Time flies and it is time for me to say farewell to my university life.

Looking back, I have no hall life and exchange. Still, my U-life is fascinating!

From having online lessons due to the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 in the first year, to Hybrid mode, and then attending face-to-face lessons in my last year, I would say these experiences have flavoured my study life in PolyU. You might wonder if the pandemic had been deterring us from socializing and making new buddies. Yet, this might not be the case – I have met new friends in various group projects, not only within my department but also from other faculties, who are able to accompany me through different semesters.

One of the most memorable activities I did with friends was joining case competitions. It is always a pity for business students not to participate in any. Therefore, I took part in several of them. Since then, I have figured out that apart from luck, having resilient and reliable teammates is a key factor to success. Admittedly, it is never easy to identify companions throughout our academic journeys, but I would say I am lucky enough to have them found in my university life.

Knowing that many students had gone to exchange and learnt overseas cultures, I did not do the same but took a minor in Hotel Management. Comparatively speaking, I studied a few more subjects than my friends did, but it was not tiring. Instead, it was just like joining various interesting and inspiring extra-curricular activities, since I was being exposed to a whole new learning environment and syllabus such as wine oenology and hotel operations. Most importantly, these topics are closely related to my major – International Shipping and Transport Logistics, which allow me to merge my knowledge and apply it in different scenarios.

Besides, since it is compulsory for students to work before we graduate, PolyU and our department have been offering a lot of help by providing several channels for us to find work-related opportunities. I worked in Kuehne & Nagel Limited as a summer intern in year 2 and extended till the beginning of year 4 semester two. During my working period, I participated in different projects and encountered colleagues from different departments. They treated me so well and were willing to teach. My supervisor was very supportive either and always encouraged me to voice out questions whenever I had doubts. I learnt many practical skills and had a great working time there. This internship experience thus allows me to taste what the actual working environment is like and prepare me for my future path.

Everything just happened in the blink of an eye, and it is about time for me to embrace my new life as a graduate. I am very honoured to be able to study in this course, meet passionate professors, make life-long friends, and gain knowledgeable insights which will definitely help my personal development and career path in the future.

Internships

Innovation and entrepreneurship competitions

I would love to conclude my studies at PolyU LMS in two words: transformative and diverse.

Transformative

Like many students who just graduated from high school, I was bashful and lost four years ago. Fortunately, I joined the BBA-GSCM programme offered by LMS, which enabled me to build a solid business foundation, explore my interests, and improve my employability.

PolyU LMS allows us to develop our passion for supply chain by equipping us with a solid foundation of business and different supply chain elements while diving into specific fields, such as quantitative analysis and operations management of different transportation modes. The courses keep up with information technology and big data development. The LMS Academy, run by elite students, provides workshops, site visits, and other opportunities to foster career and personal growth. Notes published recently for Active Listening skills are one of the examples that you may check out from LMS Academy’s Instagram and LinkedIn.

My internships with Sinotrans, the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and Pfizer have advanced my learning to the next level. I had opportunities to apply what I have learned in various supply chain functions, from procurement and operations to marketing and customer fulfilment. The internship experience not only helped me to integrate theories and business applications, but also provided industry insights while accomplishing day-to-day tasks. For example, I learned how a company evaluates and selects a technical proposal and a commercial proposal during the tendering process. This practical experience has equipped me with the business skills of preparing for or studying a tender in the future.

Diversity

PolyU LMS provides various opportunities for me to connect with my peers all over the world. Overseas exchange students joining our department for a semester offer an excellent opportunity for me to practice communication skills and understand cultural diversity. I met some Swedish friends at PolyU and we maintained a lovely relationship even after they returned to Sweden. Additionally, I spent one semester studying at Aston University. Located in Birmingham, United Kingdom, the exchange experience has strengthened my creativity, international business sense, and independence. In Aug 2023, I attended the 11th University Scholar Leadership Symposium held at the Thailand United Nations Conference Centre. Through meeting with like-minded delegates and leaders from different places, I improved my understanding of the challenges faced in Asia Pacific and was inspired with new ideas for contributing to our society.

Overall, PolyU LMS is the right place to develop my whole-person professionalism in supply chain management. After graduation, I started my career in pharmaceutical supply chain.

The past four years studying at PolyU LMS have been one of the most remarkable years in my life, giving me lots of insights, opportunities, and great memories. Most importantly, I have met my life-long friends at PolyU and my BBA-ISTL major has provided me with a clear career path upon graduation.

During the second semester of my third year, I was lucky to have an opportunity to be an exchange student at Aston University in the UK, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first time I left my parents to stay alone for months. I spent six months in the UK, which enabled me to grow up and be independent. Without my parents around, I needed to manage everything by myself in the UK.

