We caught up with A.K who joined the Global BBA Program in 2019, he is currently studying on a 4-month exchange with our partner school Smith School of Business, Queen's University.
Having world-class education, diversity, and multiculturalism, Canada was an appealing destination. With cross-disciplinary studies and the development of transferable skills, I also wanted to enjoy an excellent quality of life. I've lived my whole life in Asian countries and therefore wanted to experience a vibrant and diverse western country.
The International Affairs team at NUCB helped me a lot, from applying to Queen's to helping get me scholarships which included 360,000 JPY from JASSO. Since Canada is much more expensive than Japan, these scholarships have really helped me a lot.
The highlight of the exchange is the university itself - there are so many opportunities for students which include things such as career counseling to a variety of clubs and circles. The university also invites many successful people and notable alumni to give talks. Through all these activities, I have made many new friends from Europe, America, India, and Japan.
Currently, I am studying Project Management, Management Control, and Strategic Service Management at Queen's. These courses have given me a lot of insight into business management. The learning style has been a mix of lecture, case study, individual assignments, group assignments, presentations, and reports. Since I have been studying with the case method at NUCB, it really made it easy for me to participate and share my thoughts in class.
My exchange program has not only helped me academically but it has also built my confidence outside of my comfort zone. It has been a great adventure since I came to Canada, I traveled a lot, learned about the vast history of the country, and experienced diversity and culture. I think an exchange program can be very insightful as it helps students to experience things that cannot be achieved living in their home country.