Karina Mukhanova

MSc Marketing Management Communication – 2016/2017

Where do you come from?  (Country and university)

Originally Russian, I arrived in Toulouse from Prague, Czech Republic.

What studies have you already done, and what exact programme are you doing at TBS?

I have a dual Bachelor’s degree in Communication, Mass Media & PR from the University of New York in Prague, UNYP and Empire State College, SUNY. Currently I am studying for a MSc in Marketing, Management and Communication.

Why did you choose TBS over other schools?

I chose TBS over other schools because it is a highly ranked business school not only in France or Europe, but also worldwide. TBS holds strong positions in the well-recognized business school rankings by Financial Times as well as a triple accreditation from EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA. Furthermore, TBS offers graduate programs in multiple business-related fields taught in English. The last but not the least, the geographical location of the school was perfect for me.

How has your integration into TBS gone?  What do you feel after your first few weeks at TBS?  Are there any services/support which helped you?  Any events you particularly enjoyed?  Any difficulties you experienced? 

My integration into TBS so far was well facilitated by TBS staff.  I would particularly emphasize the help offered by Catherine Droit and International Student Services. I also found the events and activities I participated in with the fellow students during the integration week very useful. I believe the preparation of a video project especially united the team members. I would not say that I have encountered any difficulties so far because I speak basic French and I had no problems in finding an accommodation or getting an EDF account on my own, but I am sure, if asked, the International Student Services would gladly help me with those things. Because as far as I know the Erasmus students from TBS that I met were introduced to those and they are regularly invited to various events, which MSc students at Bosco rarely hear of and, therefore, have to learn about on their own.

So far, what do you appreciate about Toulouse: the people, the town, the School etc.?

Toulouse is a wonderful city with friendly and welcoming people. The town is gorgeous and it offers a great choice of cultural and sport events, which I personally find particularly interesting. The city is compact yet offers a lot to satisfy any wishes and tastes: culture, sport, food, shopping, party, etc. Here you can find everything. Besides, I would especially like to emphasize the fact that no matter the size of the town, it is full of students both from France and from all over the world.

Can you give us a small anecdote concerning your time so far at TBS?  It can be informative / funny / whatever you wish.

Recently my classmates spent an evening in the city together. Since we have around 10 nationalities in our class, it was a truly enriching cultural experience outside of TBS. I believe each of us found out what an opportunity we have to study in such a multi-cultural environment, how much we can learn about each other and the world in general. So we are ready to embrace this opportunity during our time at TBS.

What advice would you give to a future incoming international student?

TBS is undoubtedly a choice to make. Lively city, friendly people, a well-recognized business school, experienced and knowledgeable teaching staff, great student life and perfect weather. What else?