Other than the skills of living, the learning culture in the UK was quite different from what I experienced in PolyU where there are lots of guided tasks and assessments throughout the whole semester. In the UK, self-learning and reading played an essential role in the study process and I had only one or two assessments in each subject. Moreover, the exchange life in the UK allowed me to make many good friends from different parts of the world. We lived and travelled together throughout the six months, and we still keep in touch.

My internship experiences in Cargo Service Far East Limited, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminal Limited, and Aldi Sourcing Asia Limited have enriched my knowledge in the logistics and supply chain field. By completing different practical tasks assigned by my supervisors and by day-to-day conversations with my colleagues, the internships have helped me to develop a solid foundation and be ready to start my career in related industries.

Apart from overseas exchange, internships, and study, my time at PolyU was made remarkable and meaningful by being one of the LMS student ambassadors. This role not only has allowed me to share my PolyU life with potential students, but also has given me opportunities to get connections in the industry. I took those opportunities to review my university life in the past few years and looked for room for improvement. Time flies! I have started my graduation job as a management trainee in OOCL and I will miss my time at PolyU.

Self-Introduction

Hi, everyone. Here is WANG Huazhe, Jerry. I am a fresh graduate of the BBA (Hons) in Global Supply Chain Management in 2022/2023. I am now pursuing my MSc in Business Analytics at HKUST. My PolyU journey was full of amazing memories. Various projects and activities, including internships, overseas exchange, community service, mentorship, and student ambassadorship, not only enriched my university life, but also improved my communication skills, expanded my networks, and broadened my horizons. After graduation, I always remind myself to “keep learning and never let up”.

Exchange Programme

LMS provides students with lots of chances and resources to explore the world. Joining the overseas exchange programme is indeed one of the highlights of my study. I was lucky to join a four-month overseas exchange with two of my BBA-GSCM friends at Lund University in Sweden. In addition to learning, we also experienced the traditional Swedish festival atmosphere and food, explored the natural and cultural scenery of Sweden, and made many interesting friends there. Throughout the exchange, I travelled to 11 European countries to explore different customs, learn the diverse history of Europe, and visit famous natural sceneries. These experiences undoubtedly have widened my horizons. After returning to Hong Kong, I found that my English has improved a lot, especially my oral English. 

International Experience

Thanks to the strong alumni network and resources of PolyU and LMS, students are provided with various internship opportunities in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and abroad. For me, I have engaged in several internships during my study. One company I worked for was Cedar Holdings in Guangzhou. Through on-the-job training, I gained practical insights into the basic process of the aluminium rod supply chain and its trading mechanisms. My competency in using various office software has improved a lot as well. In addition to supply chain, I also have internship experiences in insurance, securities, and real estate. These experiences have helped me to integrate my classroom knowledge with real-life applications not limited to my major, but also related to the business world in general.

External Activities

Aside from studying, I actively explored activities and competitions outside the university. In 2020/2021, I participated in the "The 2nd Youth Elite Aspiration Program" organized by the Hong Kong Professionals and Senior Executives Association. During the event, I had a chance to talk with outstanding leaders in various fields and to understand their views on the future development of Hong Kong. The event was fruitful for me in shaping my career. 

I am very grateful to PolyU and LMS for their continued help and support. I am surprised to have grown and made a lot of progress in every aspect in these years. I have set a career goal, and I am working hard to pursue it. In the future, I will strive for betterment and give back to society. Finally, I will stay connected with PolyU and LMS and provide support as a way of expressing my gratitude and appreciation for all the wonderful learning opportunities which I have received.

Hands-on learning

Through connections with its alumni, the Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies offered us a golden opportunity to complete an internship at Walgreens Boots Alliance, a world-renowned logistics company. During the internship, we worked alongside staff members to assist in different departments’ daily duties.

We were given project ownership and defined the topic, carried out research and presented our recommendations in the presence of the Asia-Pacific directors. One of the most exciting parts of the experience was getting a restricted area permit to visit a cargo aircraft (not the passenger aircraft we usually take).

Networking

I also had the chance to learn from my mentors who are experienced professionals and alumni of the department. They were very supportive and took time out of their busy schedules to guide us. My mentor was the general manager of a listed company in Hong Kong for years. He taught me to be ambitious and proactive and brought me along to a lot of events and courses.

When another mentee needed to find a logistics company for her final year project, he immediately contacted his friends to find connections. As for the mentor assigned by department, he was also willing to help. When I had to make decisions before a very tight deadline, he responded instantly via WhatsApp. I am so happy to have such supportive and caring alumni as my mentors.

