For Cal State Fullerton College of Business and Economics undergraduate students studying management and finance, a July study abroad program in Shanghai and Beijing provided opportunities for global learning and awareness. Among the highlights were company visits to XPENG and iFlyTek, which provided a behind-the-scenes look at each organization’s history, technological developments and vision for the future.
“Our goal was to move students beyond the classroom. Over two weeks, they visited five companies in Shanghai and Beijing and worked on live projects tied to those firms, so the learning was immediate and consequential rather than theoretical,” said Jenny Zhang, associate dean for undergraduate programs and student success in the College of Business and Economics. “Just as valuable were the days spent alongside students at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics and Capital University of Economics and Business in Beijing, where our students had great discussions with their students on various topics and made friends. Visiting sites such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven gave them the historical context of modern China. Students came back with a different sense of the country, what they’re capable of and the lifelong friendships they built with each other through the program.”
The company tours connected lessons from the classroom with the realities of management in fast-moving industries. Read more about the study abroad experience in China in this CSUF Business News article.