Cursus académique
From Geneva to Tokyo: IBM Students Put Their Intercultural Skills to the Test in Japan

Textbooks can teach students about international business. But bowing to a CEO, participating in a centuries-old tea ceremony, and discussing Japanese business culture with the people who live it every day offer a very different kind of learning experience. This is exactly what a cohort of our International Business Management Bachelor students got to experience this summer.

Students from the first, third and fourth years of the program spent 10 days in Japan as part of a Blended Intensive Program (BIP) jointly organized by HEG - Genève and Soka University of Japan (SUJ), with the support of HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland. The delegation was led by Professor Aleksandra Jasinska and Aida Rusu.

Hosted by Soka's Faculty of Business, and with the support of Dean Naoki Kuriyama and Professor Lim Tai Wei, students took part in a series of lectures exploring Japanese business management, the future of the automotive industry, Chinese innovation, and the history of finance. Sessions were delivered by Professor Lim Tai Wei, Professor Hiroo Takahashi, and visiting professors Allan Dwyer and Subhasis Ray.

Learning extended well beyond the classroom. Students experienced a traditional Japanese tea ceremony (Sado), performed by practitioners of the historic Omote Senke tea school, and shared a traditional sushi dinner with their Japanese counterparts and professors. Field visits took students from the world of precision watchmaking to the vibrant economy of anime, manga, and games.

The group was also welcomed at the Embassy of Switzerland in Japan, meeting government officials and representatives of the Swiss Business Hub Japan. Students then visited companies operating across very different sectors, including Japanese M&A firm STRIKE and cloud security company HENNGE, as well as Swiss luxury watchmaker Breitling Japan.

In their free time, students experienced some of Japan's most popular traditions and forms of entertainment, including baseball, sumo, karaoke, and Tokyo's vibrant nightlife. They also had the chance to connect informally with local students, gaining a more personal perspective on life in Japan. The trip closed with a festive farewell dinner in Shinjuku, capping off ten days of learning, exchange, and discovery.

A heartfelt thank you to Professor Aleksandra Jasinska and Aida Rusu for designing such a memorable program, and to all our partners in Japan and Switzerland who made this exchange possible.