Category Archives: International Exposure

Happenings, International Exposure, Networking, Sports, Travel

Nanyang MBA travels to a soccer tournament in Hong Kong

From April 29 to May 3, a group of 17 full-time, part-time and exchange students of the MBA class of 2015/16 embarked on their last fun trip of their MBA journey. The trip´s destination could not have been more exciting, exuberant or exhilarating: Hong Kong. The MBA program of HKUST, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, invited the Nanyang MBA as well as 7 other teams from Singapore, China and Hong Kong to participate in a full day soccer tournament at their beautiful seaside soccer field.

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Soccer field at HKUST campus, Hong Kong

The NBS soccer team had practiced hard and was well prepared and pumped when they boarded the flight to Hong Kong on a Friday afternoon. The players, who were supported by four dedicated cheerleaders from their MBA class, showed great excitement and enthusiasm for the tournament ahead and the class outing to Hong Kong started with great fun and laughter already on the flight to the venue.

Once arrived in the city of 7 million people, busy financial centers, super tall buildings and a seemingly endless skyline, the players and their supporting team took of to find a good place for the last supper before the big game. Well fed, the group made an excursions to Hong Kong´s ferry terminal, the best viewing spot to take impressive photographs of the city´s skyline, but returned to their accommodation early to rest well for the match day.

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Students from the MBA Class of 2015/16 in Hong Kong

On Saturday morning, the HKUST representatives fetched a joyful yet exhausted NBS group to shuttle them to the soccer field on the HKUST campus. As the program is coming to an end, many final project are due soon, and the weeks before the trip had been tough so that the bus ride to the tournament venue was much less agitated than the flight on the day before. Travelling to HK, and the excitement of the vibrant city, had exhausted the players who now had to focus on the matches ahead of them.

The tournament started off with an intensive game against an MBA team from Hong Kong, followed by an encounter with the HKUST international alumni. When the NBS players finally met with a Chinese team, exchange student Patrick scored the first goal for NBS, and great cheering started from the side slide. Unfortunately, the NBS team was eliminated from the tournament after the first group stage, but thoroughly enjoyed the day, the amazing venue as well as the hospitality of HKUST,  and left the field and without any injuries – a great success in itself!

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During the following three days after the tournament, the class ventured out into the city in small groups and explored the streets of Hong Kong, visited breath-taking view points and embarked on jaw-dropping tours across the island. After cable-car rides to Big Buddha, double decker bus tours along the shore of Hong Kong, a short visit to the HSBC headquarters including a tour through the historic building, and finger-licking good meals at Hong Kong´s local restaurants, a happy but tired MBA cohort returned to Singapore with bags full of good memories, thousand of pictures, and an enormous sleep deficit. What a great trip!

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Big Buddha Statue on Lantau Island, Hong Kong
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MBA Class of 2015/16 in Hong Kong – A great trip for all!

 

Business Competitions, International Exposure, Life at Nanyang, Student Leader, The NANYANG MBA, Travel

Nanyang MBA enters ‘The Negotiation Challenge’ for the first time

Nanyang Business School, Singapore, was recently represented at The Negotiation Challenge (TNC) 2016, held in Vienna, Austria on 1st and 2nd April, 2016.

It was the first time that a team from Nanyang MBA, comprising of Laveesh Hassija, Shajitha Sinasamy and Akshaya Kumar, who decided to name themselves as ‘The Nanyang Negotiators’, participated in this prestigious competition.

The Negotiation Challenge is one of the only few international negotiation competitions in the world. The competition is aimed at gathering world’s best student negotiators, allowing them to compare their negotiation skills and preparing them for the complex negotiations they will face after graduation.  This year, 16 universities from across the world participated in TNC.

TNC has been an extraordinary experience for the Nanyang team that worked hard under the guidance and support received from the NBS Negotiation Professors – Valerie and Kit Wye. The team participated in a total of five rounds, wherein they were evaluated on application of appropriate methods from the whole spectrum of their negotiation skills in different negotiation situations. In some of the rounds, the evaluation was based on the team’s ability to understand interests and identify issues, as well as their ability to create and claim value,while in other rounds the assessment was based on the instrumental and/or relational outcome of the negotiations.

