With no IT background in school, Mikhail Edwards defied expectations and time itself to earn his Master’s degree in record time (with a distinction).
Pretoria, South Africa (30 June 2025) – Most people take two years to complete a Master’s degree. Mikhail Edwards did it in less than half the time… while working, lecturing and publishing internationally.
The University of Pretoria graduate has just completed his Master’s in Information Technology in a staggering 10 months, turning heads in academia and industry alike. His drive, focus and vision for the future are making serious waves.
And not just for how fast he worked but for the impact he’s already having in the tech space.
Mikhail, who is now the Managing Director of Cirrus Bridge South Africa, didn’t even take IT-related subjects in high school. His interest at the time was in business, specifically how systems work behind the scenes. But it didn’t take long for that curiosity to evolve into a passion for IT and its role in business innovation.
“As my father had an IT company, I knew what it entailed, and always knew I wanted to do something innovative in that line,” he says.
His academic journey has been nothing short of impressive: a BCom in Informatics in 2022, Honours with distinction by the end of 2023, and now a Master’s (also with distinction) achieved by the end of 2024. And if that wasn’t enough, he’s already enrolled for a PhD in Information Systems, where he’s developing a model that helps businesses deliver better, faster and more reliable software using DevOps and enterprise architecture.
Mikhail’s approach to education isn’t just about getting the grades. During his Master’s year, he was also an assistant lecturer, UX Lab coordinator and intern at the BMW IT Hub. It was at BMW where his final research topic took shape, exploring how artificial intelligence can evaluate the effectiveness of cloud-based systems, a need flagged by the motor industry.
His supervisor, Prof Hanlie Smuts, praised his work ethic and laser-sharp focus. “He does not procrastinate and ensures that his work is always finished in good time. He has an excellent work ethic, applies what he has learnt, and practices good time management.”
That discipline opened doors globally. Mikhail presented his findings at the 17th International Conference on Information Systems in Portugal, and his work was later published in a peer-reviewed international journal, a rare achievement for a student at this stage of his career.
Despite strong potential in academia, Mikhail has chosen to apply his skills in industry, partnering with his brother Patric in a Netherlands-founded tech company.
“It appealed to the entrepreneur in me, and responded to the desire I have always had to make a difference,” he says.
He credits the University of Pretoria’s Department of Informatics with shaping his journey.
“It is a top-ranked department in Africa, and the lecturers prepare one for a career in industry by keeping up to date with the latest developments,” he explains.
Mikhail is proving that speed, skill and substance can go hand-in-hand. Especially when you’re driven by purpose and a desire to create real-world impact.
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