Facing the complex and changeable international business environment, broadening students' international horizons has become one of the important goals of colleges and universities.
In order to deepen the international elements of the curriculum, the Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Management of The Open University of Hong Kong (The OUHK Business School) launched a unique "Global Immersion Programme" (GIP) in Hong Kong in the early years. The series of overseas activities broaden your knowledge, learn about the culture and business environment of different countries, and equip yourself.
However, due to the epidemic, students were unable to go abroad for exchanges. The OUHK Business School deliberately changed the model of "Overseas Immersion Courses" and launched a 7-day learning experience camp with themes in Spain and France, bringing more than 500 students in Hong Kong can also experience foreign cultures, fully embodying the flexible teaching spirit of the OUHK.
Photography: Huang Baoying
Rely on the assistance of the consulate to co-organize experience camps with the industry
Since the beginning of the epidemic, the OUHK Business School has taken the lead in contacting the Consulate General of Spain and the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau to formulate a contingency plan to enable students to broaden their international horizons in the face of the epidemic.
In order to create an atmosphere close to foreign countries, the college deliberately chose a location far away from the urban area of Discovery Bay when conceiving activities, and coupled with rich cultural experience activities and skill training, the entire experience camp became very exciting.
Helen Li, a senior lecturer at the OUHK Business School who participated in the event, shared, "The OUHK has always upheld the spirit of innovation and flexibility. Therefore, when planning activities, it not only relied on students, but also relied on the assistance and assistance of official institutions. Support, can cooperate with the industry to help students add value and broaden their horizons with diversified activities. Among them, transnational cultural experience, such as teaching Spanish and French, flamenco dance appreciation, French dessert making, and wine tasting skills, etc. All help them increase their understanding of other countries’ cultures.”
The learning experience camp is equipped with a wealth of cultural experience activities, so that students can experience foreign culture and self-enhance while in Hong Kong.
In addition, Wally, a lecturer at the OUHK Business School, believes that the sharing of business representatives can convey the latest industry information to students, deepen their understanding of the international business environment, and help them to join the workplace in the future and add a competitive advantage to their career development.
He said: "The overseas business representatives invited by the college cover different industries, including telecommunications, sports, hotels, and supermarkets. Among them are large multinational companies and start-ups. The experience camp is closely linked to academic elements and skills training, which can improve students. Our soft skills will also help companies build a positive brand image in the long run and achieve a win-win situation."
Business sharing allows students to know the key to business success, which is of great help to future career development.
Cultivate students' soft and hard skills to enhance their competitiveness in the workplace
Li Xianyi (Hugo), who is studying in the fourth year of Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours in Business Administration, and Zhu Jieyi (Kitty), who is studying in the third year of Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management, participated in the learning experience camps in Spain and France. They benefited a lot from the camp.
Although they can't go to other places in person, they appreciate the flexibility of the OUHK. It is very rare to be able to quickly enrich their learning experience and university career in another way.
Hugo (left) and Kitty (right), two university students, are very satisfied with the concept of the experience camp, and believe that the gains in the camp will not be less than the exchanges in person.
Kitty believes that through cultural experience activities, it is possible to discover interest and improve social skills.
She took wine tasting experience as an example, “In the future, if she joins the workplace, if her boss or client has research on wine tasting, and I have this knowledge, it will be easier to open up topics with the other party.” In addition, she found out from the French classroom The charm of this foreign language generates the motivation to continue learning.
She went on to say that in the business skills training in the experience camp, the instructor guides the students in terms of clothing, etiquette, attitude, and coping skills, and also arranges mock interview training, which can prepare students for employment in all aspects.
Kitty enjoys various cultural experience activities. The picture shows her participating in the wine tasting experience session.
Internship is the best way to apply what you have learned. Hugo feels that sharing business concepts with companies has greatly broadened his horizons, allowing him to better grasp the needs of today's market and the keys to success.
What impressed him most was the corporate sharing of the famous La Liga team Barcelona, "It made me understand that sports and entertainment are closely linked, and the importance of brand promotion." Absorbing the experience of corporate representatives, His conscious problem-solving ability has been significantly enhanced. On the last day of the group report, he also effectively proposed feasible publicity plans for the selected companies, learning and applying them flexibly.
Hugo (fourth from left) and a group of students successfully demonstrated their learning achievements in the experience camp.
Innovative experience helps students understand the way
The learning experience camp was successfully held, just to demonstrate the flexibility and innovation of the OUHK in teaching.
Even though the overseas exchange activities of global universities have come to a halt, the OUHK Business School can still provide students with activities that combine learning, diversified experience and practice with new methods.
At the same time, a large number of students taught a valuable lesson in the camp, which not only strengthened their soft and hard skills, but also broadened their international horizons, and they will surely be able to take a step forward in their future development.