Going the distance to study in London for the Bayes MBA
Bayes Modular Executive MBA attracts students from all over the world to London.
Once a month, Pablo Peralta checks in his luggage at Bogota airport in Colombia, and boards a plane for the 10-hour flight to London. 17,000 kilometres away in Hanoi, Vietnam, Trong Nghia Tran settles in for his 13-hour flight west. Bringing them both to the UK’s capital is the Modular Executive MBA at Bayes Business School.
Pablo and Trong are among a growing number of ‘commuter students’ making regular trips to Bayes for their MBA studies. The 2026 cohort on the Modular Executive MBA programme covers 18 nationalities, making for a truly diverse and international learning experience.
A flexible approach to the MBA
The Modular Executive MBA is a programme for professionals seeking to maximise their leadership potential and accelerate their careers. The programme is delivered part-time over two years, taught in-person and delivered on campus in London for one long weekend (Friday to Sunday) every month. Alongside the on-campus learning there are online materials to help students prepare for in-class teaching and live online synchronous sessions which give additional touchpoints with faculty and classmates.
This distinctive blend is attractive to a wide range of students, including Ramila Guliyeva, who makes the six-hour journey from Baku, Azerbaijan to join her classmates at Bayes. She says:
“During the flights, I like to read and use the time to catch up on the MBA module materials. Since my work schedule is usually hectic, the time on the plane is a valuable opportunity for me to get things done.”
Mehmet Yilmaz commutes from Rotterdam to London and agrees the travel time is useful preparation.
“Taking the train is convenient, energy efficient and quite comfortable, and a good time to prepare for classes.”
Making the most of the London experience
While Ramila and Mehmet commute for the long weekend, Pablo spends more time in the capital to make the long-distance travel worthwhile.
“I am travelling for at least 10 days to take advantage of the time difference and I fully immerse myself in the London experience. I’ll visit investors of the company I work for and attend Bayes events to further strengthen my professional network.”
With location not an issue for Pablo, what made him choose Bayes and London for his MBA studies?
“I’ve been making trips to London for work for the last five years, so deciding which world city to study in was easy for me. London is a leading financial centre and most of the relevant players in capital markets are either based here or have an office in the city.”
He continues: “It's one of the top cities for funding innovation and offers the time zone convenience that allows me to work remotely for short periods.”
While Pablo adjusts his watch and body clock to London time, Trong – who spends one week in the UK around the on-campus weekends – takes a different approach:
“I'm not someone who easily adapts to jet lag, so constantly changing time zones made me quite tired in the first few months. However, I later found my own way – I stay on Vietnamese time. When I am in London (which is 6 hours behind Vietnam), I wake up very early and then go to bed early in the evening. Right now, everything is fine and I’m happy flying to London once a month.”
Building strong networks
Developing professional networks is a key driver for many of the students on the Modular Executive MBA. Pablo explains:
“I aspire to build strong connections within the cohort, and London’s finance network, to learn from their experiences and expertise, while also contributing my insights.”
Mehmet adds:
“The programme is expanding my network inside and outside of the UK. It will definitely help me to become a better business professional in the future.”
Ramila agrees:
“There are so many opportunities, like meeting new people and learning about different innovative business concepts.”
Exceptional support for students
Ramila appreciated the support from Bayes as she settled into London life.
“The University staff were so friendly and helpful, and all the information needed for onboarding was easily available. Their welcoming attitude made the first few weeks awesome!”
Trong has also been impressed with the Bayes team of faculty and support staff.
“I always receive enthusiastic and timely support. I felt like I was meeting my family members.”
Pablo agrees that the support is first-rate:
“There are many tools and forums for discussion and processes in place to help students. The experience has been outstanding from the very beginning.”
Focused outcomes
Students on the programme have clear intentions as to how they will use the MBA experience to develop their careers. Ramila says:
“My goal is to take all this knowledge back to my company and use it to drive our development. Ultimately, I want to contribute to the growth of both my company and the life insurance market in Azerbaijan.”
Pablo has plenty of time to contemplate as he flies back and forth over the Atlantic Ocean. He is confident the MBA will give him what he is looking for.
“Ultimately, I envision this programme as a catalyst for personal and professional growth, providing me with the knowledge, networks, and confidence to excel in my career and make a meaningful impact in the business world.”
“Being in a cosmopolitan city like London and having exceptional classes with high-profile professors make it a life-changing experience.”