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Twenty undergraduate students from the Department of Business Administration and Tourism of the Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU) had the opportunity to gain a unique international educational experience by participating in a 15-day Winter School organized by Ningbo University in China.
The students were accompanied by Professor Eirini Dimou and Associate Professor Nikos Trichas. This marked the first participation of HMU students in an international educational programme of this kind in China. Their participation was made possible through the collaboration between the Department of Business Administration and Tourism and Ningbo University, which began in 2018 and has gradually developed into a well-established framework for academic communication, knowledge exchange and joint initiatives.
During the programme, participants had the opportunity to gain first-hand insight into China’s educational, business, economic and technological environment through visits to research institutes, companies and organizations. Educational and cultural activities took place in the cities of Ningbo, Hangzhou and Shanghai, as well as in other areas of Zhejiang Province.
The intercultural dimension of the programme was also particularly important, as exposure to different educational practices, perspectives and ways of life contributed to the development of intercultural communication, adaptability and collaboration skills.
As Professor Eirini Dimou notes:
“The greatest value of educational initiatives such as this lies in giving students the opportunity to see the world beyond the boundaries of their familiar academic and social environment. Exposure to different educational and cultural settings, engagement with new approaches and direct experience of a different economic and technological ecosystem provide valuable learning opportunities that are difficult to acquire through conventional educational processes. We want our students to develop an international outlook, to remain open to new ideas and to be able to understand the opportunities and challenges of a world that is changing at an increasingly rapid pace. This is also the essence of the internationalization of higher education: creating experiences that broaden young people’s knowledge, perspectives and, ultimately, their horizons.”
Participation in the Winter School forms part of the Department of Business Administration and Tourism’s ongoing efforts to provide its students with opportunities for international educational experience and exposure to diverse academic, cultural and professional environments.
