Tarun reports from the entrepeneurial front-line:

Summer of 2010, I was going to one of the oldest universities in the world, Cambridge. I was going to be walking the grounds that previously saw such stalwarts as Dr Manmohan Singh and Rajiv Gandhi from my country of origin, India. A sixteen year old from the Middle East was going to be sitting on the benches that had previously seated Nobel laureates, statesmen, industrialists and sporting luminaries. These thoughts where enough to fill me with excitement, pride, apprehension and anxiety. Would I be able to match up to the standards of the Mecca of learning?

Tarun in front of Clare College, Cambridge

The Cambridge Enterprise program was indeed a life changing experience for me. On arriving at Cambridge, I was dumbfounded by the grandeur of the town and of the college we were staying at, Clare College. On arriving at the college, I was introduced to fellow students from Germany, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, France and Brazil. Over the 2 weeks, we were introduced to several topics in economics and business management by our teachers, Jagjeet and Veronica. The classes were educative and exciting at the same time. Along with classroom sessions, we were introduced to several business challenges such as those where we developed business ideas and presented them and case studies of great entrepreneurs like Richard Branson and Oprah Winfrey.  Along with our daily classes, we also went on several enjoyable excursions around Cambridge such as to the Cambridge museum and for a Shakespearean play. Punting on the River Cam was one of the highlights of my visit to Cambridge including the part where my friends and I dropped the rod to steer the boat into the water and were momentarily stranded on the river.  We also enjoyed several sporting activities including football, croquet and squash. The intense football matches at Parkers piece still bring back fond memories. There were two visits to London, one a sightseeing trip and the second, a visit to the bank of England. Both trips were equally interesting and enjoyable.  On the bank of England trip we learnt a lot about currencies and monetary policies of the UK. On the sight-seeing trip, most of us went on a shopping spree, jumping from one shop to another in search of  clothes and souvenirs to carry back home.

Future Business Leaders? Cambridge Enterprise Programme Students

The day of our departure was depressing as each one of us parted our separate ways after two unforgettable weeks. Though I have left Cambridge, the experiences I’ve had and the friends I’ve made will always remain with me. One of the proudest moments was when my teacher Veronica explained to my father what a wonderful student I had been and the outstanding student award that I won for business management. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our teachers and counsellors for making our stay at Cambridge as informative, enjoyable and unforgettable as it was.

 Surveying their future business empires? Oxford Royale Academy students on the London Eye

We'd still like to hear your stories from Summer 2010. You could be published like Tarun! Email admin@oxford-royale.co.uk