Though the Nanyang Negotiators could not reach the final round, they were able to demonstrate their negotiation intelligence and recall TNC as the most eventful time of their MBA journey. The team enthusiastically remembers one of the rounds where they were asked to negotiate with another team in a moving Vienna tram. This round tested their ability of managing a negotiation without being influenced by external factors.

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The Nanyang Negotiators in action

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The competition venue in Vienna

The Nanyang MBA TNC team for 2016 – The Nanyang Negotiators is extremely proud to have exemplified Nanyang Business School at this highly admired competition that invites world’s top business and law schools. Their experience in the competition has instilled in them stronger confidence for business negotiations that they will be facing in their careers after their MBA. The Nanyang Negotiators not only got a chance to experience diverse ways of negotiation, but also to meet and network with students from various countries with different backgrounds and cultures. The learnings from the competition and the cherished memories they have from the beautiful city of Vienna are definitely going to last a life-time.

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Campus Living, Clubs, International Exposure, Life at Nanyang, Sports

Cricket World Cup – Go India!

Though cricket is the sport most followed by Indian sports-lovers, the encounter between India and Pakistan is a special occasion for each and every Indian and Pakistani. Once the match schedule is released, Indians and Pakistani alike will try to avoid agreeing to any important appointment on the  day when India and Pakistan meet on the field. This is the time when a sense of unity is felt among all Indians and everyone has only one thing on their mind: their country team must win the match!

To allow all MBA students from other countries to share the joy and excitement, the Sports club organized a Live telecast of the India -Pakistan world cup match at a big screen on campus on March 19 . The event did not only allow the multinational bunch to spend fun times togethers, but was also platform used by many Indians to teach other students the basics of cricket.

While spectators from all around the world enjoyed learning about a  sport previously unknown to them and joined the excitement of watching their first cricket match, the Indian students especially enjoyed the win of the Indian team.

Both, teams and supporters, certainly gave 100%  and watching the cricketers, and their fans, helped the cohort to not only understand each others national pride but also made everyone relate to the competitive strategies discussed in the MBA classes.

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                       Students watching cricket on campus – a breath-taking match!

Cultural Events, International Exposure, NANYANG-WASEDA, Programme, The NANYANG MBA

Waseda Double MBA students learn Japanese at Nanyang

by Rondel Apelo, Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA student

日本語 (Nihongo, Japanese) has always been an alluring language, so much so that I’ve never heard anyone say that they didn’t want to at least try to learn Japanese. So when the opportunity came about that we can learn some basic Japanese, I was more than delighted to pick up the chance! Little did I know that aside from the learning the fundamentals of Japanese, I would be learning more about its culture and gaining friends along the way.

As part of the Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA cohort, I enrolled into the Japanese Language course. From all walks of life – India, Philippines, China, and of course from Singapore, a diverse bunch of students went into class, two times per week from November ‘15 to February ‘16.

練習しましょう (Renshū shimashou, Let us practice) was always the starting phrase! And ちいさい テスト (Chiisai Tesuto, Small test) was always something to watch out for. As anyone can imagine, it was very dynamic, sometimes very confusing, but definitely 100% fun and worth the time!

From Hiragana to Katakana, from おはようございます (Ohayou) to こんにちは (Konnichiwa), we learned the very basics of Japanese Language from our Sense Akiko Ito (伊藤). Challenging as it was, our instructor made it a point to always ensure that we would be able to follow the lectures and even provided us with some additional learnings while even outside of class. The dynamics of the class also played a key role in the overall learning.
Occasionally, the class even had “local” visitors, our Japaneseclassmates, extending a hand to help us learn the “How to’s” and “what not’s” in Japanese. Though I still have a long way to go (and I would still probably get lost in translation when I do start my last trimester in 早稲田 Waseda Tokyo), I felt it was truly a wonderful experience. More than just the basics of Japanese, I got a deeper appreciation of the culture and a desire to know more about the Language. Something that I believe I will last even outside the four walls of the classroom.

