With already a Master’s degree in Financial and Accounting Management in hand, Keltoum Benazzouz applied for the Master of Finance – ASRF of IGR-IAE Rennes in May 2017, eager to fulfill her project of academic and professional experience abroad.

What was your background before coming to study at IGR-IAE Rennes ?

Before coming to study at IGR-IAE Rennes, I had already obtained my first master’s degree in financial and accounting management back in Morocco. Since I had always been motivated to find opportunities abroad, I started looking for programs that would help me enhance the background that I had acquired before. France was for me the best option considering that it has many partnerships with Morocco, which made it easier for me on an administrative level. Besides that, I was very fascinated by the culture and the diversity of the country, which obviously made my choice even easier.

What was your motivation for this study project in France ?

The master’s degree in finance of IGR-IAE ticked every criteria that was looking for in a program: CFA preparation which was very challenging, an international program which means I was lucky to be confronted to different backgrounds, and mostly a very supportive and encouraging academic staff.

What do you miss most after the end of your studies at IGR-IAE?

What I really miss about my days back in IGR-IAE is the cohesion that we shared between my classmates despite our differences on every single level.

How was your career path after you left IGR-IAE?

Currently, I’m working as a treasurer in SFAM, a major actor in the insurance of mobile and multimedia field. From my side, I didn’t get any problem finding an interesting position that corresponds to my ambitions and career aspirations. Besides the hard work, and the time that I have invested in preparing for the interviews, I think that being a graduate of IGR-IAE plays a big role in choosing my profile over someone else’s. During some interviews, sometimes I would get reactions like “I had a previous student working for me from IGR-IAE, she was really brilliant and I’m sure you will be the same”.

What would you advise to a Moroccan  student who has the same project as you?

My advice for the coming students is to give a particular attention to learning French. Indeed, being able to speak different languages creates the difference during an interview but it definitely doesn’t replace the language used the most, which is French.

In all, I think the hardest part of me coming to France, was to be separated from my loved ones and to leave my comfort zone. But I think it was also the experience that has revealed the best in me. It is only under hard circumstances and changes that we become aware of our potential and learn to be a better person every day.