Hello, my name is Rosita and as part of my Master’s in Digital Marketing at the University of Surrey, I studied abroad at SKEMA Business School in Lille, France.

Going on a study exchange is such a game-changer. From my experience, it’s a chance to push yourself out of your comfort zone, meet people from new countries, and really grow as a person. You get to experience a whole new culture and learn a new language, which is not just fun but also gives you a different perspective on life. Plus, it looks great on your CV and demonstrates qualities that employers value, like adaptability, cultural awareness, independence, and strong communication skills. For me, it was one of the best parts of my Master’s degree.

How did you find your accommodation? What was it like?

Since I was only staying for one semester (4 months), finding accommodation through university-recommended housing services like Studapart was challenging. Most rentals required tenants to stay for the entire academic year and have French guarantors. I began looking for accommodation in May (way before I got the acceptance letter) because I wanted to start the visa process. I finally got my acceptance letter late June which was three months before I was scheduled to begin my semester, but I had to start the visa process as soon as possible as they can take some time to be completed. After struggling to find suitable options on housing service websites, I turned to Airbnb and found my accommodation there. While it was a bit pricey (£5,500 for the semester), I secured a one-bedroom apartment with all bills included, a washer and dryer, and the best part was that it was only a 10-minute walk from the university and a 15-minute walk from the city center. After moving in, I had no issues at the accommodation, but thanks to Airbnb’s messaging system, I knew I could always reach the landlord, and if anything happened, I would potentially be backed by Airbnb.

How was the flight, transportation and daily commute to your host university?

Getting to Lille was easy. As an international student I first had to fly into London Heathrow Airport and from there I took an Uber (£50) to London St. Pancreas International train station and took the Eurostar directly to Lille (£132). This was a quick 1 hour and 30-minute train ride that gets in right in the city and for me it was only a 5-minute walk from my accommodation. Regarding my daily commute, I walked to the university every day as it was only a 10-minute walk on safe roads with sidewalks and pedestrians. If I had to get somewhere in the city, I would walk as it was nearby, but outside of the city, I would initially use an Uber because the bus system was confusing. In Lille, instead of tapping and paying with your card on the bus, you must first get a bus ticket from one of the ticket machines. Finding these machines was not the easiest but you could purchase a bus card if you are travelling more frequently and top it up at the ticket machines at the bus stop or metro stations. Single-journey tickets cost €1.20, and these can also be used on the Metro.

What was the teaching style and assessment structure like?

Each module at SKEMA had varying credits and teaching styles. For example, the Corporate Finance course, worth 4 credits, included 13.5 hours of lectures and 13.5 hours of tutorials. In contrast, the Leadership and Culture course, worth 1 credit, comprised 6 hours of lectures and 4 hours of seminars, focusing entirely on group work. The assessment structure at SKEMA was often less transparent compared to Surrey. For instance, in one module, we were given only seven days to complete a graded group assignment without prior notice. At Surrey, assignment schedules and due dates are communicated well in advance, providing better structure and clarity. Additionally, at Surrey, I was used to receiving feedback within 21 days of submission, but at SKEMA, professors were often told by module leaders that they could not give out the grades, which made the final exams a bit daunting as I didn’t know what my previous grades were or any areas that I needed to improve. During my studies, I frequently submitted multiple assignments without being fully aware of their impact on my final grade. At SKEMA, midterm and final exams were closed book and conducted in person, which differed significantly from my experience at Surrey. During both my BSc and MSc programs at Surrey, I did not have any in-person exams, so I had to re-learn my previous study methods and time management skills as we also did not have a study period between the end of teaching and the exam week.

Where there any other opportunities or trips you really enjoyed?

During my study abroad semester I was able to travel to two other destinations. Lille is a 30-minute train ride from Brussels, Belgium (€50) so I was able to take a weekend trip and explore the city. I booked a cheap hostel in the city centre to reduce transportation costs, and on the first day, I booked a free tour on https://www.freetour.com that was in English and took me around all the major attractions. Brussels is known for its beer production, so I also visited the beer museum and the Delirium Café for its beer meter.

The second trip was with the Erasmus Student Network. I took a day trip to a Christmas Market in Germany (Christmas Market in Aix La Chapelle) and booked directly through https://erasmusplace.com. The trip cost €35 and included transportation there and back.

