My name is William Laliberté. You can call me “威廉”. I come from Quebec, which is a gorgeous Canadian city. I’m sure you’ve seen it in many postcards or movies.
Before coming to SUFE, I’ve got a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. Currently, I have been in Shanghai for 5 months.
· There are quite a few Chinese people who choose to study or live in Canada, so I am sure that you have known some Chinese people and a few things about China before you come here. So are there any differences between the real China and the one you knew back home?
Before I come here, I already knew that China’s science and technology is soaring. But It’s still a surprise to find out living in China is so convenient. A number of major business model innovations in China have definitely made life easier and better. For example, travel in Shanghai is never difficult, even for a foreigner like me. The public transportations cover nearly every corner of Shanghai, not to mention ofo and mobike. Besides, I also enjoy shopping on Taobao, to buy food and family supplies. In the offline world, Alipay has realized a wallet-free environment rapidly. Although Canada has similar ones, the coverage is not that wide.
The language has been a challenge for me. Before I came to Shanghai，I was told that most of Shanghai citizens can speak fluent English as Shanghai is the most internationalized city in China. That might be the case in tourist attractions. But to live in Shanghai, Chinese language is still a necessity. For most of time, I still have to write an address down before taking a taxi. I would definitely study Chinese harder while I am here.
· Why do you choose China to continue your study?
The combination of a fascinating history with robust economy and development has drawn more and more foreign students each year to study in China. For myself, firstly，I love learning Chinese and started to learn Chinese years ago during my exchange study in Australia. I know that if I want to have a good understanding of business trends of China, learning language is usually a good way to do it. Secondly，while I continue my study of Chinese in Canada, one of my teachers introduced me China’s graduate enrollment policy of foreign students and how to apply for the government scholarship to support my study. So I found the way to continue my study here smoothly. What’s more, I always want to find a job in Asia and pacific region, which I believe will be the new engine for the global economy. Those are the reasons why I am here.
· Could you please share with us your career plan and how SUFE MBA can help you to realize it? How do you feel about SUFE MBA after one semester’s study?
Actually, I’d like to work in venture capital firms. Since I have a solid foundation in mechanical engineering after my four years of undergraduate study, all I need now is to study on finance and economics and gradually accumulate relevant working experience in the field of investment. SUFE is the best Chinese university in the genre of finance and economics. Her alumni are spreading in the best financial institutions all around Asia and are highly competitive in the job market. If I want to work in VC industry, SUFE is my best choice. In the first semester, I studied Statistics, Accounting, Managerial Economics, Leadership Development and Organizational Behavior and Operation Management, which are all essential in real work. I studied really hard with my amazing classmates who come from different industries. We had some wonderful ideas together.
· What do you usually do to enrich your spare time?
I love skiing and skating very much when I was in Canada. It’s a great feeling to enjoy speed both in the air and water.
In this semester，I have a lot of courses and homework, so I spent most of time listening to audio books on finance by smartphone app. Luckily I still find some time to tour around Shanghai and its surrounding cities such like Hangzhou, a very beautiful city. After I get used to living in China, I’m sure I will travel to more interesting places and find more interesting things to do.
Let’s enjoy a interesting quick answer about William Laliberté in the vedio！At last，you will appreciate his wonderful tongue twister performance！！
、