about £18000. Then they will pay rent or Mortgage £700/month=£7200/annum.

Remaining £9600 then minus feeding and entertainment cost £200/month=£2400/annum.

Remaining £7200 you will them fuel your car, buy clothes and your girl friend and family that are back home in Nigeria will cost you not less than £4000.

£3200 is what you are left with if you are lucky. My brothers and sisters UK no easy. I don come UK see with my eye. I can never live in the UK. God forbid!!

Anyway Guys tell me what you all think. Thanks so much for reading my whole story.

Na waa ooh Chimaze.

One of my uncles left london and went back to Nigeria for good. He said he is better off in Naija, but I thought he was kidding. Reading about the UK from your post is making me think he must be right afterall

BUSINESS! BUSINESS!!BUSINESS!!! all this IGBO men, with BUSINESS selfffffffff.

may i ask a question? who asked for this?

@ chimaze: if Uk is this hard to live in, why are pple rushing and dying to go there?

Those universities you mentioned, are they the best in the world or just in china?

Hey! I think you have actually researched on this subject very well and you do not need our advise. You should instead be advising us. Anyway, I think it would not be a bad idea for you to study there. Firstly, you might learn a foreign language and with the way China is catching on in the international arena, you will be at an advantage if you eventually get back to 9aija. Wish you the best.

we al no it's very difficult to start a life in d UK,
abeg help me orientate those wey feel say na only 2 travel nai be am
Although if u have d finance to go skool dere, den Kudos cos i no very many companys in naija who pay grads wit UK degree/qualificatn dan naijans,
@topic
if china is preferred as u say, den so b it,
bt r dey d best in d world or in china cos i'm considering going 4 a master outside naija
cares peep

Yes they are one of the best in the world. CEIBS is no 21 in the world while Hong Kong UST Business School is no. 47. I've attached a copy of The top 100 full-time global MBA programmes.

if dat is where u want to continue ur career,wish u best of luck!

Everywhere is thesame but na shame no dey make people go home. But its still ok for some type of people anyway.

omo no matter how bad it is still better than nigeria

You seem to have done your research well. Besides, it does not take a genius to see that China is, and will be increasingly important in the business world - 1 trillion dollars of foreign reserves is no joke. I say, go for it.

(HKUST)

Chimaze, I disagree with you on your analysis of the UK. Many people are so quick to dismiss the life in UK but I guess it boils down to individual preferences, My mum believes that the life here is not as good as in naija but I totally disagree and really do think it is a personal choice. I have many relatives here and I have to say not all are doing well but the ones that are, would never move back to naija. Its people that are suffering that come up with all those ridicolous stories of why naija is better. Then again life is about opportunities and not everyone is lucky enough to be given these opportunities. So for those sort of people that find it hard to get by here then by all means move to Naija but it is not fair to generalise. No doubt the UK is hard but tell me one place that isn't? With hard work, sheer determination, God's favour and pure luck, you can have a good life anywhere in the world you choose.

As for the universities, I just asked my Chinese colleagues and only of them has replied. Her reply is below. Personally, if these schools are so great, why do so many Chinese students come and study here?

"Hi I think I will not be helpful to u because I have never heard of them. But I will prefer UK’s universities, more qualified and popular .u’d better ask ling her bf is from Hongkong , he knows more"

@Chimaze

Between China and the UK.

Nigerians usually like to study in the UK, coz its more like a gateway to Europe. China is the gateway to Asia. MBA in China, I would say go for it. Not because im a China man myself. A lot of Ibos are there and you would feel like you're in Nigeria. In fact, the number of Ibos there is so much that you might think everyone from Nigeria is Ibo. And there are many intermarriages too. Its only that Chinese-Ibo half-caste combinations are deadly because of the business acumen. And they usually inherit the Chinese eye-narrowness, which would make them look more Chinese should they be wearing a scarf. On the other hand, a Yoruba-Chinese combination would have eyes open like a normal Nigerian. God is wonderful o. THese guys should not become comedians, coz just the sight of them draws laughter. I would like to see a Calabar-Chinese who speeds with the calabar tsong-accent, if thats what they call it.

Oga Chimaze, I believe you know where all the electronics in Nigeria comes from, so after graduating, you might not even need to come back home. Perhaps, you might meet one of your nna cousins who might deputize you to manage his firm. Abi, butter don full ground be that o.

