Students of ISU International Institute of Economics and Linguistics finished their half year and summer internships. A total of 34 students went to study abroad, 7 of them went to Korea (Pai Chai University, Suwon University), 27 went to China (Liaoning University, Henan University).

Ekaterina Markelova, 2-year student, went to Pai Chai University:

The programme at Pai Chai was focused on studying the Korean language. The opportunity to study with foreign students allowed me not only to improve my Korean, but also to learn about different cultures. I can now say with certainty that Korea is a country of contrasts where ancient traditions are intertwined with innovations and future.

A group of students from the International Institute of Economics and Linguistics of Irkutsk State University participated in the International Summer School “Synergy of Linguocultural Adaptation and Digital Transformation: Experimental Programme for Analyzing the Economic and Strategic Prospects of Chinese Enterprises”, organized by Liaoning University (Shenyang, China) from July 1^st to 22^nd. The trip was covered by a scholarship from the Chinese Government. The group of 24 students studying Chinese was accompanied by Olga Rodionova, senior lecturer at the Department of Linguistics and Linguodidactics of ISU IIEL.

The summer school programme included in-depth study of the Chinese language with an emphasis on technical terminology and familiarization with advanced branches of the Chinese economy. The students visited leading enterprises and research centres.

1. Ascend Artificial Intelligence Center: students saw firsthand how artificial intelligence is applied in industry and healthcare, highly appreciating the level of development of these technologies in China.
2. Boyu Group: the visit was remembered for the demonstration of innovative projects and the potential for future cooperation. The warm welcome, accompanied by singing Russian songs, was particularly touching.
3. BMW Factory: participants were impressed by the highly automated production, where robots perform welding, painting and assembly of car bodies with incredible precision and speed.
4. Yili Dairy Factory: students learned about the technologically advanced process of yogurt production, noted strict hygiene standards and tasted fresh products.

Students learned about Chinese culture on workshops organized by the Liaoning University:

1. Taijiquan: under the guidance of an experienced master, students learned the basic movements of this ancient martial art, embracing its philosophical depth and meditative nature.
2. Chinese knotting and paper cutting (Jianzhi): participants learned how to create basic elements of these traditional crafts, admiring the skill of the teachers.
3. Trying on hanfu: the opportunity to try on traditional Chinese costumes was one of the brightest and most memorable moments for the entire group.

Daria Stepanova, Maria Frolova, went to Hainan Tropical Ocean University (Sanya):

The studies were entirely in Chinese, which allowed us to dive into the language environment and boost our listening, speaking, writing and reading skills. Such a complex approach not only helped us broaden the knowledge we had, but also revealed our weak points to work on.