American students often hear about how enriching and beneficial a study abroad program can be during their college years. Along with an internship and foreign language experience, it is quickly becoming a staple of the modern resume for those who want to be on the executive track.
Deciding where to study abroad is another matter, though. Students should select locations based on their academic and professional goals and the ways those locations can help them meet their goals. For business students, that means studying in an economic powerhouse where the effects of a rich business environment can be felt all around you. That’s just one of the big benefits of a study abroad experience in China.
Watch China’s Booming Economic Environment Firsthand
Nothing helps business students learn like seeing the fast-paced environment that comes from booming economic development, and China currently has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Not only that, China’s economic development has seen them take strides to build in ecologically aware practices with regard to energy and renewable resource development. That puts them on the cutting edge of the upcoming “green revolution” in technology. Chinese investments in sustainable energy research have led to the country becoming the leader in solar growth worldwide. See moments like these happen in real time around you when you study abroad in China.
Develop a Global Mindset
Whether you’re talking about opening up your personal experiences and learning to appreciate other ways of knowing and doing things or you’re talking about a purely professional development in the way you interact with colleagues and the assumptions you make, both are at your fingertips. One of the benefits of studying abroad in China is the country’s emergence as a bustling economic hub. In the largest cities, you will find opportunities to meet and learn from not only Chinese business mentors, but also workers, entrepreneurs, and executives from all over Asia and the rest of the world.
Learn the Depth of Millenia-Old Culture
Chinese civilization is among the oldest in the world, and that means ancient historic sights, ruins, and preserved buildings are to be found throughout the country. You don’t need to travel far from any major educational hub to find evidence of the centuries of growth and development that inform modern Chinese culture.
Learn to Appreciate Chinese Cuisine
The food that China exports to the rest of the world, especially America, is distinct from the experience of genuine, traditional Chinese cuisine. If you are a food fan and you want to broaden your palate with an authentic experience, you need to travel to mainland China and explore the cuisine for yourself.
Acquire Useful Skills
Beyond the increased mental flexibility and adaptability study abroad students pick up, you will also have the chance to practice useful skills in both the educational and business realm. Practice communicating with professionals across cultures, learn how to conduct oneself during international travel, and discover the interpersonal and organizational skills that you can only discover through direct experience. Every day you study abroad is an adventure that teaches you more about the world.
Study Mandarin in an Immersive Environment
With the growth of China’s economic influence around the world, Mandarin is swiftly becoming a popular business language, especially for those looking to rise in global corporations. When you study abroad in China, you have the chance to not only learn it from native speakers but to immerse yourself in the experience of communicating in the language so you can improve your practice in real conversation.
Acquire Much-Needed International Experience
Cultural exposure, relevant education, and language skills are all important for professionals looking to work for global companies. If your goal is to either work in China for a global company or to work for Chinese companies, experience in a study abroad program or internship that provides that experience is essential. There’s also the government’s push to encourage study in China making it a welcoming environment.
Networking Opportunities
Experience and education only take you so far in business. A large part of your success will be networking, and the best way to make contacts in China is to go there. When you study abroad, you get those opportunities, and that can help you land the right internship and job down the road. With over 440,000 international students flocking to China for study abroad in 2016, opportunities for wider international networking are everywhere.
Challenge Yourself to Grow
Personal growth is one of the most important indicators of success. Students looking to really challenge their growth should look into study abroad opportunities because nothing sends the message to the world that you are ready for a challenge like taking yourself to a new place and exploring the world.
