A world of experience

In the sunlight-filled rotunda of the GISMA Business School in Hannover, Germany, Thet Su Hlaing completed her Purdue MBA among 59 peers from 23 different countries. A native of Burma and a former resident of both Australia and Japan, Hlaing received an American-style global business education worthy of this worldly student.

“My husband inspired me to be a student again and to do my MBA here in Germany,” says Hlaing, who is married to a German citizen. “I wanted to get a degree from an American university, which would give me the opportunity to expand professionally and provide me with worldwide options.”

The daughter of construction-business owners in Gyobingauk, Burma, Hlaing left her native country in 1995. A hidden gem of snow-capped mountains and secluded beaches, its natural beauty (and economic vitality) has largely been eclipsed in recent years by the complex political problems of its military government.

“Good job opportunities are not available in Burma for graduates,” says Hlaing, who earned a bachelor’s degree in physics at the University of Yangon in Burma. So, like her brothers and sisters before her, she headed for brighter horizons.

Hlaing first immersed herself in the English language in Sydney, Australia, then worked as an assistant restaurant manager in Tokyo. After meeting her future husband in Japan, she relocated to Germany, where she lectured on Burmese culture and cuisine, helped direct a documentary film on Burma, and led sustainable tourism adventures as founder of SuWorld Travel and Tours Ltd.

In 2006, she was accepted into the competitive MBA program in Hannover, which combines Krannert’s core curriculum with European business experiences. Despite her extensive business experience, Hlaing soon found herself on academic probation.

Some subjects like accounting and finance were new to the science whiz. But, she says, “The big part was the language. In Japan, I was only speaking Japanese, and then I completely changed to German.”

Hlaing and her husband started communicating only in English to each other. She also enlisted help from classmates and faculty members, such as visiting Krannert professor Robert Eskew.

“He was an important part of my achieving my degree,” says Hlaing. “I individually worked on extra cases and problems, and through his expertise, motivation, and support, I improved my skills.”

Since graduating last July, Hlaing has been searching for an international sales or marketing position. While she still visits Burma, she doesn’t anticipate returning there full-time until significant government and economic reforms take place ­— or at least until she retires.

“I will definitely spend that part of my life in Burma,” she says. “My husband looks forward to that time lying in the sun on the fantastic beaches of the Indian Ocean.”

–– Angie Roberts