by an international instructor: Monika Skiba
My students and some of my colleagues call me “professor,” though I don’t officially hold that title. I am just a person who happens to teach.
For more than eight years, I have been given the beautiful privilege of standing in different Chinese university classrooms – teaching, listening, and learning alongside my students. In all that time, I have met countless amazing young souls: bright, hungry for meaning, and yet so often terrified of the competitive labour market lurking just outside the gate, waiting to test them.
One of my courses was called Business Management and Career Development, and I taught it at a university in Nanchang. My purpose – the heart of this class – was simple: to bring students closer to the real world. The world they will enter as graduates, where they will compete for opportunities on international, national, or local stages. Today, I want to share one of my assignments – the same one I give to my students. I hope it will inspire others as well.
The assignment
Students had to prepare a presentation based on real‑life case scenarios. They had to search for actual events either innovation competitions, job‑focused programs, networking platforms etc. and explain how engaging with those events could strengthen a career portfolio, build employability skills, and help articulate value to future employers. I always encourage students to attend such events in person.
They could choose any event. But one student chose something different. She didn’t just search online. She had participated in China’s National Entrepreneurship World Cup – an innovation competition focused on employment and social value.
The moment that changed everything
She stood in front of her classmates and described what the competition was about: young people pitching real ventures to create jobs and solve social problems – from rural healthcare to green energy.
But then she shared her learning experience. The sleepless nights. The mentors who pushed her. The connections she made. The job offer she might receive because a judge remembered her team’s pitch. The recognition. The doors that opened. And then came the moment that made her eyes light up: her team won the Excellent Award, and their project had been selected out of more than 300 competing projects.
She didn’t just explain the competition. She lived it. And as she spoke, I saw my other students lean forward. They stopped taking notes. They started feeling.
Why this sharing experience mattered
After her presentation, my classroom changed. Students became genuinely interested in the event. They recognised that such experiences could bring them closer to fulfilling their own goals. They asked: How do I find events like this? How can a competition turn into a real career opportunity? And perhaps the beautiful outcome of all – many of them are already planning to take part next year.
It was no longer a dry assignment. It was a life activity – a real, messy, good experience that helped my students understand why events like the Entrepreneurship World Cup are not optional. They are essential.
What I learned as an instructor
I have given similar assignments for years. But that day, a student became the teacher. She showed her peers that the path to employment is not a straight line – it is a stage, a pitch, a handshake, and a story worth telling. And I learned that such valuable events are organised in China to support students and help them to explore the world of entrepreneurials. So here is my message, whether you are a student in Beijing, a graduate in Warsaw, a young professional in London or Nairobi, a teacher in Brazil, or simply someone trying to grow:
- Find your purpose;
- Let the world be your classroom.
Because the best classroom is not a building – it is the world itself. Messy, beautiful, and waiting for you to unfold as you walk along.
Below is the wonderful story my student, Ye Xin / Gina from Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine in Nanchang – wrote so that we could share this story with a wider audience. Perhaps more people can learn, grow, and benefit from such an experience like hers. You will also find attached a PowerPoint presentation made by Gina that explains the purpose and concept behind China’s National Entrepreneurship World Cup – an innovation competition focused on employment and social value.
A student’s own words – from Gina
“Create a Brighter Future” China’s National Entrepreneurship World Cup is an innovation and entrepreneurship competition that combines business practice with public welfare. It does not only evaluate teams’ ability to operate a startup but also encourages participants to design projects rooted in real social needs – ones that deliver both commercial value and public benefit. Throughout the competition, we have seen a wide range of impactful projects emerge initiatives to support veterans in re‑entering the workforce, female healthcare solutions, and innovative applications of traditional Chinese medicine. All these fully reflect the social responsibility of young Chinese entrepreneurs.
For students like me, taking part in this competition was a truly valuable chance to grow in every way. From preparing our business plan to presenting our project on stage, we have learned practical skills step by step – from product development and business model design to team management – strengthening our professional abilities in the process. At the same time, the competition serves as a wonderful platform to connect with peers and industry professionals, expand our networks, access resources, and build confidence in communicating our ideas.
More than just a contest, this experience helped me and my team to develop overall competence and gain hands‑on experience, laying a solid foundation for the future career plans and entrepreneurial journeys. The spirit of responsibility and innovation that the competition promotes will continue to guide young students like us as we move forward.
Taking this course, I was invited by the professor to share my competition experience, mindset, and gains with my classmates. This has not only improved my verbal expression and public speaking skills but also trained my ability to organize ideas and pass on knowledge. Thanks to what I learned in this course and the professor’s patient guidance, I gained the courage to stand on the platform and share my experience, and I learned to turn personal insights into useful references. My communication skills and sense of responsibility have also been greatly enhanced through this assignment process.
GINA
Few words at the end
May this story remind us that learning happens everywhere – not only in textbooks or lecture halls. It lives in every risk you take, every new room you walk into, every competition that makes you nervous a little. The bravest thing you will ever do is simply step into the real world – with all its messiness, rejection, and beauty. And may you discover, as my student did, that the world has been waiting for you all along.
Monika Skiba
Student Presentation
As part of this project, student Ye Xin \ Gina prepared a presentation on China’s National Entrepreneurship World Cup and its role in fostering innovation and employment.
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