Lights, Laughs and Lectures

The International Immersion Programme is an integral aspect of the PGDM and PGDM-IB programme at FORE. The notion of bringing international exposure, both in academia and industrial interactions, to the entire batch in addition to the academic curriculum is not particularly followed across other top tier B-Schools. This tie-up with both the universities in Hong Kong and Singapore, in addition to the numerous industry collaborations, is a refreshing prospect to say the least.

I was part of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University immersion programme. The itinerary of the visit included a city tour on the very first day, covering a section of the highly advanced and developed Republic. It helped in acclimatization to a different cultural and social setting. The tour was orchestrated by an International Travel Operator with the planning being immaculate. They did a fine job in perfectly spacing out the entire trip.

The first day at Hong Kong Polytechnic University was an orientation program of the major topics that would be covered in the following days. Hong Kong’s economic ascensions and impact to the global financial framework was the underlying theme. We were provided the chance to be enlightened by esteemed faculty of the university. Just like our acclimatization of Hong Kong in the very first day, the first day at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (fondly called PolyU)  was intended to provide us a backdrop of Hong Kong’s political, cultural, social and economical standing with impetus on history and contemporary business.

The subsequent days saw each speaker cover a topic in detail and nuance Hong Kong’s footprint across the global business timeline. The lessons were followed by a quiz that tested the understanding of the subject. The PolyU campus itself was state of the art, with top edge infrastructure offering a wide array of specializations. Interaction with its students proved to be extremely rewarding.

We also had industrial visits where batches where divided to cover a specific industry. This included the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Hong Kong Airlines and many others. The industrial interactions gave us a look into some of the leading organizations and their workings.

Beside these ‘serious’ propositions in the programme, the trip was a fun outing into an international terrain. Having this lot of students, travel to a tourist hub, was an experience of a lifetime. The afterhours from the classes were mostly filled with visits to tourist spots across each day. From the breathtaking dazzles of Ocean Park and Disney Land to the daily Light Show at the Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong provided some of the most amazing backdrops for student revelry. And who can forget the heaps and bulks of the shopping streets, placed in chunks all across the place. From the heights of the Lantau Islands cable cars to the simmering lights of the Macau skyline, this trip provided an unforgettable experience.

Deeptiman Dasgupta
FMG22