From Law professional to financial technology enthusiast
Thu Nguyen heard a lot of good things about the University of Oulu and especially Oulu Business School and their AACSB accreditation. “I knew if I graduate from their Finance master’s programme, I would be on my way to become a real expert in Finance,” Thu says. Also, the curriculum is well designed, and it covers Thu’s interest areas, such as asset pricing and financial risk management.
Challenging the comfort zone
Previously Thu had studied law and worked in the legal and accounting department of a company in Vietnam. The more she worked there, the more she got interested in finance. After almost four years, Thu did not feel fulfilled: “I just wanted to experience something new! I thought to myself that I could not stay in my comfort zone forever,” she laughs. So, she decided to change fields – and to study abroad.
“As I studied law before, I was a bit worried about lacking knowledge, but I learned a lot from the other students and I feel very confident in the new field now, after one year.”
Also, the teachers supported Thu as a career changer eagerly. “When I have questions, I just email them, and they will always take the time to answer,” Thu smiles.
Thu is sure that financial technology will be a big part of the field in the future. Programming and data analysis, for instance, will be important skills for successful finance students. That is why she wants to include these themes in her thesis, even if this is a very challenging topic. But Thu’s life motto is “A problem is a chance to do your best”, so she does not mind creating obstacles for herself. She knows she can learn from them.
Oulu, the city of peacefulness
In Oulu, Thu appreciates the peacefulness and the low traffic. “I have never seen a traffic jam here,” she laughs, “In Ho Chi Minh City, the traffic is crazy, especially during rush hour.” Thu likes the Finnish way of showing that one cares:
“Through my Kummi family I learned that Finns really are warm-hearted and helpful people. They take action rather than just speaking about them.”
But not everything is as calm in Finland as it first seemed to Thu. “I thought that Finns are really quiet, but they are not as quiet as I thought. Especially when you go to a pub!”
