GARY NG, INTERNATIONAL PROJECT MANAGER AT ICD BUSINESS SCHOOL

Introduce yourself.

Hello my name is Gary NG, International Project Manager at ICD BS. I came from Macau, the eastern Las Vegas. I started my career in education some years ago, in an QS World Top 300 University, mainly working with International, Incoming, Outgoing students, and partners around the world. I switched my career to HR after obtaining my MBA degree – a memorable and fruitful experience. Now I am living in France, working in this adventurous and exciting area of education again. I speak Cantonese, Mandarin and English, and I am trying to be fluent in French as well!

What is your role at ICD BS?

Now at ICD BS, I am managing and developing different projects with our partner Universities, and also new and in-depth partnerships with accredited and well known Universities around the world. Besides, I am also advising our International Students and Outgoing Students to make the best out of their semester abroad experience. 

The international aspect is central to the school, how do you welcome international students?

Before their arrival, we stay connected with them by email. We try our best to be the source of information for our International Students so that they can be well prepared for their life in France. We also created a page on ICD website, which is filled with practical information for students to learn about France and prepare for their adventure here!

After their arrival, we organize welcome meeting to introduce our schools, our services and advice for them to settle down in France. Topics concerning formalities like visa, daily life and academic requirements are covered. 

During their study in ICD BS, we keep close contact with them. We make ourselves available through different channels, for instance, emails and WhatsApp. We are trying to be reachable as much as we can! We also plan activities for our International Students in order to help them to know more about Paris and get in touch with local students. 

Why is it important to welcome international students in a business school?

In my opinion, Internationalization and Cross Cultural Communication is very important for all kinds of businesses. International Business School, like ICD BS, aims to provide the opportunities and platform for students to prepare their career in this fast changing world, locally and internationally. 

Welcoming international students creates a platform for our students to get in touch with people from different cultures and countries, who possess different ideas, values and practice in various aspects of business and life. 

The experiences obtained through the communications, the human touch and the opportunity to discuss, study and work on projects together with international students, are inaccessible and unobtainable by reading books or surfing the internet. What’s more, international students also create a fantastic opportunity for our students to practice their English!

What is the added value?

Of course, this also creates an opportunity for international students from our partner Universities or other countries to experience our quality of education in ICD and have a taste of the life in France, which helps promoting ICD BS and France to the world!

ICD students can also go on exchange to other universities, how does it work?

Our programmes are designed to nurture our students to be a global citizen by offering different opportunities for them to study abroad throughout their journey in ICD BS, for example, exchange semester and double degree. Students are required to go on an exchange for at least one semester in order to complete their degree at ICD BS.

For Exchange to happen, ICD developed and is still developing different partnerships with Universities around the world. Students are required to meet a certain proficiency level of English and academic standing before being nominated to our partner Universities. After the nomination is accepted, we work with our students to find the courses which are most suitable for their development, and walk them through the applications and preparation to go abroad. We also keep close follow up with our students to ensure they obtain the best experience during their semester abroad.

What are the advantages of these exchanges?

It creates an opportunity for our students to receive high quality education from our partners, which is certified by the education system in their own country, and is also certified by the recognized higher education accreditation organizations internationally. 

And it is reciprocal of course!

Any advice for young people who want to join the ICD BS?

Be prepared to go above and beyond your limits and comfort zone!