Two industry forums at summer school tackle students’ career and cross-border business concerns

To strengthen the dimension of the “Doing Business in Changing China” Summer School and address international students’ limited understanding of China’s job and consumer markets, International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) introduced two dedicated industry roundtables for this year.

Focusing on  topics such as  career development in China, AI-driven industrial transformation, cross-cultural workplace dynamics, cross-border entrepreneurship and evolving consumer trends, the forums brought together corporate executives, founders and academic experts. The aim was to bridge theory with real-world business practice and provide students with a more grounded understanding of China’s market environment.

Both sessions were hosted by Huaiyuan Zhang, a lecturer at IBSS. Questions were collected in advance from students of different  nationalities to ensure focused and relevant responses from the panellists.

Forum 1: Talent development in China – an in-depth analysis of AI-era talent landscape and career pathways for international students

The first roundtable gathered three panellists from industry and academia: John Wang, APAC Supply Chain Talent Acquisition Lead in the healthcare sector; Dr Yue Xu, Senior Associate Professor at IBSS; and Dr Peter Kwan, President of PGC. Discussions centred on four key areas: labour market supply and demand in China, cross-cultural workplace environments, the impact of AI on  talent evaluation, and the  competitive  advantages of  international graduates.

Drawing on their global experience, the panellists highlighted a structural mismatch in  China’s labour market. While graduates face intense competition for academic and entry-level roles, companies are increasingly seeking adaptable, proactive individuals with strong problem-solving skills.

The discussion also compared organisational cultures across state-owned enterprises, private firms, multinationals and Sino-foreign joint institutions, helping to challenge some of the assumptions international students may hold about working in China.

There was broad agreement on the role of AI in recruitment and talent management. While is increasingly used for routine tasks such as CV screening and standardised assessments, while human strengths including strategic thinking, cross-cultural communication, creativity and empathy remain essential. Employers are placing greater emphasis on overall competence rather than academic credentials alone.

As Chinese companies continue to expand globally, the noted the graduates with experience in both China and their home markets are particularly valuable. This challenges the assumption that foreign nationality alone constitutes an employment advantage and instead highlights the importance of long-term career development and practical experience.

Forum 2: China’s evolving consumer landscape – trends and cross-border opportunities

This session forum featured Joe Xie, Sales Director of JCDecaux, Dr Rhonwyn Vaudrey, Assistant Professor at IBSS, and Shuo Zhang, Co-founder of NebulaGrowX. Drawing on insights from China’s  FMCG sector, they unpacked key  trends including segmented consumption, emotional economy, AI-driven marketing and the growing influence of local social media platforms.

Huaiyuan Zhang

Students from Southeast Asia, Latin America and Europe raised questions on topics such as cross-border start-ups, , Gen Z consumer psychology, the impact of AI on workplace competitiveness, niche market opportunities and differences between Chinese and overseas marketing strategies.

For students interested in launching cross-border ventures, the panellists emphasised a  core business principle: that market demand outweighs raw resources. They highlighted China’s strengths in manufacturing and its highly developed digital ecosystem, particularly short-form video and image-based social platforms, as key enablers for market entry and brand building. The discussion also addressed both the opportunities and risks for  Chinese brands going global and foreign goods entering the Chinese market.

The Q&A sessions were a highlight of both forums, with strong student engagement throughout. Many students commented that the on-the-ground corporate insights, career advice and cross-border strategies shared by panellists are rarely covered in textbooks, helping to ease common concerns around job competition, AI disruption and entrepreneurship.

These two forums represent a new addition to the ssummer school’s practical teaching approach giving international students direct access to industry practitioners and a more authentic understanding of China’s business environment.

Looking ahead, IBSS will continue to collaborate with industry partners across various sectors to develop a regular platform for industry-academia exchange, supporting  global talents in navigating career opportunities and cross-border business in the AI era.

Edited by Thomas Durham

Reviewed by Yidan Liu & Yifei Wu