Alumni - Divya Dubey, MA Publishing

I am working as a Senior Editor with a very new company called Kalyani Navyug Media, based at Ashram, Delhi, India. We do graphic novels for children, under the imprint Campfire. Today, after having spent some years in the industry, I can only say that I remember my time at Oxford Brookes as one of the best periods of my life, and I owe Brookes a lot. ...

Brilliant sunshine on a cold morning and a pleasant walk to Gipsy Lane from my hall of residence forms one of my fondest memories of Oxford.

I took the MA Publishing in 2001-2. Almost all of us were surprised to see each other - fifty-odd assorted faces from all corners of the world. It was hard work but great fun. Apart from gauging an individual's potential, Brookes gave us several opportunities to work as a team. I was slightly diffident at the beginning, and unsure of how I would fit into the multicultural hub. But I found myself welcomed wherever I went, and received flattering compliments on my English more than once. Best of all, I found the professors friendly and approachable. I'm happily still in touch with some. The MA taught us the basics, and focused on epublishing before it became a fad in India. It acquainted us with the industry in the UK and abroad, and gave us pointers for our future careers in publishing.

I have to admit my first job was a disaster back in India. There were teething problems - and nobody is in a better position to tell you that there's a vast difference between theory and practice! Having the Oxford Brookes tag attached to you also raises great expectations from the industry. After the initial hiccups, however, I vindicated myself when, at the end of my second job, I earned myself a double promotion at Pearson Education.

Posted on 13 Jan 2009 around 8am