KEDGE Business School Exchange Report Fall 2016

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Beverly Peters
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1 KEDGE Business School Exchange Report Fall 2016 Kwok Adrian Kin Chun BBA (ACCT & OM)

Part I - Monthly Activity Log September After 15 hours of travelling from Hong Kong, which includes a 2-hour

As my roommate have checked-in before my arrival, my check-in procedures were very simple and straightforward.

Also, we travelled to London and spend a week exploring the heart of the United Kingdom.

The work load was not heavy and by mid- October we have finished the course with a final examination.

2 Part I - Monthly Activity Log September After 15 hours of travelling from Hong Kong, which includes a 2-hour transition in Paris, we have finally arrived at the Bordeaux-Merignac Airport. As my roommate have checked-in before my arrival, my check-in procedures were very simple and straightforward. The first month was packed with activities and excitement as the Melting Potes" prepared welcoming activities for their international students. Our semester begins on September 19 so my friends and I went on a short day-trip to Lacanau Ocean near Bordeaux. Also, we travelled to London and spend a week exploring the heart of the United Kingdom. October It was already halfway through my first cycle at KEDGE and I have taken 1 course named Supply chain simulation. The work load was not heavy and by mid- October we have finished the course with a final examination. For the second cycle, I have taken 2 courses named Wine Marketing and Supply chain management. Wine Marketing was very enjoyable and unique as I believe that HKUST does not offer similar courses. During the weekends, I have managed to travel to Lyon and Arcachon in France, as well as Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

November For the first half of November, I have

examinations that lasted around 1 hour for each.

complete a few group reports and essays.

of cycle 3 that will only last for one week.

supply chains and I will need to complete the

KEDGE and we have travelled to Berlin in Germany,

for cycle 4, my friends and I decided to travel

memorable experience to understand the difference

that I have tried ice skating and snow skiing for

3 November For the first half of November, I have finished the above-mentioned courses with final examinations that lasted around 1 hour for each. For both courses, they required students to complete a few group reports and essays. The second half of the month marks the beginning of cycle 3 that will only last for one week. I have enrolled in the course Managing sustainable supply chains and I will need to complete the whole course by the end of the week where a final examination is scheduled. The course was interesting as it gave me a new perspective on supply chain management. By November 18, I have finished all courses at KEDGE and we have travelled to Berlin in Germany, Reykjavik in Iceland, Milan, Rome, Pisa, Venice in Italy, Santorini and Athens in Greece. December As we choose not to enroll in any course for cycle 4, my friends and I decided to travel around the Scandinavian countries which includes Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway. Also, Christmas was fast approaching and it was a memorable experience to understand the difference on how people from the Nordic countries celebrate their Christmas. Also, it was during this 22-day trip to the Nordic that I have tried ice skating and snow skiing for the first time in my life. In this trip, I have travelled to Paris in France, Munich in Germany, Stockholm in Sweden, Helsinki and Rovaniemi in Finland, and Copenhagen in Denmark.

Part II - General Exchange Information 1) Visa Procedures Upon acceptance to the exchange program, KEDGE will mail your acceptance letter to HKUST SBM Office and you may begin applying for the visa.

The application procedures are very straight forward and will usually takes around 1 month to process. Firstly, you will need to complete an academic interview at the Campus France office.

2) Orientation Activities Before the semester starts, the school had organized an orientation session for all international students where important information was announced.

The student association Melting Potes also organized a few day trips to near-by cities as well as parties during the orientation week.

