Jiaying Shi, alumna MA Media Studies: Digital Cultures
Alumna Jiaying Shi studies the master’s programme Media Studies: Digital Cultures. In our interview she told us more about her experience during this master’s programme and her experience as a student in Maastricht. In the first place, she told us more about why she chose to study this programme: “After studying TV journalism during my undergraduate years, I decided to pursue a master’s degree to enhance my career prospects. The Digital Cultures programme at Maastricht University stood out to me due to its unique course design. Unlike most research-oriented master’s programmes, this one includes many practical courses such as 3D modelling and maker culture workshops, along with an internship component. This structure, allowing students to undertake a real internship within the one-year programme, was highly appealing to me, especially with the option to join partnered internship units.”
We also asked what her biggest challenge was during her academic year. She answered: “Coming from an undergraduate programme focused more on practical training, I initially struggled with the academic rigour of the master’s programme. Reading academic papers and engaging in structured academic writing were particularly challenging. Additionally, I found it difficult to participate in the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) classrooms due to cultural differences; I was more accustomed to passively listening and taking notes rather than actively participating. With the support and guidance from my student advisor Raf, programme coordinator Annika, and my classmates, I managed to overcome these challenges. By the end of the first semester, I had adapted to the teaching style at FASoS and could keep up with the coursework.”
When we asked her how she looks back on her time in Maastricht and at FASoS, she told us: “I look back on that time fondly, though it was also somewhat stressful. The fast-paced nature of having two courses per semester required significant effort to stay on top of my studies. Despite the academic pressure, I had many opportunities to enjoy life. Maastricht is a charming city, offering all the necessary entertainment, delightful restaurants and cafes, beautiful parks, and even the highest "hill" in the Netherlands, all without the hassle of crowds or dirty streets. I also appreciated FASoS, where the staff and students were incredibly friendly and always willing to help and provide resources.” Besides that, she also told us that she still is in touch with some of her classmates and that they meet up occasionally.
In the interview she not only told us more about her experience during her study, but she also told us more about her current job and how the master’s programme helped her with her current career: “I currently work as a Bid and Customer Onboarding Support Specialist at a company that manufactures charging stations for electric vehicles. My main responsibilities include developing a new customer on boarding strategy to ensure a smooth transition from sales to after-sales, supporting Business Development Managers in on boarding and re-on boarding customers by providing content, clarifying expectations through customer workshops, and coordinating with other departments to deliver actionable solutions, assisting the bid team with global RFIs/RFQs on after-sales topics, building a knowledge library that reduced questions from the sales and bid team by 70%, tracking and analysing ongoing bids within the company and providing monthly reports to the After-Sales Leadership Team, and creating a standard presentation deck to effectively communicate our service and support portfolio to customers.”
“The master’s programme greatly contributed to my career development. The internship component of the programme also gave me the opportunity to gain practical experience in corporate communication, which laid the foundation for my subsequent career.”
July 2024
"The PBL teaching method and maker culture courses helped me develop various hard and soft skills, such as communication, dissemination, proposal design, and project management"