Celine Chen
BA (Hons) Business and Management, 2014
China
As with critical thinking and questioning others, my English got better and better over time, and my improvements have continued to serve me well in the years since graduating.”
Growing up in a family business environment sparked my interest in business from an early age. After high school, I chose to study Business and Management at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies. During my studies, I decided to pursue a master’s degree in the future. Around that time, UWE Bristol formed a partnership with my university, and my tutor encouraged me to complete the final year of my degree there. She explained that it would prepare me well for postgraduate study in the UK, and I quickly became excited about the opportunity.
My family strongly supported my decision to study abroad. Although I had travelled within Asia before, moving to the UK would be the furthest I had ever been from home. At first, getting accepted was challenging because my English skills were limited. Fortunately, I received a UWE scholarship and joined a pre-sessional English course in Bristol before starting my programme. The course allowed me to meet students from many countries, including Malaysia and Vietnam, and helped me adapt to life in the UK. During this time, I also met Daniel Li, who would later become my husband.
The Business and Management programme at UWE was initially difficult for me. In China, education focused more on listening, memorising, and passing exams, whereas UWE encouraged critical thinking, discussion, and teamwork. At first, I was not used to questioning tutors or sharing my opinions in class, but over time I realised how valuable these skills were. My English also improved steadily through presentations, workshops, and group projects. Although communicating and presenting in English was challenging, the experience greatly increased my confidence and later benefited me in my professional life.
Beyond academics, Bristol itself made my student experience memorable. I found the people welcoming and kind, and I built strong friendships through the Bristol Chinese Community Church. We organised activities such as soup runs for homeless people and celebrated both Chinese festivals and Christmas together. Those friendships became very meaningful to me, and I even returned to Bristol from China years later to attend the wedding of two close friends.
I also enjoyed travelling during my free time, both within the UK and across Europe. Visiting places such as Spain, France, and Italy broadened my understanding of different culturesand perspectives. These experiences made studying abroad far more enriching than simply earning a degree.
After graduation, my parents came to Bristol for the ceremony, and we travelled around the UK together before returning to China. I then worked for a financial investment company, where the presentation, analytical, and critical thinking skills I gained at UWE proved extremely valuable. After two years, however, I decided to follow my passion for jewellery. I spent a year studying the industry before launching my own jewellery business, which I have now run successfully for six years alongside my husband Daniel in Dongguan.
Studying abroad changed my life in many ways. It allowed me to grow academically, professionally, and personally while meeting people from diverse backgrounds. Most importantly, it taught me to see the world from different perspectives, an experience I believe can benefit anyone who chooses to study overseas.
