Blog

Learning to Lead Tomorrow’s Industry: Students’ Feedback on the Master’s Program in Industrial Engineering and Management (MARM)

The Master’s Program in Industrial Engineering and Management (MARM) combines technical expertise with strategic thinking and international collaboration. This interdisciplinary curriculum connects the fields of engineering, business, and social sciences, and is aimed at developing the next generation of production and executive leaders in industrial companies.

Through the experiences of two students, Robert Kutsar and Jekaterina Kassapova, who completed the MARM program in the spring of 2025, we gain a deeper understanding of what the program truly offers and how it prepares graduates for successful careers in industrial engineering, management and beyond.

For Robert, the decision to apply came after completing bachelor studies and realizing his interests lay not just in technical work but also in leading people and managing technological domains. “To be effective in this area,” he explains, “I understood it was essential to have a strong foundation in how industrial units operate, combined with data analysis and an understanding of modern production technologies. The MARM program offered exactly that — a hybrid approach that combines engineering, leadership, and management. It was exactly what I was looking for to further develop both my technical and managerial competencies.”

Jekaterina, on the other hand, joined the program to enhance her opportunities for career growth as an engineer. One of her main challenges was balancing a demanding job with a rigorous academic schedule. “The learning experience was challenging but engaging,” she shares. “The main difficulty was balancing a full-time workload with evening university classes. Sometimes the classes were every day and lasted until 9 PM. However, evening classes were preferable to morning or midday lectures, as it was easier to manage my work schedule and allocate the necessary time.”

Despite the workload, both students found the content of the program enriching and highly relevant. Robert emphasized the diversity of topics and appreciated that the courses were well-structured, providing not only solid theoretical knowledge but also real-world applications through project work and case studies. The most impactful courses for him were those focused on management and strategy, such as Strategic and Financial Management and Business Process Management, that helped him to develop business acumen and decision-making skills as well as gave useful tools and frameworks for optimizing and managing processes.

For Jekaterina, the most impactful subjects included Production Planning and Control, Concurrent Product Development, and Quality Management. She noted that the knowledge she gained in product development procedures and production simulation software has been particularly valuable in her current work, but she gained new knowledge also in business strategy. “MARM program provided me with new insights into business strategy and significantly strengthened my existing engineering skills.”

Both students highlighted the international environment as one of the program’s major strengths. Studying alongside peers from diverse cultures and professional backgrounds brought new perspectives to every classroom discussion. “The diverse group of students brought variety and different perspectives to discussions, which kept the learning process dynamic and engaging.”

Robert explained: “Working in multicultural teams on group projects taught me valuable lessons about cross-cultural communication, collaboration, and leadership. Erasmus students, in particular, often brought unique viewpoints and experiences from their home countries and industries, which added further depth to our classroom discussions. The international environment also provided a broader perspective on global industry trends and challenges, preparing me well for an international career.” Jekaterina agreed that the multicultural setting left a lasting impact: “The international environment allowed me to meet remarkable individuals and positively shifted my perspective on other cultures.”

Jekaterina also offered thoughtful suggestions for improving the student experience further, saying that the study program could be reviewed so that students would not miss out the opportunity to receive a stipend just because they follow the standard ECTS workload and do not take extra credits as well as communication within the program could be improved and thesis manual about thesis formatting rules should be reviewed as it was not always clear and consistent with what supervisors expected. “A separate Moodle course with videos would help and save time for both students and staff.” 

In the end, both students said they would recommend MARM program to others. “Despite certain structural challenges in the program, such as unevenly distributed EAP points across semesters, which affected stipend opportunities, the program overall left me with a positive impression.” said Jekaterina. “It has empowered me with the confidence to view problems from new perspectives and offer innovative solutions that others may not typically generate.”

Robert summed up his experience with a clear recommendation: “I would recommend the MARM program to those who see their future in a leadership role within the technology or industrial sector. The program offers a solid understanding of key aspects of industrial operations, management, and digitalization, which is very useful for developing a career in this field. It also provides a good foundation for those who do not necessarily aim to work as practicing engineers but are looking to take on managerial, strategic, or coordination roles. The international nature of the program adds valuable perspectives, though naturally, the experience will depend on how actively each student engages with the opportunities offered.”

The reflections shared by Robert and Jekaterina highlight both the strengths of the MARM program and opportunities for further development. Their feedback is a valuable resource for continuously aligning the curriculum with students’ needs and the future demands of the industry.