International interns bring Suzhou company new perspectives

While there is more paperwork for Chinese companies to hire international rather than domestic interns, representatives of Suzhou MDCE, a firm that hired students from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University this summer, found it worthwhile.

From left: interns with Jing Xu, Director of MDCE’s Human Resources and Administration Center and Zhenen Dai, Senior Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) Supervisor at MDCE

According to Jing Xu, Director of MDCE’s Human Resources and Administration Center, the company decided to hire both international and domestic interns because it fits their business, which has a global reach. The company is a Clinical Research Organisation (CRO) that helps Chinese medical technology and biotechnology companies design and conduct clinical trials overseas.

“We need to understand and cater to the culture, requirements, and needs of Chinese clients while also addressing the regulations, culture, and customs of different countries worldwide,” she says. “Our organisational structure and team composition reflect this, with a China-centric management approach and an international team.”

The Suzhou headquarters includes employees from China, Russia, and India, and their clinical research specialists are from countries spread across the globe.

The University’s reputation as an international university is one reason MDCE contacted it about the internships.

“XJTLU is famous for its academic resources, providing students with a high-quality education that offers a global perspective and good research opportunities,” Xu says.

The XJTLU international interns were Ulzii-Uchral Batbayar from Mongolia and Metta Hormen from Indonesia. Lorenzo Ceci, an exchange student at XJTLU from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice in Italy, was also an intern. The students heard about the internships through XJTLU’s Career Centre, which had organised a job fair featuring the company.

Batbayar, who graduated during her internship with a BA in International Business with a Language, worked at MDCE in human resources. Hormen, now a Year Three BA Marketing student and Ceci interned in marketing.

Meeting at MDCE

MDCE took proactive measures to bridge cultural gaps and to set the interns up for success.

“We required their managers to assign tasks aligned with their academic backgrounds and their hard and soft skills. When their team leaders wanted to assign a new task, we asked them to illustrate the task with an example, showing the interns the whole process and the results,” Xu says.

They also conducted team-building activities that aimed to create an energetic and youthful environment, she says.

The preparation paid off, and both the MDCE representatives and the students listed positive outcomes of the internships.

“The international interns brought different perspectives and ideas to the team,” Xu says.

“For example, Ulzii speaks not only Chinese and English but also Russian, so she helped a lot in the overseas talent acquisition and helped us better understand the medical education system of Russia, which is very different from what it is in China.

“In general, international students have a good sense of the workplace, are flexible, and mature in their interpersonal communication skills,” Xu says. “These interns had a proactive attitude and made a positive impact on the whole team.”

Hormen, who interned in marketing, says the internship not only benefitted her emotional intelligence and character development but also helped her grow as a professional.

“I learnt a lot of technical hands-on skills that I can apply in practice directly, outside the bounds of the classroom,” she says.

“In contrast to school projects and assignments, there are real-life consequences when you are in the working world; it is not a matter of passing or failing anymore, but a matter of millions in money and invaluable client relationships.”

Batbayar says she also grew. One experience sticks out in her mind. MDCE was having difficulty finding qualified personnel to support an overseas clinical trial. She recruited a candidate who met both MDCE’s and their client’s needs within a tight timeline.

“It was my first big achievement in my internship period, so it was very memorable,” she says.

XJTLU student interns Ulzii-Uchral Batbayar and Metta Hormen at MDCE Suzhou

Results like that are why Zhenen Dai, Senior Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) Supervisor at MDCE, says the company would like to continue working with both XJTLU interns: Batbayar as a regular employee and Hormen as an intern again next summer.

“Because of the outstanding performance Ulzii contributed to the HRBP work, we wanted to provide her a working visa,” he says. “And the marketing line manager said those interns exceeded what she had imagined, including their work, logic, language, willingness, and dedication. We would welcome Metta back for a second year in the summer holiday.”

Xu says MDCE will continue recruiting international interns. Besides relevant academic backgrounds, the company will look for individuals who have independent problem-solving skills, a proactive attitude, and an eagerness to learn. The company also highly values adaptability and strong communication skills, she says.

Would she recommend other Chinese companies hire international interns?

“Of course I would recommend that,” she says, “as long as the company runs an international business and can provide an open and diverse company culture or environment for the students.”

Yan Wang, Student Admissions and Career Development Officer and Dongying Ji, Career Officer, both at XJTLU’s Career Centre gave us pointers for international students who want to intern in China.

1.Be aware of the residence permit annotation application process. “If an international student wants to do an internship, they need to apply for an annotation on their residence permit that allows for internships. According to Chinese regulations, they must apply for a residence permit with a remark stating the holder can participate in internships. You need to work with the XJTLU Global office and your company to prepare necessary documents. The whole process might take more than a month.”

2.Proactively seek opportunities. “International students need to enhance their ability to find companies that are willing to accept international interns. Most international students are unaware that companies can recruit through websites or apps like 'BOSS Zhipin'. The cultural barriers in the job market are significant, and students need to overcome them.

“We will organise activities this semester to help students overcome these barriers, such as job fairs, one-on-one sessions, presentations, workshops, and more. For example, we are holding a job fair on 6 November.”

3.Improve your Mandarin skills. “A common requirement is fluency in both English and Chinese. International students are expected to have at least passed level 4 of the HSK Chinese proficiency exam. Companies in China generally prefer candidates with a certain level of Chinese language proficiency or at least having basic Chinese workplace communication skills.”

4.Know that your experience may be your compensation. “Chinese companies can’t give students salaries because of residence permit rules. Some companies may help reimburse you for your daily transportation and some meals.”

5.Be ready for the workplace. “Students must be prepared to grasp the cultural nuances of the Chinese work environment. Cultural challenges are common, and students from diverse backgrounds may face varying experiences. Unlike internships in some places that focus on exploration, in China, internships often require a deeper dive into the work setting. It’s essential for them to understand and adapt to the unique realities of the Chinese work environment.”

This video clip from the interview for this story features XJTLU alumna Ulzii-Uchral Batbayar talking about a success she had during her internship. 

Scan the QR code to see more video clips from the interview.