China is the next big thing. WIth a CHinese Education, the world is as open before you as that of a UK degree. I want to answer why CHinese come to Uk to study. The major reason is because of the English language. Prim and sec school in CHina is in the local language and if/once you understand English in CHina, its like you have overcome the world - even if your english could be classified as gau-gau in Nigeria. Its also a factor in landing good/high paying jobs. Even if you studied English in CHina, someone who studied the same English in the UK or some other English speaking country is rated "higher" than you in society and generally in the place of work. Besides, it gives them the opportunity to work in other China - surrounding countries as well.

choco4life:

omo no matter how bad it is still better than nigeria

Igboran san ju ebo ruru lo,
Can't u see ppl in 9jeria gettin millions per annum _{They are slary earners ooo}

chimaze

I say go for it. I read your post and thought "this guy has done his homework and knows exactly what he wants" v impressed.

Learn Mandarin as well. Parents in the States are sending their little chldren for Mandarin lessons b/c that is the next wave. You will be very successful b/c even American companies look for people who understand the Chinese and Western culture so you can offer yourself as a Chinese consultant. They love that sort of thing here.

Keep us posted. Good Luck to you

Okay just spoke to another Chinese colleague of mine. She seems to be more knowledgeable, she has never heard of the China Europe uni but has heard of the Hong Kong uni. She mentioned that there are thousands of universities in China and only two really stand out, she told me their names(can't rem). However she said apart from the top 10 unis there, the others are pretty much on the same level and not regarded very highly(or as highly). The Hong Kong uni she said is very good and popular and recommended a top Hong King uni as opposed to Chinese ones. She is chinese by the way but said Hong Kong universities are known to be a lot better than their Chinese counterparts and as a result, Chinese students would rather go there as they also would rather work in Hong Kong after graduating.

My personal opinion is that you should not base your decision on the league tables. I believe you are trying to convince people of how good these schools are. If it was Harvard or Cambridge, you wouldn't need to, The name of the school would speak for itself. The reason for doing your Masters should determine whether you choose a school in China or UK. If it is to meet elite Chinese people then by all means go to China but if it is to go to a top university so as to command respect then I advice you to stick with a more known school in the UK or US. So you don't have to start producing this your league table every time people ask you what uni you did your MBA.

Chimaze why did you do you degree in the Uk in the first place?

The cost of living in china is lower than the UK

how much will you get after you MBA?

I heard you are only allowed to have 1 child preferably a male in china and the houses are getting smaller each year due to population increase

Nice place to get a transplant though, the prison system provides loads of body part at a price



the UK is not a place to get rich they are more interested in having a high standard of living and a"social balance" , they dont really encourage elitism for some reason and most Nigerians dont like that. MONEY,Oppression  

Chi-babe:

@ chimaze: if Uk is this hard to live in, why are people rushing and dying to go there?

Those universities you mentioned, are they the best in the world or just in china?

@ Chi-babe, an Igbo proverb said that " when you have something you will never value it, instead you will be looking for the things which you don't have".

bensimon:

Hey! I think you have actually researched on this subject very well and you do not need our advise. You should instead be advising us. Anyway, I think it would not be a bad idea for you to study there. Firstly, you might learn a foreign language and with the way China is catching on in the international arena, you will be at an advantage if you eventually get back to Nigeria. Wish you the best.

@ Bensimon, Thanks man. I've started my application processes (i.e. writing those enormous essays)

somebody:

Okay just spoke to another Chinese colleague of mine. She seems to be more knowledgeable, she has never heard of the China Europe uni but has heard of the Hong Kong uni. She mentioned that there are thousands of universities in China and only two really stand out, she told me their names(can't rem). However she said apart from the top 10 unis there, the others are pretty much on the same level and not regarded very highly(or as highly). The Hong Kong uni she said is very good and popular and recommended a top Hong King uni as opposed to Chinese ones. She is chinese by the way but said Hong Kong universities are known to be a lot better than their Chinese counterparts and as a result, Chinese students would rather go there as they also would rather work in Hong Kong after graduating.

My personal opinion is that you should not base your decision on the league tables. I believe you are trying to convince people of how good these schools are. If it was Harvard or Cambridge, you wouldn't need to, The name of the school would speak for itself. The reason for doing your Masters should determine whether you choose a school in China or UK. If it is to meet elite Chinese people then by all means go to China but if it is to go to a top university so as to command respect then I advice you to stick with a more known school in the UK or US. So you don't have to start producing this your league table every time people ask you what uni you did your MBA.