 

Campus Living, Happenings, International Exposure, Life at Nanyang, Networking

CUHK Networking event

On January the 27th 2016, a four school networking event was organized for the CUHK students visiting Singapore from their home in Hongkong.

Nanyang Business School has always shared a cordial relationship with regional schools. When Megan from the NBS admin staff found out that CUHK students were going to be in town in January, she promptly asked Deep Dabholkar, the President of the Nanyang Students Executive Committee, to plan an event.

What started off as a small get together snowballed into a four school networking event. Students from the National University of Singapore, Singapore Management University and Nanyang Business School got together to organize a fun filled evening at the Hood Bar and Café for the Chinese University of Hong Kong students.

With a total attendance of 73, the event turned out to be a huge success. Live music and pre-negotiated drink and snacks made the evening an exciting one. Moreover Nanyang Business School students were part of an effort to show the visiting students grand Singapore hospitality.

The twenty tired, but excited CUHK students had a fabulous evening networking with the Singapore Business Schools. Once the event wound to a close, the hawk-eyed NBS students noticed that the CUHK students had left behind their school banner! They unanimously decided to take a hike to the hotel where the students were living and return the goods.

The picture below shows the enthusiasm of the NBS students to perform a good deed at the end of a tiring evening. Needless to say, the CUHK students were thankful and thrilled at our commitment to return their banner.

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NBS Students with the CUHK banner – inter-school friendships are formed!

Blog, International Exposure, Living in Singapore, Useful Tools and Tips

20 Singlish Words & Phrases To Get You Started

When Singapore became independent 50 years ago, English was chosen as the official language of the city-state. That didn’t stop the various ethnic groups from creating their own dialect or Singlish, as it is called. Its grammar and vocabulary is borrowed from Malay, Cantonese, Hokkien, Tamil, Mandarin and other Chinese languages.

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Studying in a new country is no fun if you don’t immerse yourself into the local culture, so knowing some common Singlish phrases can help you begin.

