Introduction

ANNJIL CHONG is currently a graduate student, majoring in International Human Resource Development at National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei. She received a scholarship from the TaiwanICDF in 2018.I like the fact that I get to make connections with like-minded people, who also like being in the business. Each class in the IBA program was a real challenge for me as I was a transfer student from the Music Department. It was a constant uphill battle but this experience was so worth it. Home is where you can say what is on your mind; where you can laugh, giggle or smile; where you can be with your family and have their endless support.

Introduction

Hi, I’m Luvian, an alumnus from the first batch of IBA program of the International College. I graduated on 2018 and I am currently enrolled as a master’s student in the program of Humanity and Environmental Science in National Dong Hwa University Hualien. I’m focusing on sustainable communities such as ecovillages and its early development phase in Taiwan.

It is impossible for me to holistically describe my experience in the IC in this short student profile as there are way too much highlights and significant happenings during my four years in IC from academics, social and personal standpoint. I would like to highlight my experience in IC as a turning point in my life.

The GL 3 course in Sustainability particularly brought to surface a deep interest and care about the global environmental and social issues that I knew exist within me which I have not explored before. From then on, I did my own research and exploration about the topic. At that point what I would like to do in the future radically changed. I no longer have the interest in going to the corporate world and gain experience in becoming a business man.

About the same time, it just so happened that the IC was also planning a program that align with my personal interest. The new program was named sustainability science and engineering. The program started when I was in my third year, and with the establishment of this program came more resources about the sustainability topic.

The flexibility of IC allowed me to take courses from the new teachers and classes that are related to sustainability such as green energy, Taiwan ecology, sustainable consumption behavior, etc. which I took during my last two years. These classes provided me with a basic understanding for my master’s program which I am currently taking. Through IC, I was also able to have the opportunity to do an internship for a year and a half in a green asset management company. During this internship program I had the chance to experience working in a real office setting and internally observe how does a company operate and the culture of working in Taiwan. I consider myself lucky because as a foreigner who has limited ability of Chinese language, this kind of opportunity is quite rare.

To this day I feel lucky that I’m able to have all the meaningful experiences I had in IC. The great friends that have diverse personality, the friendly and supportive teachers, the IC administrative team that listens to our feedback, the unique culture of creativity and diversity that we have slowly cultivated together, and the beautiful campus setting that we luckily have. All combined have provided me with an environment in which I was able to grow personally, socially and academically and that I can only be grateful for. Cheers to all the people whose currently in IC! Sending good vibes from Hualien!

Introduction

I’m Stanley from STC Education, an UK-based educational consultancy which offers a variety of programs for different groups of students to study in UK. As the marketing representative in Asian region, I’m responsible for developing potential customers here in Taiwan through different kinds of sales channels, helping students to find the best learning plans. Each year, I also hold the position of guardian teacher in study trip for students above 16 years old.

Being the alumni of the first graduating class, I feel much thankful that IBA offers a good international learning space for students to learn practical business skills which help me a lot on my current job. By taking these kinds of business-related classes, I learned from different real-world cases which give me a clear picture of how business runs well. Also, with experiences of studying abroad (URI summer tour in my second year and exchange program to Belgium in my last year), I’m able to think internationally and respect cultural difference. This is really important for me to work in such multinational environment.

Introduction

This is Sunshine (Yu-Shan Lin) from the first generation of IBA! I am currently in the 3rd semester of my Master’s degree in Germany at the University of Hamburg, majoring in International Business and Sustainability. For me, IBA was more like a lovely family than a study program. It helped me to explore all the opportunities and in the end pushed me to my dream. IBA provides students the chance to explore the world with various exchange opportunities and to get in touch with a high variety of courses at the International College.

One year of the exchange program I had in Germany has not only broadened my horizons but also enhanced the opportunity to pursue further study abroad. A whole English teaching environment in IBA also helps students to overcome the fear of voicing our opinions in English and connect us to the international world. What’s more, professors and mentors in IBA are all really supportive of voluntary student events, for example, the SAGE project that four of my classmates and I came out with to find out the meaning of sustainability to corporations and SMEs. The project helped make up my mind before graduation to pursue my Master’s degree that focused on sustainability! I would say: “Four years in IBA will not disappoint you!”.

Introduction

Upon obtaining a Bachelor’s degree from the Department of International Business Administration, Tunghai University (THU), I was immediately recruited by Amphenol. Being insightful, creative, and socially adept, I am also articulate in both French and English, which made me a perfect fit for project management. I started my career as a sales specialist focusing on B2B business with Amphenol, an American company that produces and sells electronic and fiber optic connectors, cable and interconnect systems such as coaxial cables. At Amphenol, we had to reach a monthly sales target of millions of dollars as a minimum.To reach this target, I needed to investigate into potential markets with different customers and differentiate our brand from those of our competitors. I lead projects and coordinated the efforts of the entire project team to deliver the solutions from designing to manufacturing, scheduling, budgeting, and communicating with customers. I stayed current on customers’ requests by visiting them abroad and giving them valuable insights into feasibility of customizable solutions.I had a splendid university life, both academically and in extracurricular activities.

At that time, being part of the first entering class of the International Business Administration(IBA) which was a brand new department taught wholly in English, we established our own student union and delegated responsibilities to each student so we could help to build the foundation of our department for the sake of future development. During my junior year, I gained experience at EDC Paris Business School through an exchange student program. I increasingly focused my energy on business related subjects, including digital economy, brand management, and intercultural communication.

Thanks to my exchange student experience, I increased my knowledge about the cultural mindsets outside of Taiwan. In Spring of 2018, I took up the challenge of a cross-university Business case competition held in the Shi-Chien University. My partners were very resourceful, and we made the most of the limited preparation time. Ultimately, our team won third place in the competition – quite an achievement, given that none of us had any previous experience with case studies.

I am brave and confident -- always willing to try new things and throw myself into whatever I’m doing. I am honored to be part of the entering class of IBA. Working and sharing ideas with highly motivated students and faculty was a great joy.

Introduction

During my sophomore year, I applied for an exchange program in France. ESC Rennes School of Business is the school I went. I have spent the junior year in this city, Rennes, experiencing the French kind of lifestyle, the European education system, and, of course, learning French. I have made friends from other parts of the world and learnt to live alone in a foreign land. It was truly an amazing year in my college life. After graduating from IBA, I went to Paris for my master’s degree, majoring in Fashion Luxury Brand Management and Contemporary Fashion Buying. Now, I am working on my dissertation and my graduation is coming soon this year.

Studying in France and learning French have always been on my bucket list. Knowing that IBA offers a lot of opportunities to study abroad, here I came. However, IBA has provided more than I expected, the professors and the courses. The professors have always been so supportive of me when I ask for help or favors. They are open-minded, nonjudgmental, and with a sense of humor. As for the courses, IBA was not only about the fundamental knowledge of business theories, but also with an aim to broaden our horizons with the global leadership courses. We were able to interview professionals from all walks of life and establish connections.