SPbPU postgraduate student Nikita Blagoy: “Internship in China is a challenge and invaluable experience”

Nikita Blagoy, a postgraduate student of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, has recently returned from China, where he underwent an internship at Dalian University of Technology. He won the All-Russian open competition for the appointment of scholarships of the President of the Russian Federation for studying abroad. We talked to him about how his trip went, what difficulties he encountered and what he learned from this experience.

— What were your first impressions of life in China?

— From the first minutes I realized that China is a completely different world. The level of digitalization here is amazing: cash is almost never used, even fruit sellers on the street have QR codes to pay via WeChat or Alipay. But at the same time, the language barrier creates serious difficulties. Few people here speak English, so even simple everyday tasks like getting a SIM card or opening a bank account require effort.

— How did you manage to overcome these difficulties?

— I was lucky enough to meet some guys who were studying linguistics and already knew Chinese well. They helped me with translation and explained how the local services worked. Without their support, it would have been much more difficult. I also started to learn basic phrases in Chinese so that I could at least minimally explain myself to the locals.

— How did your studies in China go? How did it differ from studying in Russia?

— My internship was connected with scientific work. I was doing research in the field of digitalization of business processes, studying Chinese scientific works and writing part of my thesis. I had a supervisor from China who helped me with data analysis and advised me on local peculiarities.

As for the differences, China is very strict about discipline. For example, students have compulsory physical activities: you have to run 30 times for 3 km per semester. They also take exams seriously: cheating is strictly punished, and students are motivated to gain knowledge, not just grades.

— What surprised you most about the Chinese education system?

— I was impressed by how involved Chinese students are in the learning process. Everyone from the first year has a supervising teacher who helps in difficult situations. International students here are treated with special attention, realizing that adaptation takes time. It is also striking how much China values physical culture and traditions. For example, in physical education students learn kung fu and other martial arts.

— What skills did you acquire during your internship?

— First, I have greatly improved my skills in working with scientific data. I was able to collect unique material on digitalization in China, which I use in my dissertation. Secondly, I learned to adapt to new environments faster and to find a common language with people, even if we speak different languages. And, of course, I became more independent and self-confident.

— What advice would you give to those who are planning to go on an internship abroad?

— First of all, don’t be afraid of difficulties. It is better to try and face challenges than to miss an opportunity. Secondly, develop flexible skills: the ability to communicate, negotiate and find a way out of difficult situations. And finally, believe in yourself. Even if something does not work out, it is not a reason to give up.

— What are your plans after finishing graduate school?

— For now, I’m focused on finishing my dissertation. But the experience I had in China has opened new horizons for me. I am considering continuing my research on digitalization, possibly in an international format. China has shown me how important it is to be part of the global scientific community, and I want to develop in this direction.