Experience report
ANR: 825518
Name: Suping Chen
E-mail: s.chen@uvt.nl
Exchange semester: 2014 fall
Academic year: 2014
Host University: The University of Hong Kong
Country: Hong Kong
TOPIC: Admission, arrival, housing
How was your arrival organized? Did someone pick you up from the airport/station? Was an
orientation or introduction activity organized? How was accommodation organized? Does the
university provide you with accommodation? What kind of accommodation does the university
provide? Did you have to book your accommodation in advance or did you have to search for a place
to live after you arrived?
As a Chinese national, it is not difficult to learn the transportation system in Hong Kong.
Therefore, before my departure, I didn’t pay enough attention to the University airport pick-up
service. I had a friend who picked me up in the airport, however, I do know that The University
of Hong Kong do offer considerate airport pick-up service.
There were serveal oritentaion activities organized especially for the exchange students. There
was a huge group of exchange students in the Univeristy of Hong Kong. As I read from the
facebook group, there are at least 800 exchange students this semester. The university paid a lot
attention to the service of exchange students, for example, serveral information session, campus
tour, and welcome parties.
I applied the Accomodation in HKU really early, around April 2014. As I know, the University
accommodation (what they called Hall) is very limited and served on a first-come first-serve basis.
I got a place in the Lady Ho Tung Hall which is also my first option. The registration process is
relative easy, and mostly completed before my depature to Hong Kong. When I arrived in the
Lady Ho Tung Hall, I just needed to report at the registration desk.
TOPIC: Location of university/city
Please describe the city you lived in. Where is the university located in the city? What is the best
place to go to eat/drink/dance/do sports/etc.? What are interesting things to see and do in your host
city? What was different than in Tilburg?
Hong Kong is an amazing city. It is super convenient, well-developed, organized and very
international. The location of the University of Hong Kong is utterly perfect. It locates on the
Hong Kong Island, and only few station to the Central/ Causeway Bay. Central and Casueway
Bay are the best place to do shoping. And The University of Hong Kong is also very close to the
Lan Kwai Fong, where is a very popular place to go to start the night life in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong is completely different compared with Tilburg. In my impression, Tilburg is quiet,
academic. But Hong Kong is more fun, international, busier.
There are countless events happening in HK every single day. I do attend some of the best events
during my stay in Hong Kong. For instance, I attended an Clockenflap Music Festivel and it was
fanastic. Life never gets bored in Hong Kong, especially when you are arounded with friends.
TOPIC: Academics
Which courses did you take and why? Which courses would you recommend? What did the courses
add to your program at Tilburg University? How does the university compare to Tilburg University
concerning the level of the courses, use of extra material, level of English, workload, etc.? Overall,
were you happy with your academic achievements during your exchange? Please describe the
campus of your host university.
As an Economics student, the initial purpose to exchange in Hong Kong is to get some specific
knowledge about Asia economies. Therefore, I took three courses really related to the Asia
economies and two advanced Finace course.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Economic development of China
Foregin Trade and Investment in China
Trade. Investment and development in Aisa Economies
Management of Commerical Bank
Advanced Corproate Finance
I Highly recommended three courses out of my list. The first one is Economic Development of
China taught by Prof. Chenggang Xu. Professor Xu is a very well-known professor in the
context of Chinese Economy study. He is graduated from Harvard and used to a professor at
the London School of Economics. He is a very passionate, knowledgable and responsible expert
in his field. Moreover, the evaluation of the course is also very different from other courses. He
required to write an dissertation of 10,000 words individually. And your final grade is largely
depended on the quality of the dissertation. The dissertation largely enhanced my
understanding of his lectures and I benefited a lot from this work.
I also recommmeded the two finance course, namely, Mangement of Commerical Bank and
Advanced Corporate Finance. The two courses is taught by a same professor: Keith K.P. Wong,
he is the director of the Economic and Finance department in HKU. He is a very responsible
professor and he explain thing really clear.
