"The students here are really outgoing and kind"

In the fourth episode of "Studi meets…", Bachelor student Ema Krip meets exchange student Jasmine Zihan Gong from Hong Kong. Read a summary of their conversation below or watch the full video.

Ema: So, my first question is obvious: Why did you decide to do an exchange semester at the University of Zurich?

Jasmine: Firstly, because our home university has a partnership with the UZH and secondly because of the city. I’ve already been here on a visiting trip and I loved it. Also, the UZH is quite well-known in Hong Kong and was my top choice. The exchange semester is for six months and it’s amazing that I can be here for such a long time. It’s really different from a short trip.

Jasmine: What makes the UZH unique? 

Ema: A lot of universities around the world have a campus. The UZH doesn’t really have that. The main building is in the city and after classes you can walk straight into the city. Everyone is very open and nice. What would you say?

Jasmine: The students here are really outgoing and kind. They want to share a lot. They like to show you everything and are also interested in you. They also ask me a lot about Hong Kong. It’s just so nice here.

Ema: What would you say are the similarities and differences between Zurich and Hong Kong – in terms of studying?

Jasmine: The biggest difference between Zurich and Hong Kong is that the classroom here is focused on the student. Because here in Zurich students love to share their ideas and opinions with the professor. They even debate with the professor. Here, we actively participate in the classroom. In Hong Kong, students do this much less. We mostly just listen to the professor and we don’t share a lot with them.

Jasmine: What tips can you give to the students who are just starting out?

Ema: My major tip is: Don’t stress out over the exams. It will be hard and scary but if you keep up with everything and study for it, everything will be fine. What tips would you give as an exchange student?

Jasmine: The interview for the application is very important. You have to show your passion and that you really want to be here. That you are interested not only in the university, but also in the city and everything around it. I also told them that I’m a huge soccer fan and that I really wanted to see a live game. They laughed but also liked the answer.

Ema: Yes, and it shows that you have other interests, too.

Jasmine: Can you see yourself doing an exchange semester?

Ema: Totally, I would love to do an exchange semester. The last time I wanted to do one, Covid was still ongoing, so I stayed at home. I’m planning on doing a master’s degree after doing a year of internships. My goal is to do either the entire master’s degree somewhere else or an exchange semester abroad. I would love to go to a warm place. A place like Spain or Australia. Or maybe Hong Kong.

Ema: What do you want to achieve professionally?

Jasmine: My dream is to work in the investment banking or the corporate banking industry. My other dream is consulting. I want to share my own ideas. What about you?

Ema: Currently, I really like marketing and I’m also interested in business development or business innovation. Both are very creative, which is very important to me. Right now, I started doing my own podcast. I really enjoy doing it. I can totally see myself doing something more professional with it.

Author: Murat Temel
Pictures / Video: Esteban Castle