4 Part II - General Exchange Information 1) Visa Procedures Upon acceptance to the exchange program, KEDGE will mail your acceptance letter to HKUST SBM Office and you may begin applying for the visa. For students who wish to study in France for a period more than 90 days will need to apply for a long-stay study visa from the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong. The application procedures are very straight forward and will usually takes around 1 month to process. Firstly, you will need to complete an academic interview at the Campus France office. Secondly, you may submit your visa application after the academic interview. For more details, I highly recommend you to visit the website of the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong. 2) Orientation Activities Before the semester starts, the school had organized an orientation session for all international students where important information was announced. During the session, the school gave some important information on the French Social Security, Administrative registration, Course registrations, French language course, and Housing. The student association Melting Potes also organized a few day trips to near-by cities as well as parties during the orientation week. 3) International Services & Activities The International Student Office at KEDGE was very responsive and supportive during my exchange as they were very helpful in answering all my questions on academic matters as well as housing matters. Melting Potes had provided a complimentary pickup service from Bordeaux Airport so it saved us a lot of trouble. 4) Accommodations KEDGE provides limited places for on-campus residence but I was lucky enough to be sharing a room with another HKUST student at the oncampus residence Résidence le Campus Before arriving Bordeaux, the student housing officer will you to complete a housing application and you will be able to choose from on-campus, private market, and CROUS, Domofrance and private residences. Résidence le Campus is operated by Domofrance and it was well maintained. The accommodation was equipped with some basic equipment and a small kitchen. As a double room, the accommodation has two floors.

5) Courses Registration The course registration at KEDGE is done on the internet and there are a few major differences compared to the system of HKUST.

Secondly, all students may only take up to 2 courses for each cycle. Thirdly, once the course is allocated to you it is impossible to drop the course without a valid reason.

However, keep in mind that the availability of some courses will change from cycle to cycle.

But in general, professors at KEDGE emphasize more on class/group discussion for the courses I have taken.

However, for the final examination only one model of calculator was allowed so students are required to bring that specific calculator.

7) Sports & Recreation Facilities There is a sport hall and a gym room available to all student on-campus. However, students must attain a health check-up and pay a fee to use the services.

8) Finance & Banking Upon your arrival to KEDGE, their international student office and Melting Potes will assist you to open a French bank account.

5 5) Courses Registration The course registration at KEDGE is done on the internet and there are a few major differences compared to the system of HKUST. Firstly, the school is based on a cycle system where each cycle will last around 1 month and the course will be completed within the cycle. Secondly, all students may only take up to 2 courses for each cycle. Thirdly, once the course is allocated to you it is impossible to drop the course without a valid reason. In other words, there is no add/drop period in KEDGE. Exchange students will be given priority in selecting their courses so you don t need to worry about no getting your desired courses. However, keep in mind that the availability of some courses will change from cycle to cycle. 6) Teaching & Assessment Methods The teaching style at KEDGE varies from courses to courses as some professors prefer assigned readings and some prefer more lecturing. But in general, professors at KEDGE emphasize more on class/group discussion for the courses I have taken. Also, the course assessment methods are quite similar to that in HKUST which usually includes class participation, group projects, individual projects, and final exam. However, for the final examination only one model of calculator was allowed so students are required to bring that specific calculator. I would suggest you to borrow it from the local students as it costed me 19 from the supermarket. 7) Sports & Recreation Facilities There is a sport hall and a gym room available to all student on-campus. However, students must attain a health check-up and pay a fee to use the services. There are a few nice parks around the campus that are worth going to. 8) Finance & Banking Upon your arrival to KEDGE, their international student office and Melting Potes will assist you to open a French bank account. This account will be useful for your stay in Europe because it will be easier to subscribe to a mobile phone plan with internet as well as paying rent for your housing. Also, the debit card will be a convenient tool if you will be travelling around the Euro zone. 9) Social Clubs & Networking Opportunities Before my arrival, the international student office invited all international students to join the club called Melting Potes which is the most useful club in KEDGE for international students because you can get in touch with them and ask any question you might have during your exchange in France. Moreover, there a plenty of societies and associations that you can join at KEDGE. In total, there are 29 associations on the Bordeaux campus that includes Arts, Geopolitics & society, Media, Economy & Finance, etc. The most interesting association would be Wine and Spirits. 10) Health & Safety During my stay in Europe, I did not visit the doctor but my friend did in Bordeaux. My friend encountered some communication problems with the doctor as English is not the most commonly spoken language and needed to book for an appointment with an English-speaking doctor. Also, the international student office will require all international students to purchase an additional insurance as well as a French Social Security package. Students can get refunds from the Social Security but the amount may vary case by case.

