交换学习:来自合作院校同学的体会 (Exchanges: The Power of Partner Universities)

Xiaoqian Zhu is enrolled in the Master in Finance program at Peking University’s HSBC Business School in Shenzhen – one out of more than 200 partner universities of HSG. At the moment, she is doing an exchange at our university, the University of St. Gallen. prisma interviewed her about her impressions of her first visit to Switzerland made possible by this partnership.

What was the reason for you to do an exchange in Switzerland? Why HSG in particular?

Switzerland is very safe, and noted for the heart-taking views. It also has the world’s most advanced financial market. Before I came here, my friends who have been here all recommended this place. The life is peaceful and as a member of CEMS, HSG earned a reputation in Management and Finance, which are related to my major. HSG provides a wide variety of classes.

Which differences spontaneously cross your mind when you think about China and Switzerland?

In China, we have a fast-paced lifestyle, most people are busy with their jobs. Chinese people prefer to work and live in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, etc. But the house prices are unacceptably high, so the young people can feel a lot of pressure. But the Swiss tend to enjoy their lives.

And as a follow-up: Have you discovered any similarities between China and Switzerland?

I have no idea now…

What do you like about HSG in particular?

It is located on a mountain, so the walk to school is like a workout, maybe this is good for health…

Have you already made friends here in St. Gallen (beside on facebook)?

Of course, some of them are also exchange students; we know each other from several events supported by BuddySystem. And the other ones are my classmates.

Give me some reasons why I should do an exchange at Peking University’s HSBC Business School?

The professors in PHBS all graduated from world-famous universities, and some of them have a rich experience in Finance. They can give good intuitions or be helpful with application. Most of the students in PHBS are graduated from well-known universities in China, and all of them have been through layers of selection from more than one thousand applicants. It will be stressful sometimes, but the peer pressure can unconsciously make us mentally stronger. : )
Besides, Shenzhen is a coastal city with good public facilities, the weather is very good. It will be very warm in the winter (10-20°C) and not very hot in the summer.

Do you cook Chinese here? Do you know our local specialties, “St. Galler Bratwurst” and “Appenzeller Biber”?

Actually, I make lunch every day myself, I often make a small hotpot because it’s easy and fast, but it’s more like cooking for survival — And I may have seen “St. Galler Bratwurst” and “Appenzeller Biber” somewhere, but I didn’t know what exactly they are until I googled them. They look like sausages and bread.

Thank you very much for this interview.


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