I am very satisfied with my exchange experience: the university has proven to be excellent, in terms of the level of both the courses and the services offered on campus. In particular, the housing is modern and well organized, the spaces are well maintained, and the canteens offer inexpensive and high-quality meals. However, I believe it would be better to increase the number of courses offered in English and the available spots, communicating the available options (including those from other departments) in advance. In addition, professors often repeat some concepts in Chinese to facilitate local students’ understanding, but sometimes they tend to overdo it, adding details not explained in English or interrupting the lecture halfway through. Course syllabi should be more complete, clarify certain requirements more clearly (such as mandatory attendance and the distribution of materials across different lessons), illustrate the evaluation system, and be uploaded before course selection so that students can make an informed choice. Regarding the extracurricular experience, the campus is well connected by the subway, and I was able to visit several parts of Beijing. The city is wonderful, rich in history and extraordinary monuments, and even a foreigner who does not speak Chinese can get around without major difficulties. I also greatly appreciated the extracurricular activities, both those organized directly by the university or my department and those offered by the numerous student associations. The “buddy program” was very helpful, especially during the initial period when I needed to adapt to the new environment; in general, Chinese students, as well as the local population overall, were very welcoming, helpful, and ready to assist.

——Andrea Mariotti from Bocconi University