UBC Sauder BCom students maximize university life by spending a term abroad

When international students Marco Irawan, Ursula Lojero and Lung-che Chen arrived in Vancouver to begin classes at the UBC Sauder School of Business, they were excited to experience life in Canada. At the time, they didn’t know their studies would take them across the globe. By embracing the international exchange programs offered by the school, Marco, Ursula and Lung-che have not just expanded their social networks, they’ve also gained valuable business skills that will serve them well in their future careers.    

Earning school credits and collecting passport stamps  

Marco Irawan chose Global Supply Chain and Logistics Management for his Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) specialization because it offered not one but two terms abroad. Through a partnership between UBC Sauder, Copenhagen Business School and Chinese University of Hong Kong in Shenzhen, 15 students from each school form one cohort, spending four months at each campus.  

“We studied the supply chains of Canada, Europe and Asia, which was fascinating,” says Marco who is from Bali, Indonesia. “With just 45 of us in the cohort, we became pretty good friends and traveled all over Europe and China together.” 
  

Taking a break from numbers and living like a European 

Ursula Lojero is completing her third year at UBC Sauder, specializing in Business Technology Management, a program that combines IT and business. After spending months immersed in tech and data, she was craving some arts and culture in her life.  

“An advisor told me about UBC Sauder’s International Exchange program, so I applied to three schools in Europe and was matched with the Paris Institute of Political Studies,” says Ursula, who is from Mexico. “I took social science courses with both international and French students. Being an arts community, it was completely different from business school, and I really enjoyed it.” 
 

Turning a term abroad into a launchpad for global travel 

Lung-che Chen is a third-year Co-op student pursuing a double specialization – in Global Supply Chain and Logistics Management and Marketing. He studied in Denmark last year and will head to China this fall.   

“I’m interested in people, cities and cultures, so I’m considering different career tracks that would allow me to combine my business education with my passion for travel,” explains Lung-che. “I grew up in Taiwan, but I would love to keep Vancouver as my home base because I enjoy all the outdoor activities you can do here year-round.”
 

Preparing students for success as international business professionals  

UBC Sauder offers a variety of international learning opportunities, ranging from one week to four months or longer. Through the Go Global Exchange Program, UBC BCom students can take courses for credit towards their degree at 200 universities in 40 countries and pay UBC tuition while on exchange, so the classes taken on exchange are at no increased cost. Gaining exposure to different cultures and business practices is part of the school’s commitment to ensuring students graduate with both business and intercultural skills that will support their success in the workplace. 
 

Since the business world is constantly changing, business professionals need to adapt, problem-solve, collaborate and consider different perspectives – skills students get to practice during their terms abroad.

Saying yes to new adventures and creating lifelong memories 

Marco says the lessons he’s learned while studying in Denmark and China will help him stand out from the competition when he applies for jobs.

“If you spend time living in a foreign country, you signal to employers that you are curious about the world and open to learning new things,” says Marco. “Going on exchange is also a great way to build your professional network. It’s nice to know that wherever I travel in the world, there will be someone close by that I can meet up with.”

After returning from her term abroad, Ursula re-evaluated how she can put her business acumen and technology expertise to work to make a positive impact.

“Before going to Europe, I saw business as a source of revenue and profits,” she says. “But after spending time with people who are not business students, I realized that North American society is maybe too focused on capitalism. Stepping out of my normal environment forced me to be more open to different opinions and ideas about how business can serve society.”  

Lung-che believes no university education is complete without at least one global learning experience.  

“There are so many personal benefits to global learning. You build resilience and become more confident, independent and adaptable in unfamiliar situations,” he says. “As a guest in someone else’s country, you begin to see things through other people’s perspectives because you are no longer locked in your own culture and set of beliefs.” 

Spending time studying and traveling with students from around the world has also shown him the power of diversity when it comes to teamwork. 

“No matter what job you have, you will likely work with peers from different cultures than your own,” says Lung-che. “If you take the time to listen, you will come to appreciate how different perspectives lead to better solutions. Being open and curious about other cultures also makes life more interesting.”