After graduating in a BA in Graphic Design, Austin Meakin went on to successfully complete an MSc in Electronic Commerce with Management Studies while building various HTML websites as a self-employed freelance designer.
Austin Meakin has clearly demonstrated his versatility, not only with his academic attainment but by successfully setting up amSquared Software Ltd and supporting budding entrepreneurs with Kingston University Enterprise.
After working on a number of successful projects, Austin returned to Kingston University in 2010 to study the MSc in Electronic Commerce with Management.
“Going back to university was strange; it felt like the rules had suddenly changed, I had no formal education in computing and the standards were very high. A piece of advice for anyone who wants to jump in at the deep end; make sure you read all the recommended books before the first lecture in the module. The lectures become much easier as you progress, you learn things that really assist you in the forthcoming lectures.
Some of the lecturers (in particular Mary Thomson, Luke Hebbes and Paul Wallin) in the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing were truly inspirational and their passion for their subjects was infectious. They introduced outside speakers from industry who were fascinating and gave a multi-dimensional perspective of their disciplines.”
“I have been able to put into practice what I have learned with fellow MSc student Atif Mizra (a .Net developer) we formed amSquared Ltd with our shared skills. Our partnership has allowed us to build some really cool applications that we couldn’t have done without each other.
Our company: amSquared Software Ltd. provides websites, bespoke applications and online marketing for SMEs (small to medium size enterprises). Through the enterprise opportunities offered at Kingston University we have been able to grow the business at a much faster rate.”