Personal Statement for Admission to The University

My recent experience of being educated and employed in China has quickened my curiosity in the differing forms of communication that exist between Eastern and Western cultures. Being Tatar at birth and Russian on the passport, I was state educated in that country to the age of 19. I've always been surrounded by many diverse and fascinating cultures which – eventually - caused my curiosity about different languages.

Introducing myself, first of all I would like to focus on peculiar properties of the magistracy program of PolyU, explaining my deepest interest in professional education exactly in your university. PolyU has achieved ascendancy in academic ranking among all Asia universities and its Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies is one of the largest departments of its kind in Hong Kong. This, combined, with my personal interests, makes my intention to pursue a taught postgraduate course in Bilingual Corporate Communication a firm choice for me.

Electing English Philology as my major has allowed me to study philosophy and economy together with English language; areas that have helped me understand how society works and its changing ideals. Together with History, these courses have helped me understand that what makes a country flourish, is not its natural resources, but how countries manage their economy, social policies, and political systems.

On the second year of my study I was chosen to represent my country with the group of other students for the SCO/BRICS summits. It was an eye-opening experience as I obtained the privilege to discover Asian culture from the summit participants. We were reunited to share ideas in the ideal of creating projects together despite our differences. My interest in people has never stopped growing since. In executing my duties, I have seen how I can use my talents to fulfill public responsibilities and how to interact with different sorts of people.

Being raised in bilingual family and studying English has helped me to quickly develop my writing and speech which has complimented my study of the Chinese language. Studying Chinese - in its turn - has given me the chance to travel and explore a new culture and in 2016 I won a grant for a language-year with the 'Nanchang University’ in Nanchang city of China. During Chinese language training I improved my oral skills immensely and had a true insight into the culture by learning Chinese language and, what is more, - some of the local history through visiting some Chinese cities and by witnessing the national festivities. Both my Chinese proficiency and oral eloquence were highly recognized by my teachers and fellow students.

But my sense of achievement also comes from many other aspects, more or less related to Chinese language and communication. In September 2018 after university graduation, I got a job proposal from Dalian trade company, with headquarters in Shenzhen and came back to China. I’ve started as a translator, and later I got a position of a Conference and Event Assistant Manager. Now my duties include translating documents, business proposals, correspondences, and manuals and participating in corporate planning. As the company’s line of business is wholeasale trade between China and other countries, I’ve learned important knowledge about intercultural communications. Apart from gaining a realistic picture of China’s corporate world, I have experienced tremendous improvement in my communication skills.

Therefore, I am eager to learn advanced knowledge of Public Relations and how communication is held in big corporations in Hong Kong. My study plan is that, on the basis of my knowledge, I will take a comprehensive spectrum of core courses as well as many optional courses. I would concentrate on stakeholders relations, with emphasis on multilingual communications, Glocalization and Media Communication. My dissertation will focus on one of those aspects, which will bear importantly on China’s existing corporate communications practice.

I am looking forward to developing and further understanding these complex issues, hoping one day I can contribute in helping raise the ethical tone of Chinese and Russian industries. In the near future I see myself as working either in a leading Hong Kong leading global financial services company which operates jointly with a western partner or in a western organization operating in Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, Asia’s World City, one of the best cities in the world, best I’ve been to so far, is gripped in protests, it’s essential for me to contribute to the development of change internal and external communication strategies which will probably take place in near future.

Besides my academic achievements, I’m a keen traveller and a member of the Cultural Exchange club in Shenzhen. The debates, along with my involvement in it, developed my public speaking and communication abilities, giving me the confidence that I will need to partake in university presentations. Since we, members of the club are interested in cultures other than our own, we regularly take part in Latina dances as well as cook Chinese and Western food as part of our monthly cultural event.

I feel I have much to contribute to University through bringing my enthusiastic academic mind to the chosen disciplines.