HSE University–St Petersburg Students Participate in Summer School at Chinese University
HSE University–St Petersburg students of the Bachelor's programme 'Political Science and World Politics' took part in the Summer School at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) in the Chinese city of Suzhou.
The topic of the Summer School was the modern business culture of China. The two-week programme included lectures by experts, Chinese language and calligraphy lessons, and visits to large cities and company offices. The studies ended with the presentation of business projects about foreign companies entering the Chinese market. The school participants comprised students from Indonesia, Australia, the UK, Belgium, Germany, Mexico, Italy, Romania, the USA, Singapore, France, and Russia. Among them were two students of the Bachelor's programme 'Political Science and World Politics'—Ivan Pilipchuk and Makar Kamorchev.
'Together with my groupmate, we opted for the Summer School in Suzhou as the business track is the closest to our educational programme at HSE University–St Petersburg. We were also attracted by the partnership with the University of Liverpool, one of the best in the world.
During the Summer School, our team prepared a business plan for entering the market for the foreign company Too Good To Go, a food sharing service. We studied the prospects of the company’s activities in large cities—Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong—where it already has partners from international corporations in the field of catering. Then, we calculated how much produce the state can preserve and presented these figures. It seems to us that the Chinese market has all the prospects—here, state programmes in the sphere of food disposal are very well-developed (more than 100 million tons annually), and the chances to get subsidies are very high. In addition, there is an increasing interest in eco-friendly culture among the Chinese youth.
This is my first trip abroad. China is an amazing place where I met a lot of people whom I hope to see again. As a political scientist, it was useful for me to gain knowledge of business and management,' shared Ivan Pilipchuk, third-year student of the Bachelor's programme 'Political Science and World Politics.'
'We chose the programme, which has a partnership with HSE University, as HSE students were offered a tuition discount. Over two weeks, we got to know the Chinese university, visited the old city, developed and presented a business project, took three tours of various companies, and went to see the production of modern cars.
The main priority of the school was the presentation of a business project. We chose a British company, a producer of tea and chocolate, and showcased whether the business had the potential to grow in the local market, its ways, platforms, the target audience, and so on.
The main thing for me was communication! When your group includes people from Singapore, Indonesia and Belgium, it is very interesting to discuss everything together. I met wonderful students from other universities and HSE campuses. We made friends and agreed to travel again! A summer school in another country is a great opportunity to get to know yourself better and broaden your horizons!' said Makar Kamorchev, third-year student of the Bachelor's programme 'Political Science and World Politics.'
The HSE University–St Petersburg students spent their free time sightseeing, sampling Chinese cuisine, and making friends with foreigners.
HSE University–St Petersburg has partnerships with more than 100 universities worldwide. Students can go on a short-term mobility programme to attend international summer and winter schools (seminars, conferences, exchange programmes and research projects).