Interview: Luka Šinkovec
Luka Šinkovec is an International Business student at the Faculty of Economics who used some of his study time to gather valuable international experience. He says the diversity of the countries he selected – he travelled to Japan and Finland – has given him a broad understanding of foreign cultures and their way of thinking and acting while helping him to create valuable friendships, contacts and practical know-how. Read in this interview how, on his travels, he found himself in the corporate office of L’Oreal Helsinki and why he smiled at the song ‘Good Life’ by One Republic.
1) The Faculty of Economics offers a broad range of possibilities for international exchange in both Europe and around the world. In your undergraduate study, you chose Japan and in your graduate study Finland. What were the main reasons for selecting these two countries and how would you compare your two experiences?
The FELU offers a host of opportunities that cannot be found anywhere else. You can take part in two, three or even more exchanges. Friends from all over the world told me they were only allowed to participate in a single exchange.
I chose Japan because this country had topped my priority list already since secondary school, when I learned about the Japanese culture through anime. I would say this is the ideal exchange destination because it is developed and safe – completely different from all other countries you can visit in the framework of the Erasmus+ programmes. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been attracted by the harmonious mindset of Japanese people and, what is more, I saw in this exchange an opportunity to start an independent life. To live by oneself on the other side of the planet is really the epitome of independence.
Finland, on the other hand, is a country with one of the most advanced school systems in the world. The university I attended, Aalto University, is also known for intertwining engineering, business and design studies. This blend of knowledge facilitates the exceptionally rapid creation of progressive ideas and their subsequent implementation. It is a perfect destination for anyone interested in entrepreneurship.
2) So you carried out some of your obligations at home and some abroad. What is your general impression of the faculties, the way of studying, the level of difficulty and professor–student relations? Where do you see the main areas of similarity and the biggest differences between the FELU and the faculties in Finland and Japan?
The differences among these systems are very distinct, quite like the mentality of the students and professors. In Japan, university education is not as widespread as in Slovenia because it is mostly self-financed. Besides lectures, students participate in many extracurricular activities that equip them with additional qualifications when they end their studies, such as IT competencies, playing musical instruments, knowledge of foreign languages, sports activities etc. In general, study efforts in Japan are much more evenly distributed than in Slovenia. This is reflected in their home assignments, monthly seminar papers and the fact they take three to four preliminary exams per semester. The final exams are thus not so stressful, whereas in Slovenia the assessment of students’ knowledge often consists of one preliminary exam, one seminar paper and a long and difficult exam at the end of the semester. I would say the level of difficulty in Japanese universities is lower than in Slovenia, except, of course, for the most prestigious Japanese university.
In Finland, the progressive nature of the system, compared to the Slovenian or Japanese systems, is clearly visible. A semester is divided into three trimesters, meaning six mini semesters per academic year. Every mini-semester you can choose from a wide range of courses, which are not limited to business sciences. I myself chose many courses from other fields of expertise so I eventually noticed exceptional progress in my knowledge and understanding of business and of the world. This system also allows you to acquire 60 ECTS credits over four mini-semesters, enabling you to take half an academic year off. Finnish students dedicate that period to gaining practical experience, pursuing a traineeship and, naturally, travelling.
3) Can you perhaps give us a good example of a work method employed in courses that would also have a positive effect in Slovenia?
The University of Ljubljana has a large number of faculties, yet moving between them is quite rigid and nearly impossible. It would be good if we followed the Finnish example and opened the door to allow learning across different fields. An engineer with a business idea, who does not know anything about marketing or finance, would really benefit from a course at a faculty of economics. Likewise, a student with a business idea but lacking technological and/or IT knowledge would definitely need knowledge from a faculty of mechanical engineering or a faculty of information technology. In Finland, an economist is not expected to be familiar with complex technological processes since special courses are dedicated to them. There are specific courses intended for students from different industries, so gathered together in one room you find students with various study backgrounds. We would be divided into groups: every group had one economist, one engineer and one student of design programmes. The speed at which we found new solutions and completed our ideas up to final prototypes was mind-blowing.
