A Global Learning Experience: Life As a MSc in Management + CEMS MIM Student

Studying the MSc in Management + CEMS MIM programme took Xu Yi Yang across two continents, from the sustainability-focused campuses of Copenhagen to the fast-paced energy of Sydney.

Along the way, she discovered new passions, pushed through challenges, and built friendships that felt like home. Here, she shares her journey in her own words.

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Doing CEMS is one of the experiences I’ll never regret. Through my two exchanges I had the chance to immerse myself in completely different cultures, and I feel so fortunate with my school allocations — they let me explore two continents with their own unique mix of experiences. 

Denmark: Where Sustainability Came Alive

In Denmark, the block seminar at Copenhagen Business School stood out as the most transformative part of my exchange. With my strong interest in sustainability and a career goal to specialize in ESG reporting guidelines, the seminar on business transformation couldn’t have been a better fit.

Through theory, group activities, and a company visit to Maersk, I gained first-hand insights into strategic CSR, sustainable finance, ESG, business and human rights, circular economy, and new sustainable business models.

Denmark’s pioneering approach to sustainability also inspired me to take the course “Climate Change and Business Transformation,” where I learned how corporates integrate climate impact into their daily operations.

Beyond classes, I joined an ESG consulting start-up to deepen my knowledge of new reporting guidelines like CSRD and TISFD and to see up close how Europe’s ESG compliance landscape is evolving. Working with a team full of open-minded, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable people made those four months both professionally rewarding and personally memorable. 

Finding Belonging Away From Home

Outside of school and work, I built a whole new community.

In my dorm, we organized international dinners and weekly game nights, which became a highlight of my week. I connected with a group of Singaporean exchange students at CBS, and we would cook Singaporean dishes together — they even invited me to their graduation ceremony back in Singapore this July, which was such a joy to celebrate.

I also became close to two Chinese students from Renmin University of China and Bocconi University; cooking together turned into our little ritual to brighten the cold Danish evenings. One of them later visited me in Singapore, and I’m grateful this half-year experience gave me friendships that feel truly lifelong. 

Sydney: The Semester That Pushed Me to Grow

My exchange semester in Sydney stands out as the most formative experience of my life so far. Those four months were a whirlwind of intense work, new adventures, and friendships that will stay with me for years to come. Even though the last two months were made tough by a very demanding client for our business project, they were also the months when I grew the most. 

Inside Our Business Project: Long Nights & Big Lessons

Our team worked as student consultants for an Original Equipment Manufacturer in the automotive industry and the brief was strategic: to help the client enhance their dealer network and strengthen their value proposition. This wasn’t a simple academic exercise — it was a real-world challenge involving a multi-layered organisation and sensitive commercial data.

To develop credible recommendations, we needed to go far beyond surface-level research. We arranged and conducted four on-site interviews at dealerships to hear directly from managers and staff. Together with a teammate, I designed a 15-page questionnaire to uncover the deep, often unspoken needs of the dealers. 

Back on campus, our team waded through more than 300 pages of internal documents and policies to understand how the client engaged their dealers and how the systems operated. Every insight we gained had to be cross-checked, and every idea had to be refined through back-and-forth discussions with different functional groups. Communication and liaison became as important as the analysis itself. 

As our deadline approached, we introduced what became our signature “lock-in sessions.” We would book a small room on the CBD campus, cover the whiteboard with notes, diagrams, and mind maps, and brainstorm late into the night until our recommendations started to take shape. One of the toughest parts was modelling the financial implications of our proposals. Only two of us had a finance background, and with much of the client’s data being confidential, we had to build our assumptions from scratch.

Over three intensive days, we built and tested a full set of assumptions, DCF models, and sensitivity analyses to simulate the impact. It was exhausting but exhilarating — the point where everything we had learned in class had to be applied in a messy, real business environment. 

Looking back, the project was extremely challenging.

No one outside our team could truly grasp what we were going through during those weeks. Yet some of my strongest memories are from that time: sitting in the CBD campus from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. polishing our recommendations; feeling the collective relief when we submitted our three final reports; and the tears we shed out of exhaustion and pride. We complained, we panicked, but we encouraged each other, and in the end we delivered work we could stand behind. That experience taught me how powerful a harmonious, committed team can be, and how much stronger you become when you’re pushed beyond your comfort zone. 

Life Beyond the Classroom with CEMS Club Sydney

Outside the project, I made it a point to immerse myself in everything CEMS Club Sydney had to offer. The club is vibrant and well-developed, and our cohort was unusually close-knit. Whenever someone had an idea — a hike, a dinner, a surfing lesson — they’d drop a message in the group chat and a group would instantly form.

Through those spontaneous outings, I had countless “firsts” in Sydney: my first time karting, my first fireworks show at Darling Harbour, my first yard party with a huge crowd, my first train ride to Kiama, my first attempt at surfing. Each experience added another piece to the puzzle of who I am today, teaching me to try new things and embrace unfamiliar situations. 

Reflections From My CEMS Journey

I am a sentimental person, and it wasn’t easy to leave. I cried when I had to skip the final gala to return to Singapore. My closest friend in Sydney is from Chile, and I don’t know when we’ll meet again. But CEMS has taught me something precious: to live in the present, to invest fully in the relationships around you, and to give proper goodbyes even when it hurts.

Saying farewell is painful, but it’s also a reminder to be grateful for the memories and hopeful for “until we meet again.” ❤️