After a multi-year pause, the Carson College has restarted study abroad programming in China, sending students there in summer 2025 for the first time since 2019. A faculty-led program—taught by Bernard Wong-On-Wing, professor and chair of the accounting department—reintroduced students to hands-on global learning in one of the world’s most influential markets. The momentum has continued into spring 2026 with a bilateral exchange in Hong Kong and plans for additional cohorts to travel in the coming year.
A faculty-led return to global learning
Wong-On-Wing says the benefit of studying abroad in China begins with exposure to everyday business practices students cannot fully experience in a traditional classroom. From observing how metro tickets are purchased to comparing menus at familiar global brands, students learn how culture shapes the way organizations operate.
“For future business leaders, cross-cultural thinking skills are very important,” Wong-On-Wing says. “In China, students learn quickly to recognize that their own culture is one of many and that alternative perceptions, preferences, and behaviors may be based on cultural differences.”
Wong-On-Wing says company visits also give students a chance to see business processes firsthand and interact directly with industry professionals, reinforcing the value of cross-cultural competency.
The program builds on a long-standing partnership between the Carson College and the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics. Wong-On-Wing says renewed engagement in China has the potential to strengthen collaboration through curriculum development, research opportunities, and joint academic initiatives
Students experience culture beyond the classroom
For participating students, the trip to China brings business concepts to life in a new cultural context. Ella Hedlund (’25 Accounting) joined the program as a final step before entering the workforce. She says the experience reshaped how she views cultural differences, helping her approach future colleagues and clients from around the world with greater awareness.
While course work remained a core part of the program, Hedlund says living on a Chinese university campus and experiencing daily life firsthand was particularly valuable. She now sees the experience as a distinctive part of her professional story, one that has already helped her connect with colleagues in her new role at Ernst & Young, one of the “Big Four” accounting firms.
“In the workplace, there are hundreds of thousands of people that come from completely different backgrounds than mine,” Hedlund says. “Studying in China helped me learn to be more open to new ideas and different ways of communicating. It’s a mindset change you can apply just anywhere in your life.”
Jasmine Montoro (’26 Accounting, Finance) said the structure of a faculty-led program made the idea of traveling to China more approachable. She says she appreciated that the program incorporated upper-level accounting course work while still offering cultural immersion. She believes that exposure will benefit her career, noting accounting firms increasingly collaborate with international teams.
Hong Kong exchange signals continued momentum
The college’s renewed engagement with China extends beyond faculty-led opportunities. At the start of the Spring semester, Abby McCarthy (’26 Intl. Busi., Finance) began a five-month exchange at City University of Hong Kong—the first bilateral exchange there since 2019. McCarthy says she viewed the experience as an opportunity to challenge herself both personally and professionally.
“If you stay in your comfort zone, you’re never going to grow personally or professionally,” she says. “It was not only a completely different culture, but Hong Kong is a major finance hub. I knew studying abroad there would set me apart from other business students.”
McCarthy says adapting to the fast-paced environment was one of her biggest learning experiences. Over time the experience made her more adaptable and strengthened her ability to work across cultures.
With another faculty-led group preparing to travel in summer 2026, and growing student interest, the Carson College’s return to China signals a renewed commitment to international engagement. By combining academic course work with real-world exposure, these programs offer students a deeper understanding of global markets while strengthening the college’s partnerships and expanding opportunities for future Cougs to learn abroad.