Sondre and Micaela are this year’s best master’s students

Photo: BI Norwegian Business School

The award is based on students’ academic results compared to their peers across BI’s various master’s programmes. 

"Being named the best master’s student at BI is a huge honour. It’s an experience I will never forget. For me, it has always been about learning as much as possible and giving my all in every subject," says Sondre. 

Micaela shares Sondre’s enthusiasm. 

“It is a true honour and an important highlight of my academic career. The recognition was not only a wonderful way to close my MSc chapter, but it also gave me the opportunity to reflect deeper about my journey at BI and provided me with further motivation to keep working hard on my new endeavours. " 

Consistent effort and teamwork lead to success 

Sondre has been studying the MSc in Quantitative Finance for the past two years. The secret to his success is good structure and a deep passion for the subject. 

"It’s been about showing up in class, taking handwritten notes, and starting early with consistent work throughout the semester. This has saved me many times during a hectic exam period," he explains. 

For Micaela, who has completed an MSc in Sustainable Finance, trust in her preparation and abilities has been crucial, besides solid team-work efforts.

"Our master’s thesis and course work required close collaboration, and I am deeply grateful for the hard work and dedication of everyone I worked with over the past two years."

Both students praise the quality of BI’s teaching and highlight the combination of theory and practical applications as especially valuable.

"The best part has been working with talented classmates and seeing how the subjects relate to real-world challenges," says Sondre.

Micaela adds:

"The lecturers at BI have been a great inspiration. Their knowledge and enthusiasm have made learning both fun and engaging." 

Practical experience and career ambitions 

Alongside their studies, both students have combined theory with practice. Sondre has worked part-time at a brokerage firm and as a research assistant. 

"It can be challenging to balance work and study, but it’s an opportunity I would recommend. It provides both networking and relevant experience," he says. 

Micaela highlights the importance of setting academic and non-academic priorities early on, and emphasises the importance of balancing responsibilities with time to recharge. 

"Naturally, exam periods allowed for little free time, but I still tried to engage in activities that helped me to replenish and kept my motivation high," she says. 

From theory to practice 

The master’s programmes have prepared them well for the next step in their careers. Sondre has already felt the impact of his education as an intern at Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), where he applied knowledge from portfolio theory and data analysis. He now works as a credit analyst at Odin Forvaltning. 

Micaela has chosen to pursue an academic career and is now a PhD student in finance. 

"The master’s programme has provided me with a solid foundation and many exciting ideas that can influence my research agenda."