TOPIC: Social life
Which social activities organized by the university or students? Did you have contact with local
students? Did you have contact with other exchange students? How did you get along with the local
students and other exchange students? Did you travel to other places/countries during your
exchange?
During the introduction week, students association in the University of Hong Kong organized a
lot of welcome program, such as campus tour and some information session. Apart from that,
there are plenty of casual activies, such as climbing, cycling around the Hong Kong Island,
racing and also have some drinks in the Lan Kwai Fong. Moreover, as I live in the a university
hall, I knew a lot of new floormates or even hallmates. We often went out and had dinner
together. The Univeristy hall in Hong Kong have the monthly High Table Dinner culture, and
which provides a lot of chances to interact with the local fellow students.
The interaction amony exchanges is very common and frequent. Most of my friends in HKU
are also new comer exchange students. The relationship with both local students and other
exchange students are quite good. I travelled to Macau and Shenzhen(China) during my
exchange.
TOPIC: Living costs
How did you finance your exchange period, apart from the grant you received from Tilburg University?
What were your living expenses abroad like compared to Tilburg? What did you spend most of your
money on? What would you advice future students to spend their money on? Please outline your
approximate monthly budget whilst on exchange: housing, food, textbooks, etc.
As my destination is in Asia, I did not receive any grants from Tilburg University. The living
cost is comparable to the standard in Tilburg. For example, a meal will cost you 30-40 HKD
which is around 4 Euros. Despite of the comparable price level, in Hong Kong, there are more
aspects that you need to spend money on. For instance, you can simplying go to a concert,
buy more cloths, and drink more. Overall, I spent much more than I used to spend in Tilburg.
TOPIC: Culture
Did you experience culture shock while on exchange? How would you compare your host culture to
your own culture? What did you learn about your own culture while on exchange? What was different
about your host culture than you expected? What did you like and not like about your host culture? Do
you feel you learned a lot about your host culture, and if not, what would you like to learn more? How
would you describe your host countries culture? If you travelled to other cities/countries during your
exchange, were they different than your host city/country, and how?
I didn’t experience any culture shock during my exchange. As a Chinese citizen, the cultural in
Hong Kong is very similar or even identical to the culture in mainland China.
TOPIC: Personal development
What did you learn from the people you met during your exchange? Would you do things differently if
you had the chance, and what would you do differently? What was your best experience, and what
was your worst experience? What will you remember for ever about your exchange period? What was
the most important lesson you learned about yourself during your exchange period?
Unlike Tilburg, the University of Hong Kong stress more on social engagement and extracurriculum activites. I took part in many activies that I never imagined in Tilburg. And I believe
that those activities prepared me better to be a responsible citizen.There were a lots of great
experience during my exchange in HKU.
TOPIC: Tips for future students
Would you recommend an exchange period? Would you recommend your host university? What
should prospective students bring with them/leave behind? What preparation is required for going on
exchange to this destination? Was there anything you should have done in preparation that you didn’t
do?
I would recommend the international environment in Hong Kong. There is no troubles for my
peer foreign students to have a good life in Hong Kong. For the University of Hong Kong, I would
like to recommend the cultural diversity and various social activities that happened on campus.
Prospective students only need to bring a willing heart to make new friends, and that is the only
thing required to lead a good life during your stay in Hong Kong.
It would be best for prospective students to learn a bit about the culture, and a good sense a
direction. For some new comers, the landscape of Hong Kong feels like a 3D maze.
As a Chinese national, I should have practiced my Cantonese better. Although, the English level
in Hong Kong is relative high, Cantonese is the most convenient way to communicate with local
shops and resturants.
TOPIC: A picture is worth a thousand words
If you took any pictures or made any videos that you would like to share with future exchange
students, please include them (or e-mail them separately). Pictures that show your daily life or
symbolize your exchange period are especially interesting for future exchange students.