I should also like to mention that in Finland we hardly ever had to pass final exams of the traditional type. All lectures were practically oriented (especially at graduate level). Every course had a project and the entire course was focussed on that project.
One of the differences between the FELU and Aalta University includes projects that were not based on a fictitious scenario, but we always solved problems faced by real companies, factories, towns etc. In this way, students learn how to resolve an actual problem and also establish real-world contacts. Where a student resolves a problem exceptionally well, they can also be offered a job.
4) You successfully participated in some competitions in Finland. What were these competitions about and what do the awards that were received mean?
In the Global Marketing Management framework, I took part in the L’Oreal Brandstorm Innovation Challenge. My team included one female student from Brazil and one from France. We were invited to the corporate office of L’Oreal Helsinki where we were presented with the challenge for the current year. The problem we aimed to resolve entailed the area of salons, which are in decline around the world. The task was “Create the Salon Experience of the Future”. It was a very demanding task. We held interviews with people from all over the world and conducted a quantitative analysis on a global scale. Eventually, our idea won at the national level of the L’Oreal Brandstorm Innovation Challenge and we were sent off to Copenhagen where we competed against all Nordic countries. In the end, the Swedish team won. The final award was €10,000, but the competition’s main goal was to identify a talented person and offer them a job with L’Oreal which, as you know, is one of the most renowned global enterprises.
The second competition was organised as part of the Redefining the Digital Paradigm course and focused on additive manufacturing, i.e. the use of 3D printers. My team included students from engineering, business and architecture. Together, we employed additive manufacturing to manufacture ceramic teeth. We won with this idea at the Aalto Innovation Competition where we presented it to directors of Finnish innovation foundations. My award means that now I have established contact with all of the largest investors in Finland as well as the knowledge those investors shared with my team.
5) Students have different experiences with foreign cultures – some quickly catch up with the everyday rhythm, but some experience a true ‘culture shock’. What is your experience of merging in with a foreign culture and what surprised you the most when you were abroad?
The farther you go from home, the bigger the cultural differences. That’s indisputable. When I went to Japan, on the way I first stayed in Hong Kong. You feel as if you have just dropped into a film, it’s so incredible and everything seems impossible. When for the third morning in a row I was given a cup of rice filled to the top with roast pork and dressed with sweet&sour sauce, I sort of freaked out. Yet another heavy breakfast, everything was extremely loud, there were strong and unfamiliar smells, people running in all directions…. This is the kind of moment when most people give up and ruin their entire experience of several months. I can still recall the moment when, standing on an overcrowded escalator, I turned on my headphones and listened to One Republic’s Good Life, smiling. I smiled at every absurd thing, at every difference… and kept walking on.
An exchange as such is a difficult experience but helps you to find yourself, because on the other side of the world you get to choose who you want to be. I’d rather mention the ‘Reverse-Culture Shock’ that nobody talks about. It happens when you come back from an exchange. Everything is the same, so peaceful and quiet. You miss your favourite food you ate on the exchange and all your crazy, new acquaintances. Your hometown seems like a tiny village where nothing interesting happens. Beware of this shock, because you typically don’t expect it.
Be aware that this feeling can completely change and is proof that you have successfully completed the exchange because you are no longer the same person you were before you left. The only advice I can give is to make yourself busy. Be busy with anything, just don’t sit in your room. Slovenia is packed with all manner of beauty that cannot be found anywhere else, so I recommend becoming aware of these beautiful things again.
6) What would be your main advice or recommendation for students who are also considering going on an exchange in these two countries?
For those who want something safe, something high in quality yet extremely different, Japan is the right country, as it differs greatly. Contact the embassy and they will provide you with additional information on potential scholarships. Likewise, do not fear to ask the coordinators in the desired country of exchange. I recommend Finland to all who want to build up their business career. Contact students who have already been to these two destinations, you can get their details from the International Relations Office.
7) What is the most important lesson the exchange has given you?
It is impossible to state what was the most important. Everything, from meeting new people, the mentality, currencies, food, habits through to knowledge – it’s all important. If I had to pick just one, I’d say the most important lesson is knowing that I can smile at any situation … and walk on.
Prepared by: Iva Drvarič
EFnews, Faculty of Economics, July 2018
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