Chinese visiting students experienced their very first sales competition
Last week we celebrated the success of the autumn 2017 Turku Sales Competition at Sepänkatu campus. The 12 Chinese students who are from the International College of Business and Technology (ICBT), Tianjin University of Technology (TUT) China participated in an international sales competition at this scale for the first time at TUAS.
Turku Sales Competition (TSC) is part of the Sales Semester, offered at Turku University of Applied Sciences (TUAS) and led by Principal Lecturer Timo Holopainen. This autumn 40 competitors in total from 10 different countries competed in TSC.
After their arrival at Sepänkatu campus in mid-August the Chinese students have not only adapted themselves to a brand new environment in Finland; but have also been introduced to new ways of learning and teaching. Rina Bao, Project Coordinator, overseeing their study programme and wellbeing, was amazed at how quickly they adjusted. She compared their experiences very favourably with her own difficulties when she first arrived in Turku from China a decade ago. Rina saluted the hard working spirit of all the students. She especially commended the active participation of two students, Yao Yitong and Xu Yiwen, in the semi-final round of the competition.
Entrepreneurship Management student, Yao Yitong concluded: “through this international competition I have learned the differences in cultures, communication styles and attitude. I have greatly improved my skills in sales, negotiation and deal-closing by combining theory with practice. I have become much more confident and greatly appreciate this precious opportunity.”
This group of Chinese students is studying together with Finnish and exchange students of TUAS for the academic year 2017-2018. They spend the autumn semester at the faculty of Technology, Environment and Business and the spring semester at the Business Academy.
Rina recalled that her very first visit to TUT was in 2011; when she introduced TUAS as the first potential partner institution from Finland. Soon after she initiated the 3+1 degree programme together with Chen Minfang, Director at TUT Office of International Programmes, and Yu Haomiao, Associate Professor at ICBT. Rina has been enthusiastic about the developing achievement of the TUAS Export of Education Programme. “It is so exciting to see how successful it has become in the 6 years since it was started!” Rina said. “And we look forward to developing further new forms of collaboration with TUT in near future.”
November might be a dark and cold month, but we have so much to celebrate. Congratulations to all participants and organisers on the fantastic success of the Turku Sales Competition!