Program Reviews

Sustainability is an important focus moving into the future, and I am very fortunate that SSi provided this amazing learning experience. The team were great, and provided a great mash up of professional outcomes and personal development. Studying abroad has adjusted my perspective of the world, and how imperative it is that we work together to collectively inspire sustainable change. I would recommend SSi to anyone who wants to participate in the next generation of innovation and responsible development.

I was in disbelief that I would really be visiting another country, it wasn’t until our plane landed that I realized how real this was. I was anxious, I didn’t even speak enough Mandarin to ask where a restroom was, but the experience was amazing. We were brought to different universities and museums, and our guides did a great job of formatting the experience to fit our specific needs and educational goals. The entire trip went so smoothly in a way that would have been impossible to arrange on our own. They were able to source presentations from different companies in our industry, even though it is rather niche. When looking at my options, I was strongly considering a trip to English speaking countries so that I could avoid the language barrier, however this trip was everything that I wanted and more. We traveled all along the western coast of China, and in between our presentations and tours were able to visit some amazing locations! In all honesty, I thought I would dislike the trip, but I simply cannot wait to go back! My friends and family were sick of me for months after the trip, because it was all I could talk about. I had so many experiences, I only wish that I had kept a journal to keep track of them all. I know you’ll enjoy it as much as my group did, have fun!

I did my Masters degree in Environmental Science in Shanghai, one of the best decisions I made. To have studied in a dynamic city really exposed me to many opportunities, SSi was one of these opportunities. When time came for me to gain valuable work experience I was able to collaborate with other professionals through SSi and see first hand the inner workings of various sustainable business ventures, Networking through SSi was invaluable and experience to remember.

"I am really glad that I chose SSi to do my internship in Shanghai. It was a valuable experience with a company who had sustainability at the core of their values, which I am really passionate about. Shanghai was an incredible destination, one that I thought I would never venture to, but i'm so glad I did! One of the greatest parts about this program was meeting so many great people and being able to explore different places on the weekends. The SSi team are professional and very approachable.”

My SSi internship experience in Shanghai was a decision I do not regret! The company I interned with taught me so much about sustainability in China as well as the business side of things. The SSi team were so helpful and friendly, especially Craig, he was a great mentor. On top of this, there were some fun filled weekend trips to other cities and sites! I would recommend this to anyone and everyone. If you want to create change, join SSi!

I recently made the trip over to Shanghai to participate in an internship with SSi all the way from Melbourne, Australia. It was such an awesome experience. I got so much hands on experience and grew my understanding of sustainability issues affecting Shanghai and China more widely. The internship allowed me to apply and develop my skill set and taught me so much about Chinese business, culture and practice. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in learning about or working in this space.

Where to start?! My China tour experience was one of the most amazing opportunities that I have ever had. Before my trip to China I knew next to nothing about Chinese culture and it was really something that I never went out of my way to expose myself to, Asian culture just didn’t interest me. During the program I had the privilege of experiencing Asian culture in all its beauty and I have come away with such an appreciation for the people and place that I didn’t have before. The tour experience was a great gateway that opened my eyes to so many new possibilities for my life. The program experience given to my class made ALL the difference. We were constantly given anecdotal information about experiences our tour guides had when they first came to China, they were very informative about Chinese cultural practices, general etiquette, and so many other interesting topics of concern. Additionally, SSI was a big part of what I learned in China. Our learning was focused on an incredibly interesting topic in sustainability and that same topic was so relevant and well themed with our China experience. I came away from the trip with such a wealth of information, that I had never dreamed of knowing before. I’d recommend to anyone who is thinking about trying an experience such as this to absolutely go for it!