  • Lah: Native Singaporeans love adding this word to the end of sentences. There are many ways to use it. For example, Ok lah translates to Okie dokie. No lah! means No, and you are clearly wrong to suggest that. Basically, lah is used to change the tone of a sentence and doesn’t really have a definition itself. Don’t confuse it with OK lor, which means Alright then and is said with a tone of resignation.
  • Leh: Leh can be used interchangeably with lah. For example, you could say, She did not tell me about that leh. Or somebody could tell you, No leh. He isn’t like that.
  • Why you so like that: This Singlish phrase means Why are you behaving this way? It is used to show frustration at somebody who is annoying you. Think of your friend making you wait for her for thirty minutes. Then you would ask her this. A Singapore group Kopi Kat Klan has a song called ‘Why you so like dat’. Check it out.
  • Talk cock: This term means joking around. If you had a relaxed evening laughing and talking with your friends, you could say, Today nothing to do. We all just talk cock all day long.
  • Wah lao!/Wah piang: These terms are interchangeable. Singaporeans express shock using them. For example, if you find out that the currency exchange rate with your home currency has increased a lot, you could say, Wah lao! So expensive!
  • Stylo Milo: This fun phrase can come to use when you are describing a classmate or somebody else. It describes someone as trying too hard to be stylish. Someone could point at a guy and say, Eh that guy so stylo milo.
  • Alamak!: This term translates to Oh my gosh! When a person is shocked or surprised, they may use this word.
  • Blur like sotong: These words describe a person who has no idea of what he or she is doing. For instance, it could be said to describe a fellow student who struggles to solve a problem. Or it could talk about a person who always seems to get lost. You could say, he is so old and still gets lost all the time, really blur like sotong!
  • Pai-seh: This term comes from the Hokkien dialect and means embarrassed or shy. You could employ it to express your discomfort about a mistake you made by saying, I forgot his book again. So pai seh. It is pronounced pie-say.
  • Ya ya papaya: This funny sounding term is used to describe a person as boastful or arrogant. If somebody in class always seems too full of herself and keeps on talking about her accomplishments, you could say, She’s so ya ya. 
  • Eat already anot?: This phrase means Have you already eaten/Have you eaten yet? Anot is a common Singlish word that translates to or not.
  • Corright: This Singlish word combines the English words correct and right. It can be defined as righter than right. Imagine having a light-hearted argument with your classmate when he thinks what is right is obvious; then he could say Corright to emphasise how very correct he is.
  • Ah bu then?: This Singlish phrase can be used in instances where you’d say duh or of course in normal English. So if somebody sees you sleeping with your head on the desk and asks you if you are sleepy, this would be the answer.
  • Dun anyhow touch here touch there leh: If your roommate says this to you, you are in trouble. It means, Please don’t mess with my things. 
  • Oi! Wake up your idea!: A person you are discussing a project with may say, Oi! Wake up your idea! The phrase translates to Can you start thinking straight! The speaker is asking you to wake up from your sleepy state and is being sarcastic.
  • Siao: This word is very common. It literally means crazy. If somebody asks you something absurd or does something stupid like burn his clothes with the iron, you could say: You siao ah? It’s sarcastic.
  • Shiong: Shiong is defined as very tired or tiring. Wah today damn shiong, the lecturer asked us to write so many articles, is one example of its usage. In other words, somebody is exhausted and is complaining about his workload.
  • I don’t know you / How I know you: When a friend does something stupid and realises it, you could utter the words: How I know you? No reply is expected. It is a sarcastic comment.
  • Han nah / Yah lah: This one comes in handy if you are being nagged. Say somebody keeps on asking you if you have finished reading the book that you borrowed yesterday; you can say han nah han nah han nah (as many times as you want to). Some people like to say Yah lah yah lah instead. If anybody uses this one on you, it means you are annoying him or her a lot. 
  • Catch No Ball: When a local person says this to you, he is telling you that he didn’t understand you. You could picture a ball in his court, which he cannot grasp to remember what it means, “Eh, what talking you? I catch no ball!”

What are your favourite words and phrases? Don’t forget to share in the comments below.

Blog, International Exposure, Life After MBA, Life at Nanyang, Networking, The NANYANG MBA

5 Reasons to Get an International MBA Degree

The decision of pursuing an MBA degree is a critical one, requiring a great deal of thinking and planning. An MBA can help boost your career, there’s no doubt about it. But, as a potential MBA candidate you must also evaluate the different MBA programmes, to see which one can provide you with the maximum benefits, in terms of the learning, exposure and opportunities.

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Doing an MBA degree abroad, as opposed to doing it in your own country, can be beneficial in many ways. Here, are a few reasons why your must choose to pursue an international MBA degree:

Exposure to New Culture

The job of a business professional involves interacting with a wide range of people, and building a rapport with clients and co-workers who may belong to other countries and cultures. Doing your MBA overseas automatically trains you on this aspect of the job. By studying and collaborating with a culturally diverse mix of students, you acquire the essential social skills needed to survive and flourish in a global market.

The Opportunity to Learn New Languages

With companies going global and expanding their operations in non-English speaking countries, recruiters are often looking for candidates who are bilingual, and able to fluently communicate in languages other than English. Doing an MBA from business schools located in countries such as France, Germany and Singapore, provides you with an opportunity to be trained in a foreign language, thereby boosting your CV in a big way, and opening up newer job avenues for you in numerous global destinations.

A Competitive Edge

Doing an international MBA degree puts you in a high-pressure environment, where you would be competing with students from diverse nationalities, with a wide range of academic and professional experience. This prepares you well for challenging jobs, and gives you a competitive edge over other MBA grads, who have had a less intensive course at a local business school.

A Wider Professional Network

More than the degree itself, the professional connections you make and the peers and mentors whose support you gain at the business school add more value to your professional career, taking you further ahead in your professional journey. An international MBA would provide you with a wider network, and open up myriad opportunities, that might not be accessible to someone who has done MBA in his/her own country.