International exposure

In my third year, I was nominated by PolyU to join an exchange programme at the National University of Singapore for one semester. Classes were different from Hong Kong. One of the courses I took there was Itadakimasu – Food in Japan. It was a cross-discipline course on how food, history, economies, politics and culture affect each other. We had tasting sessions during lectures. Professors even arranged a tea ceremony for us as a tutorial. The class was very innovative and enjoyable.

Moreover, I developed valuable friendships with my hall mates, chit chatting overnight along the corridor. When they came to Hong Kong last summer to visit me, I took them around Hong Kong as they had done for me back in Singapore. We had site visits to some Singaporean logistics firms, where I discovered that Singaporeans and Singaporean firms are very open-minded and creative.

Connecting with communities

Apart from attending lectures as a student, I also actively participated in community service locally and overseas. As students, we want to be able to contribute to society. I developed teaching kits to teach English to children in rural Chinese villages, in hopes of raising their interest in learning English through storytelling. In a leadership programme organised by PolyU, I also went to Israel to discuss ethnicity issues with local youth to understand the relationship between Jews and Arabs. I also spoke with locals to learn how to develop entrepreneurship.

During my years as a Global Supply Chain Management major, I took an extensive range of courses related to supply chain management. Most of the courses were taught by industry veterans with solid connections and experience. As such, we were able to make frequent visits to industry companies and interesting places such as shipping dockyards to engage with professionals.

In one of the courses I took, the lecturer who was a maritime logistics and operations expert, took us to a marine service provider. The company provided ship repair, harbour towage and shipping related engineering service. I got to see an actual tugboat and the equipment introduced in our lectures. We also visited the operation room and learned about the different processes of dockyard operations and the information system.

Apart from a well-rounded academic experience, my time at PolyU was made remarkable because of the people I met. I was chosen as a mentor in the Department’s “mentorship programme”, a programme that connects freshmen with senior students to provide support and guidance as they transition from secondary school to university through various activities. The department arranged outings to Disneyland and the Ocean Park, for example, for mentors and mentees to get to know each other better and form a bond in a relaxing environment. We had so much fun and made precious memories, and eventually become good friends.

I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to attend insightful and practical courses and made some lifelong friends.

During my years as a Global Supply Chain Management major student, I took an extensive range of courses related to supply chain management. Most of the courses were taught by industry veterans with solid connections and experience. As such, we were able to make frequent visits to industry companies and interesting places such as shipping dockyards to engage with professionals.

The lecturer for one of the courses, a maritime logistics and operations expert, took us to a marine service provider. The company provided ship repair, harbour towage and shipping related engineering service. I got to see an actual tugboat and the equipment introduced in our lectures. We also visited the operation room and learned about the different processes of dockyard operations and the information system.

Apart from a well-rounded academic experience, my time at PolyU was made remarkable because of the people I met. I was chosen as a mentor in the Department’s “mentorship programme”, a programme that connects first year students with senior students to provide support and guidance as they transition from secondary school to university through various activities. The department arranged outings to Disneyland and the Ocean Park, for example, so that mentors and mentees can get to know each other better and form a bond in a relaxing environment. We had so much fun and made precious memories, and eventually become good friends.

I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to attend insightful and practical courses and made some lifelong friends.

The last three years of university have been some of the most rewarding years of my life, great memories were made, windows of opportunities opened and most importantly, I got to meet some awesome people that I can call friends for life.

Last year, I was an exchange student at the University of Mannheim in Germany. It was the first time I ever got to travel out of Asia, let alone live in a foreign country on my own, so it was pretty intimidating at first. I spent 6 months in Germany and I decided it was a good time to pick up a new language. Unlike Hong Kong, Germany is not a bilingual country and you rarely see English translations on signs, so I signed up for a beginner’s German class.

The learning culture in Germany was quite different from what I'm used to in Hong Kong. It emphasises self-learning and curiosity. During lectures, students were eager to raise questions.

Still, I made some very good friends from different parts of the world, with whom I still keep in touch with today. Together we travelled to many neighbouring countries, including Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Denmark. As an avid photographer I took the chance to explore the many beautiful landscapes these countries have to offer. The cultural differences within members in our travel group did not stop us from understanding each other. Instead, we became closer through getting to know each other through our travels and ruling out misconceptions we held previously.

My internship experience at Siemens also deserves a mention. The 3-month internship provided a solid foundation to build my career in the logistics industry. Unlike conventional big companies, the laid-back working environment meant I was rarely given strict procedures to follow and was encouraged to raise questions.

