My Decision Behind Choosing an Offline EMBA
- blogs, product management
- 4 min read
Authors: Ysha Agrawal – Associate Manager at HCL Technologies
I’m Ysha Agrawal, and my professional background spans biotechnology, clinical research, business operations, healthcare systems, and academia. Although I have worked across different functions, my experience has largely been connected to healthcare and technology.
With more than eight years of experience across these areas, I now want to bring the different parts of my professional journey together and create something meaningful. I want my work to make a real impact over time, particularly in health technology.
This aspiration led me to pursue an offline EMBA in Product Leadership.
Connecting My Diverse Professional Experience
My background is not limited to a single function. I have worked across biotechnology, clinical research, healthcare operations, and health systems.
Each of these areas has been a part of my professional journey. Now, I want to connect them through product leadership and use my experience in a more integrated way.
For me, this course is an opportunity to understand how my background in healthcare, technology, and academia can come together. I do not want these experiences to remain separate. I want to thread them into work that can create meaningful and lasting impact.
My Aspiration in Health Technology
One year from now, I expect to remain on my product leadership journey, but I want to be in a much stronger position.
My goal is to move into a product leadership role where I can contribute to health technology. I want to be part of work that makes an impact on people’s lives.
My existing experience gives me an understanding of different parts of the healthcare ecosystem. Product leadership is the direction through which I want to bring those different areas together and contribute to health technology.
Why I Chose an Offline EMBA
The offline campus experience was the most important factor behind my decision to choose the Executive MBA program at the Institute of Product Leadership.
Since the pandemic, much of our professional and educational experience has moved into the online world. While digital interactions have become common, I wanted an in-person learning environment where I could meet my peers, interact with professors, and learn through direct conversations.
I wanted more than an online course. I was looking for a campus experience that would allow me to connect with people personally and learn alongside them.
Learning From Peers, Professors, and Industry Professionals
The opportunity to meet peers and professors was a significant part of my decision. An offline EMBA creates space for conversations that take place inside and outside formal sessions.
I also wanted to understand different industry perspectives by interacting with industry professionals who visit the campus. These interactions can offer learning that comes directly from people with experience across industries.
For me, personal interaction is an important part of education. When we meet, communicate, and connect with others directly, there is a great deal to learn. These interactions can also contribute to personal growth.
That is why the in-person format mattered so much to me. It allows me to learn through the course while also growing alongside the people around me.
The Explorer Beyond My Professional Life
One lesser-known fact about me is that I am an explorer. I enjoy visiting new and different places rather than choosing only popular destinations.
I am more interested in going on a hike or discovering a unique place. When I travel, I like connecting with local people and communities. I want to understand the problems they face, what makes their communities unique, and how they manage within their environments.
For me, exploring is about more than visiting a place. It is about discovering it personally and understanding the people who live there.
Returning to School for a New Journey
Being back at school feels exciting. I am looking forward to the journey and to growing alongside everyone in the program.
My decision to choose an offline EMBA came from wanting a learning experience built around personal interaction. I wanted to meet peers, engage with professors, understand industry perspectives, and learn in an environment where people connect directly.
As I continue building my path towards product leadership, I hope to bring together my experience in biotechnology, clinical research, healthcare operations, and health systems. My aim is to apply that experience in health technology and contribute to work that makes a meaningful impact on people’s lives.
