Yee Sun LAI – a Master in International Business student – wins the Alexandre Yersin Excellence Scholarship
09/25/2024
Every year since 2000, the French Consulate and Campus France Hong Kong have supported the best students from Hong Kong and Macau in their pursuit of Master’s level studies in France, by awarding the Alexandre Yersin Excellence Scholarship. More than 140 students from Hong Kong and Macau have already benefited from this scholarship, which aims to promote the excellence, diversity and quality of French higher education.
Open to all Master 1 and Master 2 students, the scholarship covers the cost of a year’s study in France. It also offers them social and cultural activities to help them integrate into French society, as well as the opportunity to take part in networking events.
Currently a student of IÉSEG’s Master in International Business in Lille, Yee Sun LAI has won the prestigious Alexandre Yersin Excellence Scholarship for this academic year. She explains why she chose France and IÉSEG, and what this scholarship means to her…
I come from Hong Kong and I started my Master in International Business in Lille last year. I feel very privileged to be a laureate of this scholarship this year, and I’m so excited to learn that it was me! This Excellence Scholarship is very attractive to students so competition is fierce. Only 11 students were rewarded this year, among the hundreds who sent their application form. The jury especially looked at our academic performance since high school, and our willingness to come to France, learn French and stay there for a long time.
I didn’t succeed the first time. Last year, I tried to get the scholarship, but for some reasons, I was not selected. This year, I retried again with the top grades I received at IÉSEG, and I improved my French level as much as possible so I could impress the jury and answer as fluently as possible to their questions. I wanted to prove them I really tried hard to learn French and that my motivation to work in France was high, and I guess this is one of the reasons why I won this Scholarship.
Coming to France is a rational choice. In 2021-2023, I was working in a start-up corporate incubator, from there, I became very interested in entrepreneurship. I understood immediately that getting a business background is a natural next step. France is well-known for its business schools, almost all the best ones in Europe are here. So I checked which were the best Business Schools in the international rankings, and I selected IÉSEG for many reasons – school fees, professional insertion, faculty expertise, rankings and reputation…
My first year at IÉSEG is a very positive experience. I got a lot of support, either from the professors (who don’t hesitate to spend time to help me when needed) or from the administrative teams, especially the Career Center team, who really helped me improve my CV to be impactful, prepare job interviews in French and thus enter the French job market… Thanks to all them, in January 2025, I’ll be starting my internship as Business Analyst for Travel Retail Worldwide in Guerlain, a top luxury perfume brand that always made me dream! I really want to stay in France, work here and live here, that’s why I adjust my mindset to make this happen.
The Campus France Alexandre Yersin Excellence Scholarship is a dream becoming true – we benefit from a monthly allowance that really gives us the best conditions to succeed in our studies, of course, but this is not the most important… I also benefit from the networking events with Campus France Scholarship alumni, and from all advice that they gave me to feel better integrated in France.
My only advice to all Hong Kong and Macao students would be: “Come to France, don’t fear!”. France is increasingly becoming a popular destination for Hong Kong students, so you should really come here and discover this country! France gathers top business schools, top international talents, great culture (literature, gastronomy, music and fashion of course) and top companies well-known all over the world. I’m so happy to be here, in Lille. I’m so happy of my choice, and I hope I’ll develop myself in the long term here!
Yee Sun LAI, Master in International Business student at IÉSEG (Lille)