Trying your best to better yourself or build a treasure trove of knowledge is nothing short of countless life choices and bittersweet moments. Often, you are caught questioning the limit of your capability, either in the technical or life aspects. Nevertheless, it is the other way around for the UTAR Faculty of Business and Finance (FBF) Master of Philosophy students (Postgraduate Research Attachment) Li Yaoyu and Liu Zhaolan, who are also international students from Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics (JUFE), China, as they continue to build their repertoires of knowledge in the heart of Southeast Asia with a clear and steadfast determination.

As both students made their long journey to the small town of Kampar, a diverse array of interests in their hearts began to scintillate strongly.

Broadening research horizons, Li Yaoyu

For Li Yaoyu, motivation burgeoned as she wanted to try different approaches to research and study in the Malaysian environment.

Li enthused, “I had always been curious about the Malaysian culture. Hence, studying for a master’s degree in UTAR FBF was a very lucky thing for me. After all, I had never been abroad before. I also hope to discuss different issues with scholars in different social environmental contexts, since the master’s degree system and curriculum here are very different.”

Studying abroad in Malaysia has provided Li with perquisites to broaden her worldview and not to mention discover a variety of learning and research opportunities. She was delighted to not only be able to discover new fields of interest in her study, but also expand on her range of capabilities as a researcher.

Li said, “This research attachment has broadened my international horizons and knowledge base. I will probably have more tolerance towards academic fields that I have never been exposed to in my future study and even life, which will lead me to focus more on my strength and creativity, and subsequently be more imaginative in my study and research.”

Expanding horizons in the tropical climate of Malaysia nevertheless comes with a fair share of cultural and linguistic challenges. Li found the Malaysian culture intriguing and sought to discover more, especially in the academic aspect, though she was faced with a language barrier.

“My cultural tolerance is relatively strong. Besides, the academic and cultural differences between Malaysia and China are not particularly large, so I understand and respect them. I think the potential challenge of conducting research in Malaysia is the language. It is a bit difficult because most literature and books are in English. However, this is also a process of improving language skills, and I can gradually adapt to it,” Li said.

Strengthening global adaptability, Liu Zhaolan

Liu Zhaolan was captivated by the academic and cultural diversity present among the Malaysians.

As a student who is interested in investment, financial market, and capital operation, Liu was intrigued by UTAR’s master’s programme in the field of business and finance, since she wished to gain an in-depth understanding of areas such as marketing and consumer behaviour, and supply chain management on an international level.

“The mix of ideas from diverse cultural backgrounds at UTAR not only attracted me, but also allowed me to experience the beauty of cross-cultural exchanges in the academic world. At the same time, FBF generally includes international business courses, allowing me to broaden my global perspective by understanding the global business environment, international marketing strategies, and multinational enterprise management,” commented Liu about her decision to further her studies at UTAR.

Studying in the global environment not only serves as a way to broaden Liu’s range of skills, but also as a meaningful way to achieve her career aspiration to become a university academic. Looking ahead to her future, Liu remarked on the significance of access to a global education system as well as adaptability in a cross-cultural country, which she viewed as crucial benefits towards becoming a competitive academic.

“In my opinion, studying abroad is beneficial for people like me whose long-term career goal is to become a university academic. I can learn advanced academic methods and scientific research skills, and apply them to future academic practices to strengthen education quality and impact. At the same time, I can develop global vision and cross-communication skills, which help me to adapt to the educational environments and mingle with student groups from diverse economies and regions,” said Liu.

Unlike her peer Li Yaoyu, Liu stated that she was met with culture shock, language barrier, and diverse academic styles. Despite that, her positivity towards learning never declined, it flourished instead, as she learned to assimilate local cultures and languages into her academic journey at UTAR, adding colours to the otherwise meandering journey.

“I tried to learn more about Malaysian cultures and values as my show of respect to the locals. During my research attachment period, I participated in various cultural events by UTAR such as the Deepavali celebration and the Chinese New Year celebration. I got to experience different customs and ways of celebrating various festivals, allowing me to learn about other cultures. I also became a member of a gym near UTAR, meeting a variety of new friends and learning a lot of fitness knowledge in the meantime,” Liu enthused.

Fostering open-mindedness, empathy, mutual understanding, and critical thinking, cross-cultural learning may very well be a catalyst to ignite a spark for new passions and opportunities. Some may find it interesting, and others may find it perplexing; it is nonetheless an inspiring and innovative process for the two students, Li Yaoyu and Liu Zhaolan, who are thousands of kilometres away from their homeland.