Overcoming the Challenges of Studying at Singapore Management University

As she wraps up her exchange program at Singapore Management University, Polina Platova, a third-year student of the “Marketing and Market Analytics” program, shares her thoughts on the difficulties and triumphs, cultural shock, and unforgettable impressions of a semester abroad in Singapore.

I never thought I would study at a foreign university, even for a short while, but HSE gave me that opportunity.

At the moment, I am finishing my study abroad experience at Singapore Management University. This period — from August to December — has not been the easiest time in my life, but it has definitely been worth the experience, the new connections, the emotions, and the memories.

The first thing I encountered when starting my studies was the so-called cultural shock. What I mean is this: everything here is different — from the educational system to the mindset of the students themselves.

Speaking of the educational system, the Higher School of Economics has a somewhat similar structure, but there are still some differences. The first and, in my opinion, the most significant difference is the course selection process. Here, they have a unique method for choosing courses. Students are given three bidding rounds and 100 electronic points to use during those rounds. The first round is the most important — in it, students choose the courses they need and/or want to take for the entire semester. After selecting the courses, students allocate their 100 points in a way that their bids (the distributed points) are higher than those of other students. If the bid is successful — the student gets the course; if not, there are still two more chances to compete for a spot if the course has remaining availability. The entire process is conducted online and takes a little time. I really liked this system, even though it has its downsides.

The second difference I encountered was the combined format of lectures and seminars. This format was very unfamiliar to me. On the one hand, it’s convenient and saves time for both the professor and the students. On the other hand, it’s very difficult to be actively involved, especially since the class size was typically no less than 45 students, making it nearly impossible to hear everyone’s opinion.

One of the courses involved group work in every class. For me, this was a very interesting experience — we communicated and discussed various cases, building logical chains to solve a given company’s problem.

All of the courses I took involved one large group project. While working on this kind of task, I noticed some differences in approaches between European, Russian, and Asian students.

The first and probably most significant difference was the way of thinking. In groups with students from Europe, we were on the same wavelength and didn’t have conflicting views on various issues. We understood each other, we listened and were heard. The entire process was smooth and conflict-free. As for groups with students from Singapore, in my experience, there were people with a very different mindset, and we struggled for quite a while to find a common ground for mutual understanding. They weren’t always ready to listen — and even more rarely willing to hear the arguments presented by exchange students and fellow teammates. By the end of the project, of course, we learned how to work together, and the problems resolved themselves.

I also want to highlight the professors who taught my courses this semester. All of them were approachable and open to communication with students, always ready to answer questions at any time. Speaking of how the lectures were conducted — the sessions were held at a comfortable pace and often ended earlier than scheduled. After each class, it was possible to speak with the professor and ask any questions. Throughout the study period, the material was presented in a clear and structured manner, which made it easier to handle challenges that arose during project work.

The university library deserves special attention. It is located in a separate building with four floors. Each floor is equipped with the latest technology. Everything is designed for comfortable study. On every floor, you can find soundproof rooms with screens, several whiteboards, tables, and chairs for group discussions, as well as single-person soundproof rooms for those who need silence while studying. There are many open spaces with tables and chairs, armchairs, and couches for studying. Every floor has one or more rooms where you can print out documents of any format. There are also computer areas and designated zones with books and textbooks. Any book can be ordered and rented for three hours, after which it must be returned through a special window.

In conclusion, I want to say that the Higher School of Economics gave me a wonderful opportunity to gain new experiences and knowledge. I’m incredibly grateful that I didn’t let the thousands of kilometers or the drastically different culture scare me — I made the decision to go. I also want to say: if you have the opportunity and desire to participate in a program like this, you should absolutely take it. This is the kind of experience you’ll later look back on with a smile and warmth in your heart. After spending a semester at SMU, I not only gained new knowledge and experience studying in a foreign language but also made new friends from all over the world!