University of Birmingham Hosts Inaugural Business Week for MSc International Business Students
The week included a visit to the Monetary Authority of Singapore and a tour of one-north, the ‘Silicon Valley’ of Singapore, which is a hub for business incubators and start-ups. Students had the opportunity to meet with the founders of two local companies, Benjamin Chua of SPECO who told us all about his antiviral technological and how cross-border activity helps to maintain competitive advantage, and Dickson from Ransack who shared how the gamification of spaces is allowing customers to explore Singapore in new ways. Students also met with Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE), a non-profit organization supporting entrepreneurs in Singapore to build a dynamic and sustainable start-up ecosystem.
These activities were complemented by a Design Thinking workshop in which students participated in a Know Your Customer simulation to generate a product to solve a real-world problem, and a Psychology of Flourishing workshop, which focused on setting personal goals, identifying values and unlocking potential.
We engaged in insightful enterprise visits, where we had the opportunity to explore different businesses and industries first-hand. This allowed us to gain practical knowledge about various organizational structures, operations, and industry dynamics. Additionally, we delved into the topic of emotional self-awareness and social-emotional well-being. This session provided valuable insights into understanding ourselves better and developing essential interpersonal skills crucial for professional success. Furthermore, we participated in an engaging design thinking workshop. This hands-on experience equipped us with innovative problem-solving techniques and encouraged creativity in addressing complex business challenges. Overall, the business week was an exceptional learning journey that broadened our perspectives and enhanced our skills. We are grateful to our professors for organizing such a comprehensive and impactful program.
MSc IB Student Representatives Yueh-Han Lee and Yuanlu Ye