Details

• China
• MAEXINT-24
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

The preparation for my exchange semester was relatively manageable overall. The visa application process was handled by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), which made this part much easier for me. In addition, I informed myself about possible vaccinations and other health-related precautions before leaving. I also made sure that I had all the necessary travel tools and accessories before departure. This included exchanging foreign currency, bringing the right power adapters, and preparing all important documents and personal items for a longer stay abroad. Even though the preparation phase required good planning and organization, the support from the host university helped a lot and reduced the administrative effort.

2. Accommodation

Finding accommodation was the most difficult part of preparing for the exchange semester. One of the main reasons was that I wanted to live together with my girlfriend. However, the accommodation rules at the university and in many student residences did not allow mixed-gender rooms. Therefore, these options were not suitable for us. At first, I looked at the accommodation websites recommended by HKBU, but I could not find a suitable option there (mainly because of old Data). After that, I searched on Airbnb. However, even when apartments were shown as available, they often turned out not to be available in the end. Because of this, I started contacting many co-living and serviced apartment companies that I found online. Many of them were either far above our budget or informed us that they did not rent apartments for periods shorter than six months or even one year. In the end, we found an apartment offered by Owl Square Living. The apartment was very small, with less than 15 square meters, and it was located on the first floor of the building near the Ladys market (Kowloon) . The communication with the company was acceptable, although sometimes a bit difficult because of the time difference. Eventually, we signed a two-year contract, but we were allowed to terminate it after four months with a notice period of two months (so ready your contract in details and don’t expect European renting standards) One major advantage was the location of the apartment. It was in the centre of Kowloon, close to the Ladies’ Market, which was very convenient. Compared to university accommodation, it was a better option for us. At the university, we would have had to pay around 800 euros per month for a room shared with another person.

3. Academic life at host university

Academic life at HKBU was quite straightforward. At the beginning, we received information through the HKBU student portal about which of our preselected courses we had been assigned. However, out of up to six preselected courses, I only received three. Therefore, I had to choose additional courses in order to reach a total of five courses, which corresponded to 30 ECTS credits. By carefully adding and dropping courses, I managed to arrange my schedule so that I only had to go to the university on three days per week. This gave me a good balance between studying and having time to explore Hong Kong and nearby countries. The courses I took were: 1. Global Sustainability Investing & ESG Integration in Business 2. Employee Relations and Employment Law 3. Advanced Effective Sales Negotiations & Intercultural Communications 4. Corporate Entrepreneurship and Business Development 5. Global Marketing At HKBU, the final grade is not based only on one final exam. Instead, it is made up of several smaller assessments throughout the semester. These included participation, presentations, and written reports. This system made the workload more continuous, but it also reduced the pressure of having only one final exam.

5. Every day life in the host country

Everyday life during the exchange semester was very enjoyable and well balanced. Since I only had university on three days per week, I had enough time on the other days to explore the city and even travel to other countries. On a typical university day, the day started with classes at 9 a.m. After that, I would usually go for lunch, either on campus if I had another class later in the day, or somewhere else in the city. Depending on the schedule, I would then either continue exploring different parts of Hong Kong or return to the apartment. This combination of studying and discovering the city made daily life very exciting. Hong Kong offers a very dynamic lifestyle, with many different districts, food options, and cultural experiences, so there was always something new to see. * And it also take a lot of time to find the cheap travel options, since Hongkong is the perfect starting base to visit Aisa

6. Testimonial

My exchange semester in Hong Kong was a very valuable and exciting experience. It was not only academically enriching, but also personally rewarding. While there were some challenges, especially when it came to finding accommodation, these difficulties were outweighed by the many positive experiences. The semester gave me the opportunity to study interesting international business topics, improve my intercultural communication skills, and experience a completely different way of life. Since I only had classes on three days per week, I was also able to explore Hong Kong in depth and travel to other places nearby. Overall, the exchange semester helped me become more independent, adaptable, and open-minded. It was a unique experience that I will always remember and that contributed a lot to both my personal and academic development.