Most of us were still living in the sweet memories of never-ending summer nights passed behind, when suddenly, gently but unexpectedly September began. The first month of the academic calendar kicks off the one-year advanture of the MIM programme – with the block seminar as its first chapter. This year’s most popular destination was definitely Italy’s fashion capital: at the Bocconi University the Hungarian CEMS crew accounted for altogether eight people, being probably the most numerous delegation after the Italian hosts.
The dolce vita adventure started right after landing on Italian terrain. Being overwhelmed by various AC Milan symbols in the taxi carrying me home from the central station, I thought what else than football could be the best topic to start my small talk with the driver. It was indeed. Having overcome his initial surprise on the fact that a foreigner can speak this „useless Italian language”, the sympathetic old driver was eager to tell the story of the many generation lasting tradition of cheering for the Rossoneri in his family. Anna was even luckier with the taxi drive: on the way home a blood red Ferrari was passing by her cab – which eventually turned out to be driven by why-always-me football superstar Mario Balotelli. Okay, not bad – we thought at the end of the first day and could not wait to see what else was ahead of us in the months to come.
Bocconi offered three different programmes within the block seminar. The Business-Government Relations programme – held partly by Bocconi and Copenhagen Business School professors – was focusing on the newest tendencies and key success factors of public private partnerships. Furthermore, a Vodafone lobbyist from Brussels was also sharing the practitioner’s point of view on how lobbying can be an effective way to influence politics to create advantageous conditions for (certain) companies.
The Entrepreneurial Finance programme was a comprehensive introduction to the fascinating field of private equity and venture capital. Bocconi and ESADE professors were covering the issues of various private equity deals, the phases of the PE investment and the regulatory environment, what is more, a corporate valuation case study and the simulation of a deal negotiation made the week even more interactive. In addition, guest lecturer Fabio Sattin, chairman and founding partner of Italy’s biggest private equity firm was drawing the future prospects of European private equity.
The third programme was Social Entrepreneurship. The course was intended to familiarize students with the challenges and opportunities of social entrepreneurship, providing knowledge and tools to sustain social opportunity identification and exploitation. Participants had to team up and create a sustainable social entrepreneurship project to be presented at the end.
However, a block seminar is much more than simply studying and working hard. Throughout the week, CEMS Club Milan set up a colourful programme to explore Milan nightlife, so we were having a nice aperitivo at a roof-top bar and jumping into Italian disco culture at the iconic Old Fashion club. Before part of the Hungarian crew returned to Budapest, we climbed onto the roof of Duomo to enjoy the breathtaking view on this city that might not be the most beautiful one in the bel paese, however, with its particular - sometimes historic, sometimes industrial - charm managed to capture our hearts.
On the top of that, plenty of pictures and stories will remind us of the friendship we made with the nearly 100 CEMSies from all around the world. See you guys back on the Career Forum in Budapest in November.
Until then, let's rock the MIM year and as always...
...keep up the CEMSpirit!
Photos: CEMS Club Milan, Dorottya Szerviczky, Adrienn Werger
Story: Daniel Dracz
