For our August newsletter we head to Shanghai to meet 24 year-old Hie Cheng Feng, a current student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University pursuing an undergraduate degree in economics.
I am currently studying economics at one of the famous universities in China. I have enjoyed my subject and would like to follow another one, perhaps with a more practical aim as part of my studies.
I am interested in studying abroad at a university that will give me a degree that will help me in my career. Because China is developing quickly and is closely linked to many aspects of the global economy, I think it is important that I have some study abroad experience so that I can work in a company that has interests internationally. I have looked at colleges in America and Canada, but I am also now looking at universities in Europe, particularly those that have programs in management and international business.
There are so many changes happening in China at the moment in every sector that it will be very important for the future to have people working in the economy that know how to behave in an international way. At my university we have some exchange students from Europe that take classes with us and it gives me the chance to learn from people who have a different point of view about the world and about China. I also think it is important to study abroad and learn in English because more and more parts of international trade use this language to communicate.
I look at universities that are famous and that offer the kind of subject that I am interested in. One of the ways of doing this is to see what universities have Chinese students and Chinese graduates and see where these students are now working. Many Chinese students study abroad, but not all go to the best universities because they are not sure what they should look for. I aim to study at universities that give me the skills I need and that qualify me to work in China in the job that I choose. I have emailed universities to ask about their graduates and where their students work and also about what kind of ranking their university has. All these things are important and help me choose the right place to study in the future.
I will either need some kind of scholarship or grant, or I may be able to take a loan for part of my study costs. Because my family has saved some money for my education, I will be able to pay for part of my studies but I will also have to try and work a part-time job at the same time as I am taking my graduate degree. That means that I will try and pick a university that allows me to work during my studies.
I registered for the event because a friend told me that some international universities were coming to recruit students. Although I was disappointed that there were only a few universities from the USA, I met some really interesting people from universities in Europe and Singapore. It was useful to speak to people and get some basic guidance as to the kinds of degree programs they offered international students.
I liked attending the fair because I had the chance to actually talk to people who could advise me what was best for my ambitions. I could find out about new universities and see whether they would accept me as one of their students in the future.
Thank you Hie Cheng – good luck with your graduate future!