(Jun 11, 2026) When Pooja Jagtap boarded a flight to the UK in 2025, she was embarking on far more than an academic journey. Having never travelled abroad before, she was leaving behind her hometown of Pune, moving thousands of kilometres away from her family, and stepping into a new discipline that would broaden both her professional and personal horizons.
After completing her bachelor’s degree, Pooja spent more than two years working in the IT sector, contributing to technology-driven projects across enterprise environments. While she enjoyed the technical depth of software engineering, she increasingly found herself drawn to the intersection of technology, analytics, innovation, and business strategy. She wanted to understand not only how systems are built, but also how data-driven insights, emerging technologies, and leadership decisions shape organisational performance and long-term business transformation.
That ambition led her to Nottingham Trent University, where she pursued an MSc in Management (Business Analytics). The programme combined management fundamentals with advanced training in predictive and prescriptive analytics, business intelligence, artificial intelligence in business, and data-driven decision-making, providing an ideal platform to bridge her technical background with broader business leadership aspirations.
Building a strong foundation in technology
Before moving to the UK, Pooja developed a strong professional foundation through her work in the IT industry. She collaborated within Agile teams, handling validation activities, sprint coordination, technical documentation, requirements gathering, and cloud-based enterprise environments.
These experiences strengthened her technical proficiency while also developing essential professional skills such as stakeholder communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, and project coordination. Working alongside diverse teams helped her appreciate the importance of collaboration, clear communication, and delivering measurable business outcomes.
Her exposure to large-scale digital systems also provided valuable insight into digital transformation initiatives and the growing role of technology in enabling organisational efficiency and innovation. Through these experiences, she developed an appreciation for balancing technical excellence with business objectives, governance, and customer value creation.
Over time, she realised she wanted to complement her engineering expertise with a stronger understanding of strategy, leadership, organisational behaviour, and sustainable business transformation.
Combining management knowledge with analytics expertise
At Nottingham Trent University, Pooja found the ideal environment to bridge technology and business. The MSc programme covered strategy, finance, marketing, operations, global management, sustainability, and specialised modules in predictive analytics, business intelligence, and AI-driven decision-making.
More importantly, the course encouraged students to think beyond technical solutions and consider how organisations create value in a rapidly changing global economy.
“The programme gave us the opportunity to explore leadership, innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship, while also understanding how businesses operate on a global scale,” she says.
Alongside analytical and management skills, the programme deepened her understanding of responsible and sustainable management. She gained valuable insight into how organisations must balance innovation, economic growth, environmental responsibility, and social impact to achieve long-term success.
Developing leadership and a global perspective
Some of Pooja’s most valuable learning experiences came through simulations, team-based projects, consultancy-style assignments, and practical exercises outside traditional classroom settings. These activities challenged students to take on leadership roles, analyse business scenarios, build persuasive arguments, and collaborate to solve complex problems.
Through these experiences, she developed stronger leadership, decision-making, conflict-resolution, and emotional intelligence skills. Exposure to diverse viewpoints encouraged her to think more strategically, challenge assumptions, and adopt a solution-oriented mindset.
Living and studying in the UK further broadened her global perspective. Engaging with peers from different cultures helped her better understand international business practices, cross-cultural collaboration, and the importance of adaptability in today’s interconnected world.
Exploring innovation and emerging technologies
Her interest extends beyond technology implementation to understanding how organisations can adopt emerging innovations responsibly. She recognises the importance of ethical governance, transparency, and accountability in ensuring that technological advancement creates sustainable value for businesses, customers, and society.
The rapid evolution of AI also reinforced her commitment to continuous learning and innovation. She believes that future leaders must remain adaptable, embrace emerging opportunities, and combine technical expertise with strategic thinking to navigate an increasingly dynamic business environment.
Growing through independence and responsibility
Like many international students, Pooja had to adapt to life beyond academics. Managing her own schedule, household responsibilities, and coursework required discipline, resilience, and strong time-management skills. Living independently pushed her outside her comfort zone and helped her become more confident, self-reliant, and adaptable.
Looking ahead
As she prepares for the next stage of her career, Pooja plans to obtain a Graduate Visa and gain international work experience in the technology and business sectors. She aims to continue building expertise in business analytics, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and innovation-led business strategy.
Her growing interest in AI-driven innovation has reinforced her belief that technology can transform decision-making, operational efficiency, and customer engagement. At the same time, she emphasises the importance of responsible leadership and sustainable management, recognising that successful organisations must balance innovation with ethical governance, environmental responsibility, and long-term stakeholder value creation.
“I want to keep learning, gain international experience, meet new people, and contribute to organisations that are driving meaningful technological and business transformation,” she says.
Looking back, Pooja views her time in the UK as far more than an academic achievement. It has been a transformative experience that broadened her outlook, strengthened her leadership capabilities, and equipped her with the confidence to pursue opportunities on a global stage.
- Follow Pooja Jagtap on LinkedIn