Adam Smith Business School

Author: Alex Rybakova, MBA candidate

I started my MBA programme on 15 September 2025. This blog post will take you through my first few weeks on the programme, from the orientation to full-time MBA student life.

The first two weeks of the Glasgow MBA focus on induction, bonding and professional development. This means that there are no credited or assessed sessions, but there are plenty of networking opportunities, bonding activities, cultural events and fun! 

The MBA programme differs greatly from other master's programmes at the university in that it requires much more collaboration and group projects. The first “onboarding” weeks have helped me settle into my new routine as an MBA student.

First day

I arrived at the Adam Smith Building at 9:30, grabbed a coffee from Tinderbox on the ground floor, and went up to the sixth floor — home to the Glasgow MBA.

On arrival, I was met by the amazing MBA team: David Levinson (MBA Development Manager), Pauline Moyard (School Postgraduate Programmes Administrator) and Dr Nick Quinn (Programme Director – MBA). They were all there to introduce the programme and facilitate the gathering. 

The team had prepared some great merchandise for us: this year it was a hoodie, a jacket (absolutely unique — only us MBA students have them!), a tote bag, a pen and a notebook. Plus some snacks, and of course a can of the famous Irn Bru! My personal favourites are the hoodie and the pen!

Another nice touch was that we all had name tags, which really helped us to learn everyone's names and reduce awkwardness. 

 A network lunch at one of the first days.

On the first day, I also met my classmates — around 35 people from 16 different countries (some of whom would join us in the coming weeks). Seeing the people you will be with for a year for the very first time is an overwhelming and exciting experience! 

Me being me — a name plaque and Insights blocks on my head.

The MBA Space

All MBA teaching takes place in Room 699 on the sixth floor of the Adam Smith Building. It's a great, spacious and bright room. Adjoining the room is a networking space, our modern “Gryffindor Common Room”, with cosy armchairs, sofas, desks, and tables for group work and lunchtime. The MBA cohort also has access to a fridge, hot and cold taps, and lockers — these are game changers, given that I spend most of my days here.

Induction and Professional Development Weeks Events

Over the next few days, we will have multiple sessions aimed at getting us off to a flying start with our programme:

• Teaching and learning methods and academic writing to give us an understanding of good academic practice. Most of the MBA candidates are practitioners, so these reminders of how to do the academic work are really helpful.
• We will also have profile writing, preparation and personal pitch sessions to train public speaking and profile crafting skills.
• We will take Belbin and Insights personality tests to help us understand ourselves (and others) better.
• A coaching workshop will study the GROW framework and teach you how to use it in real life.
• Guest speakers and previous MBA cohorts help you to get to know the programme better.
• A visit to the Clydeside Distillery.

An Insights workshop at the Adam Smith Building.

All of the sessions were excellent, but my personal favourite was the coaching workshop — it was something I had never tried before and I had many revelations! 

The induction and professional development weeks also gave us plenty of time to complete administrative tasks, such as getting student cards and settling into our new accommodation. 

• Tip: Use the checklist to plan your first weeks at the school. 
• Pro tip: Book your visa registration in advance to avoid unnecessary anxiety on arrival. 

Another opportunity during the first weeks was to participate in the Freshers' events. Freshers' Week is essentially an opportunity for students to meet new people, try new things and participate in university life. 

Personally, I chose three taster sessions: fencing (which was amazing!), sailing (which proved not to be my cup of tea) and the Malt Whisky Society (which had a great atmosphere!).

A Fencing taster session at UofG SPORT.

A group visit to the Kelvingrove Museum (Glasgow) at a lunch break.

After induction and in conclusion...

Weeks 3 and beyond would be much more condensed and demanding in terms of pre-reading, time management and class engagement. They are also great and deserve another post. For now, though, I would like to say that the first two weeks of the MBA programme are a gift: they are full of purpose, revelations, and fun. They also give you some free time to get organised, which is a huge advantage!

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First published: 28 October 2025