As an exchange student, I worked with the global experiences office and my advisor to look through past KEDGE courses to see which ones might align with the ones I need for Pitt. This proved to be a little challenging as I had no idea what classes would be available to me in the Spring semester. To ensure that I would have many options available for course selection, I got many classes approved. To my surprise, when I got the email from KEDGE with the list of courses they would be offering to exchange students, the selection was a lot smaller than what I was used to at Pitt. That said, I enrolled in four classes: International Marketing, Corporate Strategy, Introduction to Intercultural Management, and Geopolitics. 

Since I last wrote, I’ve gotten further along in my classes and have noticed a few similarities. The first similarity is the amount of group work we have. At Pitt, I probably had two classes max each semester with group work. At KEDGE, I have group work in all four of my classes! Another similarity I’ve noticed is how uninvolved the professors are with group work. At Pitt the rubric, the group members’ emails, the due date, etc. are all posted on Canvas making it a lot easier to contact your group, coordinate schedules, and know exactly what is required for the project. Here, I find myself wanting/needing to ask more clarifying questions to my professors and classmates. Although that part can be challenging, due to the simplicity of the project prompts, there is an emphasis on creativity and decision making that has made the learning adjustment enjoyable. The skills I have found to be most helpful are collaboration, understanding, communication, timeliness, and diligence to excel with my groups. I hope as the semester progresses, I will be able to strengthen these skills and bring them back with me to future projects and jobs. 

Compared to Pitt, the dynamics of academic culture at KEDGE are relatively similar. Although there is a stronger emphasis on group projects, there is a level of independence and expectation that I am used to. Something I am not quite used to yet is the easygoing nature of the students and professors, where both seem to prioritize life outside of school and work. Currently, because I am taking four classes, I only have classes Monday through Wednesday (and sometimes the sessions are spread out, where I may only have classes one or two of those days). As a result, I have had time to get better at focusing on work during those designated days and then enjoy exploring Marseille or other countries either alone or with friends. With this mix of similarities and differences, I plan (and hope) to get accustomed here one day at a time alongside the other exchange students. À bientôt!