By what means did you maintain your finances? What would you recommend? (Credit card, foreign bank account etc)?

I opted not to open a French bank account because I was only going to be there for a short period of time. Instead, I used Revolut for daily purchases and my UK bank account for my accommodation. Revolut has no international transaction fees and transferring money to it from my UK account was quick and easy. Before going to France, I made sure to get the physical Revolut card just in case it wouldn’t work on my phone. Also, be aware that the physical card may be needed for some stores and for some transactions. For example, at Carrefour (their major supermarket) transactions over €50 could not use the contactless tap feature. Overall, the GBP is stronger than the Euro meaning you get more Euros for less Pound Sterling. This factor made it seem less expensive, but the savings received from Tesco were not available at Carrefour, so spending was relatively the same.

5 things to see and do in Lille!

Place du Général-de-Gaulle (The Grand Place) 

This is the heart of Lille and is surrounded by stunning Flemish-Baroque architecture. In the area you will find the Opera and Theatre as well as cafes and restaurants. My favourite coffee shop in the area is Notting Hill Coffee Shop. 

Vieux Lille (Old Town)

Take a stroll through the cobblestone streets of Lille’s old town which is filled with charming boutiques, quaint bakeries, and colourful 17th-century buildings.

Palais des Beaux-Arts (Palace of Fine Arts)

One of France’s largest art museums, featuring works by masters like Monet, Rubens, and Van Gogh, as well as ancient artifacts and sculptures. 

Vieille Bourse de Lille (Old Stock Exchange of Lille)

This beautifully preserved renaissance old stock exchange building hosts a charming courtyard where you’ll find second-hand bookshop, posters, chess games, and occasional events like flower markets. 

Parc de la Citadelle (Citadel Park)

A vast green space ideal for walks, picnics, or visiting the Lille Zoo (free entry)

Two subjects/projects that I particularly enjoyed was the Marketing Studies course and the AI in Business Contexts project as these directly linked to my degree, further improved my understanding of the concepts and provided hands-on experience.

Marketing Studies

The course aimed at developing critical decision-making skills in strategic marketing and brand management. We used the Brand PRO simulation platform to immerse students in a realistic problem-solving environment, developing collaborative and analytical skills. During the simulation, we were exposed to brand targeting strategy, product strategy, pricing strategy, and communications strategy. In my role as Chief Design Officer (CDO), I was responsible for defining the characteristics of our products based on the needs of our target audience. However, we worked collaboratively, making decisions by consensus. This role gave me experience in allocating budgets across different targets according to strategy, defining product prices based on goals and competitor behaviour, enhancing communication to highlight product differentiation, and estimating market share to assess its projected impact on the profit and loss (P&L) statement. Adapting to the simulation platform and coordinating with a multicultural team was initially a challenge as it required effective communication and time management skills. Also, the fast-paced nature of decision-making under simulated market pressures was initially daunting but ultimately rewarding.

AI in Business Contexts

The objective of this course was to provide a non-technical understanding of the cutting-edge issues that managers face with AI today in the context of business. Lectures focused on unique areas of expertise that went beyond common knowledge to help students think critically to push beyond the current boundaries of AI in business contexts.
This course comprised of a group project that aimed to analyse important applications of artificial intelligence in organisational contexts. Our chosen topic was ‘Personalised Shopping Experiences’ which refers to the process of tailoring a consumer’s interactions with a brand, retailer, or e-commerce platform based on their individual preferences, behaviours, and needs. The report explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing personalised shopping experiences. It highlights the challenges with traditional advertising, which lacks the precision and adaptability needed in the modern digital landscape. AI-driven systems analyse customer data such as browsing history, purchase behaviour, and preferences to deliver tailored recommendations, improving customer satisfaction and business outcomes. Furthermore, the report examined the advantages of AI technologies such as real-time personalisation, predictive analytics, omni-channel experiences, and location-based personalisation, along with their associated limitations. A significant challenge in this project initially was finding group members as we would not be randomly allocated and finding a group was worth 5% of the grade. Therefore, I had to put myself out there and look for members who I have never met. This collaboration across cultural and academic backgrounds added complexity but enriched the depth and scope of the analysis.