There was an incident during my internship where a shipping schedule was disrupted by a typhoon. The shipment was unable to arrive on time. I assisted my supervisor in rearranging the shipment and liaised freight details with forwarders. That was an exhausting day but it was a worthwhile experience that really sharpened my ability to improvise.

Time has passed in the blink of an eye and this is my last year at PolyU. Looking back, I have participated in various activities in that have enriched my university life.

PolyU is a place where I have met friends that I will cherish for life. I remember how I met my first group of friends at the student halls of residence. I first moved into the halls 3 years ago and I have never felt bored living there because there are always people there you can hang around with. We have spent numerous sleepless nights chatting, watching movies and playing games in each other’s rooms.

I am an avid traveller and the past three years at PolyU have given me a lot of opportunities to explore the world and gain a global perspective with visits to various countries. I was an exchange student at Ryerson University in Canada for a semester. During that time, I made friends with people from different parts of the world and learned about different cultures. I remember there was an “International Night” dinner event where we sat together sharing traditional dishes from our hometowns.

Last summer, I went to Hangzhou as part of Service Learning, a compulsory course at our university. Service Learning is different from other voluntary works. Throughout the project, teachers guided us on how to promote positive youth development for underprivileged children and adolescents on the mainland.

Towards the end of the project, we went to a primary school in Hangzhou and practised the theories and skills that we had learnt. We provided educational support for a week. We built close relationships with students and the experience has definitely been rewarding and memorable to me.

As a student of global supply chain management, our university and department has given us a lot of work-related opportunities. Last year, I joined a study tour organised by our department to the UK where we paid visits to different ports and companies such as Tesco and John Lewis. We learned from professionals of related fields about real-world business operations.

I also joined the aviation practicum programme last year, where I visited top airlines and airports as well as received professional training on knowledge and skills of the aviation industry. I even worked as student consultant for Hong Kong Airlines Limited and gained hands-on experience.

Apart from academic knowledge, my friends and all the valuable experiences and memories are the key takeaways from my years at PolyU that I will cherish forever.

My internship experience in Melbourne, Australia gave me a taste of working at a culturally diverse working environment. I worked as a Purchasing and Operations Intern at Alloys International - the Non-Traditional Distributor, where its Melbourne office is home to partners and staff from around the globe.This experience truly opened my eyes to the operations in Australian companies and the different methods they use when compared with local or Chinese firms.

While working with the Purchasing and Operations team, I gained a wide range of knowledge and learned about different techniques such as the calculation of DIFOT (delivery in full, on time) and fill rate, transferral of stocks between warehouses, and how to draw warehouse layouts, to name but a few.

Alloys provided me with a lot of opportunities to really understand and learn how a distributor runs its business, as well as the way they embrace its “non-traditional” values to both buyer and supplier.

Alloys' laid-back working environment made going to work every day very enjoyable. I always heard laughter coming from every corner of the office. I am grateful that my colleagues, including the CEO and my supervisor, were so supportive and motivating during my time there.

They did their best to make me feel at home and were always patient with me. They never turned away my questions and were willing to help when I encountered difficulties.

When I was not working at the Alloys office or on-site with the Purchasing and Operations team, I spent my time exploring the city of Melbourne. I met new friends who also came from PolyU, and we spent a lot of time travelling around. Australia is a place where the beauty of life is all around us, and is home to species such as koalas and kangaroos.

The natural landscapes of Australia were magnificent, places like the Twelve Apostles, Phillip Island, Mornington Island and Brighton Beach had breathtaking views. The most memorable trip I took was to Tasmania for a weekend. It is undeniably a paradise on earth - the sight of Cradle Mountain was unforgettable.

I am honoured to have been selected to participate in this program and would like to thank PolyU and Alloys International for this incredible opportunity. I have made connections and memories that will last a lifetime. I had an excellent time during my time in Melbourne and highly recommend future interns to pursue this opportunity.

During the summer break of my sophomore year, I joined the Shanghai WIE (work-integrated education) programme where I did an internship with the industry-leading international logistics company, Kuehne + Nagel. The experience not only gave me the chance to put the logistics knowledge acquired from classes in a real-life work setting, but also insights into actual business operations in freight forwarding. I also consider this internship experience as a good chance for self-evaluation. Through daily work and communication with colleges, I understood myself better - my abilities, career interests, and areas in need of improvement.

As my university life comes to an end, I have come to realise that what I gained here at PolyU is much more than just a degree - it's also about having the ability to be a fast learner with solid work experience, because ultimately, these are the values that will take me into the ever-changing world when I graduate.