Personal Growth

By studying overseas you are not just growing as a professional but also as an individual. Stepping out of your comfort zone, finding your way in a new country, interacting with people belonging to other cultures – these things equip you with the courage, flexibility and open mindedness needed to succeed in your professional and personal life.

The Economist, in its list of the world’s top MBA programmes, ranks the Nanyang Business School in the 66th position and as one of the best business schools in Asia. The affordability of education in Singapore and its cultural diversity are some of the factors that attract students to NBS. For more information on Nanyang business degree, visit http://www.nanyangmba.ntu.edu.sg.

Clubs, Cultural Events, Happenings, International Exposure, Life at Nanyang, Living in Singapore, Useful Tools and Tips

5 Ways to Live Like a Local in Singapore

A metropolitan city-state known for its towering skyscrapers and cosmopolitan culture, Singapore is an amazing place to live and explore. Ranked as Asia’s most liveable city and the world’s third best, it is one of the safest in the world. Being a global financial centre, with a consistently stable government, and a burgeoning technology hub, the city is a much sought after educational destination for international students.

If you are a student living in Singapore, or someone who is considering the idea of pursuing your studies there, then here are a few ways that you can soak in the Singaporean lifestyle and experience the city like a local.

Local in Singapore

Ride the MRT

You haven’t lived the true Singaporean life, if you haven’t been on a commute in the city’s popular subway, also known as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). Spanning 152.9 kilometres and connecting more than 113 stations, the Singapore MRT is the fastest, easiest and the safest way to get around the city. While there are always taxis to cater to your travel needs, a ride in the MRT is something that lets you feel the pulse of the city and experience the breath-taking views of Singapore’s major landmarks. MRT stations are also known for their remarkable architecture and art installations. The fact that ticketing is done via contactless stored value smartcards, known as the EZ-Link and NETS FlashPay cards, also makes commuting in MRT quite convenient for students, professionals and other regular commuters.

Work and Lounge in Cafes

Whether it’s hanging out with friends in the evening, grabbing your breakfast in the morning or completing your class assignments during the day, Singapore has a slew of cafes that not only offer lively ambience and mouth-watering snacks and beverages, but also provide free Wifi, making them a go-to place for students and professionals to work and relax. Afterglow on Keong Saik Road, Habitat Coffee on Upper Thomson Road, Group Therapy Cafe on Duxton Road, Club Street Social on Gemmill Lane, and Bridge Cafe on Seah Street – these are some of the Singaporean cafes offering free Wifi.

Dance Away the Blues

What makes Singapore such an attractive destination for students and young professionals? It’s got to be the city’s scintillating nightlife. Singapore’s bars, pubs and clubs let you unwind and party hard after a busy day at work. Clarke Quay, Orchard Road, Zouk Club, Chijmes, and Boat Quay – there are endless places to indulge your inner party animal in Singapore.

Go on a Shopping Spree

Think of Singapore and the word ‘shopping’ comes to your mind. From shopping malls to outlet stores, international brands to local products, Singapore has something for every kind of shopper, something for every purse size. Apart from the glitzy malls featuring a wide range of international brands on Orchard Road and Marina Bay Sands, there are also the Mustafa Centre, Bugis Junction and Far East Plaza where you can shop till you drop, without making a big dent in your wallet. Don’t skip the neighbourhood malls like Jurong Point, Bishan Junction 8 and West Mall.

Get Adventurous

Singaporeans love to participate in sports and adventure activities. As a sports enthusiast and thrill-seeker, you’ll have myriad places to get your adrenaline fix. Being an island destination, Singapore is well known for its wide range of water sports such sailing, snorkelling, kayaking and water-skiing. Reverse bungee jumping, indoor skydiving and Formula One racing are a few other unique outdoor experiences worth having in Singapore.

These are just a few of the things that you can do to explore Singapore’s vibrant culture. Share this post with your friends and help them make the most of their stay in the Lion City.