11) Food For most of the time at Bordeaux, my friends and I cooked at my place almost every day because restaurants in Europe are more expensive than Hong Kong.

In Bordeaux, there are many different types of cuisines from around the world, ranging from authentic French cuisines to West African cuisines.

12) Transportation Transportation within Bordeaux is very easy and I usually take the buses or trams. There are difference tickets that are available and there is a special discount for students.

For transportation outside Bordeaux, I took long-distance bus such as Flixbus and Ouibus. For flights, the Bordeaux airport only serve Ryanair and EasyJet for low-cost airlines.

It is very rare to see snowfall in Bordeaux so it will not be suitable for people looking for snowfall.

However, it is commonly known that some French people may be reluctant to speak English even they understand. So, it is better to learn some basic dialogues in French.

99 a month, you can get 50GB 4G within France, unlimited text messages and calls within France, and most importantly 3GB a month in the EU area.

6 11) Food For most of the time at Bordeaux, my friends and I cooked at my place almost every day because restaurants in Europe are more expensive than Hong Kong. We visited the supermarket, Auchan, twice a week as it is the biggest and cheapest supermarket in France. In Bordeaux, there are many different types of cuisines from around the world, ranging from authentic French cuisines to West African cuisines. For the cities around Europe that I ve visited, Asian cuisines are surprisingly popular. Moreover, Middle Eastern dishes such as kebab are also very common around Europe. 12) Transportation Transportation within Bordeaux is very easy and I usually take the buses or trams. There are difference tickets that are available and there is a special discount for students. You may also purchase a monthly ticket for 31 which gives you unlimited access to all public transportation in Bordeaux. There are also public bicycles available for rent. For transportation outside Bordeaux, I took long-distance bus such as Flixbus and Ouibus. For flights, the Bordeaux airport only serve Ryanair and EasyJet for low-cost airlines. 13) Climate The climate in Bordeaux is an oceanic climate and the temperature in September ranges from 15 C to 23 C. The temperature will decrease gradually to 3 C to 10 C in December. It is very rare to see snowfall in Bordeaux so it will not be suitable for people looking for snowfall. 14) Communication The most commonly spoken language in Bordeaux is French and some young people can speak fluent English. However, it is commonly known that some French people may be reluctant to speak English even they understand. So, it is better to learn some basic dialogues in French. For mobile phone plan, I highly recommend Free Mobile as it is the most value for money carrier company we found in France. For a month, you can get 50GB 4G within France, unlimited text messages and calls within France, and most importantly 3GB a month in the EU area. Also, you can make phone calls to Hong Kong and mainland China for free and unlimited. It is very important to have internet access with travelling within Europe as you will need to use Google Maps very often. 15) Cautionary measures Bordeaux is a very safe city compared to other cities that I have visited in Europe, especially for the area around the school. KEDGE is in Talence which is a suburb of the city of Bordeaux and there are a few high schools and universities located in Talence. Near KEDGE is where the Université de Bordeaux is located. When travelling outside of Bordeaux, it is important to be fully aware of your surroundings. 16) Items to Bring ü Toiletries (Toothbrush, shaver, etc) ü Clothes (Summer and Winter, Water proof) ü Shoes (Running, Water proof) ü Power adapters (European 2-round pins) ü Laptop, Camera, Smart phone ü International credit cards ü Cabin size baggage (Typically 56 x 45 x 25cm) If you would like to know more about exchanging at KEDGE BS, please feel free to contact me by at akckwok@connect.ust.hk

JAMK UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

WELCOME ON EXCHANGE TO JAMK UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY WWW.JAMK.FI 1 JYVÄSKYLÄ WHERE? Central Finland in the lake district of Finland 270 kilometres north of Helsinki (capital