@ Somebody, I did not base my decisions solely on the league tables. I also took into account what I would gain in terms of career progression if I study in the UK.

As I’ve mentioned in my earlier post, I’ve more Business ties with the Chinese and studying in china will benefit me and my future career in the long-run.

By the way these UK schools are overrated. I did my degree in the UK, so I know better.  I don’t want to study in a university just because they are prestigious. I will have to put into consideration if studying in the University will benefit my career.

By the way these UK schools are overrated. I did my degree in the UK, so I know better. I don’t want to study in a university just because they are prestigious. I will have to put into consideration if studying in the University will benefit my career.

By who?

No wonder the number of internation students have gone up
I wonder why the the number of chinese students in london alone rose by 21% over 5years

please don't study in chaina only if you are a genius because chinese exam and test are too strict each year you have to score 85% before you can get promotion to next class, that is why dem children come to the uk, to get school qualifications that others are dying for in chaina. chinese come to uk cos of education nigerians come cos of money even though most loose the money to tax. i did chinese test and i scored 21% and i'm normally not dumb not even in nigeria, the education in chaina is rock hard no matter how you read you still score 0%, people repeat class till they are too old. study jekojeko in UK or a little hard in NIgeria is better

whiteroses:

the education in chaina is rock hard, people repeat class till they are too old.

if people are repeating classes till they are too old, then it must be really hard lol

haywhy:

Gross Pay is about £30,000.
Income tax will be about £7,000
Council Tax £2000
VAT £2000
Car Tax and Insurance £1000

They are left with about £18000. Then they will pay rent or Mortgage 

£700/month=£7200/annum.

Remaining £9600 then minus feeding and entertainment cost

£200/month=£2400/annum.

Remaining £7200 you will them fuel your car, buy clothes and your girl friend

and family that are back home in Nigeria will cost you not less than £4000.

£3200 is what you are left with if you are lucky. My brothers and sisters UK no

easy. I don come UK see with my eye. I can never live in the UK. God forbid!!

Anyway Guys tell me what you all think. Thanks so much for reading my whole

story.

this post is whats wrong with us nigerians, a fresh graduate out of school
with an Bsc or Msc whateva no experience and before he even gets a 21k - 30k pounds job p.a for a start, his complaning and calculating, how much exactly do you want to be paid, 100 mila? ole come take!!
Has this guy never heard of working your way up the company ladder, if your 25 - 30 years and work hard on
that job for the next 10-15yrs, do you know how valuable you will be to that company, how much you will be earning and benifits, how much experience you will have by then, what position you would have atained,  instead you are calculating all this crap, don't worry go to china or go back to nija they will pay you your 100mila.

andre5:

this post is whats wrong with us nigerians, a fresh graduate out of school
with an Bsc or Msc whateva no experience and before he even gets a 21k - 30k pounds job p.a for a start, his complaning and calculating, how much exactly do you want to be paid, 100 mila? ole come take!!
Has this guy never heard of working your way up the company ladder, if your 25 - 30 years and work hard on
that job for the next 10-15yrs, do you know how valuable you will be to that company, how much you will be earning and benifits, how much experience you will have by then, what position you would have atained, instead you are calculating all this crap, don't worry go to china or go back to nija they will pay you your 100mila.

@andre5, You are an air head. Every person has the right to be stupid, but you've abused that right.

ah ah i'm laughing at that post on top by chimaze, it's true andre 5 ain't thinking right, what was he calculating now.

@andre5, You are an air head. Every person has the right to be stupid, but you've abused that right.

"Air Head", "Right To Be Stupid" if you want to yab me stop yabbing like an oyimbo. try this "Goat Head" and nobody has the right to be stupid.

andre5:

"Air Head", "Right To Be Stupid" if you want to yab me stop yabbing like an oyimbo. try this "Goat Head" and nobody has the right to be stupid.

@andre5, Abeg this woman leave me alone oh , woman like you fit kill man b4 him time reach.

Before mu ga -aga anywhere outside this country, A aga m adi sure na the money is very much enough. Ihe osore anti mee. Home is home. Hoo haaa. Nigeria di mma. Ebe m ga-aga later bu Oman or Saudi,US, canada and australia

Oburu na i bu onye Ibo,I ga aghota ihe m na - ekwu.Ka odi go odi as of now.