RUDN University student shared her experience of studying in China and working at a Russian-Chinese trading company

Fourth-year student of the Institute of World Economy and Business RUDN Snezhana Malysheva proves that international relations require not only theory but also daily practice. The girl has many achievements: she is the author of seven scientific articles in Russian, English, and Chinese, a participant of prestigious conferences and an Olympiad prize-winner, co-founder of the scientific student society of the Faculty of Economics and IMEB.

We talked with Snezhana and found out how her path to science began, how she became a WED specialist in a Russian-Chinese trading company, and what plans she has for the future.

Why did you choose the direction “International Relations” at IMEM RUDN? What influenced your choice?

I have always been interested in how money, goods, and companies move between countries. RUDN provides very strong language training and the opportunity to study and build business connections with future partners in the country of study at the international university, which is very important for an economist-internationalist. I realized that without Chinese in the field of foreign economic activity (FEA), you get nowhere now, and I have placed my bet on the Asian direction.

You underwent exchange training at Xiamen University in China. How did you get into this program? And what did this experience give you — both professionally and personally?

In the first year, when I enrolled in the additional education program in Chinese, the teachers talked about the possibility of internships abroad. Then I really wanted to get into such a program, and my dream came true in the third year after a trip to Beijing to the BRICS conference. I learned about the opportunity fromDaria Valerievna Nazarova, she directed me toDarya Sergeyevna Sokolan, deputy dean for international activities. I gathered a portfolio with evaluations and achievements, filled out an application on the Xi’an University website, and I was accepted. The program matched my profile: I studied world economy and international trade. This experience gave me a lot: I saw the Asian economy from the inside, stopped being afraid of the language, and understood real business processes.

Can you share funny or touching stories that happened during your studies in China?

One of the funniest and warmest stories is the attitude of the Chinese towards foreigners. They really love to take photos. And several times it really turned into professional photo sessions. For example, I was just having dinner in a cafe or walking around the city, and local residents, amateur photographers (sometimes even with good cameras), approached me and asked if they could take pictures of me. Or they asked to take pictures together. Now I have stunning photos from the most beautiful places of Guangzhou and Xiamen, which I myself probably wouldn’t have taken in such quality.The Chinese turned out to be very open and friendly — through such small things you feel not just a tourist, but a real guest of the country.

You are the author of seven scientific articles in the Tatar language. What were the works dedicated to and which of the studies are you most proud of?

My articles are mostly dedicated to foreign trade, the digital agenda in BRICS countries, and Chinese payment systems. The article about Chinese payment systems is probably the most interesting because over the years of working on it, I described my observations and the convenience of using Chinese payment instruments, including for foreigners. In addition, I have already devoted several publications to a new research direction that I am actively working on, both in social networks and in the VK dissertation (final qualification work). This is the export of whey protein.

How do you manage to combine deep scientific work with active practical activities?

No schedule — no way. Studying — in the morning and during the day, work or conferences — in the evening. And how did your path in science even begin and how did you come to become a co-founder of NSO? I came to science through a course work in the first year — I managed to dig deep into real numbers and cases. And the idea to create NSO was born not out of nowhere. I started attending conferences at other universities and noticed: scientific events are often organized by the students themselves — through their NSOs. Then I caught myself thinking: “Why don’t we have this at our faculty?” And I realized that I was capable of taking on this challenge myself.We, together with the guys, created the scientific student society of the economics faculty and IMEB, because there was no organization where EF and IMEB students could calmly discuss research, express their point of view without fear, and think on a large scale. I was a co-founder, involved in organizing the work and developing the strategy of the NSS. Now I have already left the society, but I am proud that it has remained and is working. My main goal then was to make science at IMEB no longer something terrible and distant. And, it seems, we succeeded: science became interesting and accessible to everyone who wants to delve deeper rather than just pass an exam.

You participated in many conferences with scientific reports, including abroad. Which of these events was the most memorable and why?

The trip to Beijing was unforgettableBRICS Research International Forum.This was my first introduction to China. I was struck by the atmosphere, the scale, the level of the speakers. I got acquainted with participants from all over the world, we exchanged contacts, discussed research during breaks. There I finally realized that what I really want to work with is Asia and the BRICS economy.

Is that why you were a member of the organizing committee of the MGIMO BRICS PROJECT LAB III and the head of the “Energy” track in 2024? What did this experience give you?

Yes, I was a member of the organizing committee and led the “Energetics” track in 2024. I was also fortunate to participate in this unusual track, in which our team set itself the task of developing a new financial instrument — an energy exchange within the BLIKUS association. Our track became the winner of the laboratory. We were also able to submit our project for consideration to the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation and to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Alekseevich Ryabkov.If we talk about the MGIMO BRICS PROJECT LAB III, I was involved in writing official invitation letters to experts from the Ministry of Energy, the Government of Moscow, Gazprom, and Lukoil, as well as organizing the experts’ stay at the event. We fully organized the project: from applications to the final sessions. This gave me experience in managing an international team. The project is now completed, but the skills remain.

You are also a laureate of the RUDN-ON olympiad. Tell us about the competition and which skills helped you win?

RUDN-ONA — an interesting olympiad, I —winner of the direction “Innovation Management”, scored 91/100. I can say that there was strong competition in this field, the task was dedicated to artificial intelligence in the tourism sector, it was necessary to quickly write a business plan and project content for the implementation of AI in a travel agency, to assess the prospects of using an AI agent. Although I am not studying in a field related to AI and tourism, I coped excellently thanks to my reading and observation. I have a good memory, developed logic, and, more importantly, economic thinking.It is precisely thanks to these skills that I described the application of AI in tourism from an economic point of view, which also helped me secure a prize-winning position.

You are currently working as a WED specialist in a Russian-Chinese trading company, continuing to study in your fourth year. How did you find this job? And what challenges did you face at the very beginning of your career path?

The labor market is very unstable right now, and finding a job even in a specialty turned out to be difficult. I tried hard for a long time, sent out resumes, went to interviews, and received rejections. There were moments when I felt like giving up. But I understood that without the first real experience, it would be difficult to move forward. In the end, the key role was played precisely by the skills I gained at RUDN and in all the projects around: knowledge of English and Chinese languages, understanding of the international economy, experience in negotiations and teamwork.It was important for the employer that I not only studied theory, but also participated in conferences, organized projects, and wrote articles in Chinese. At first, of course, it was difficult. Many terms that are not covered in textbooks, real contracts, customs, logistics. I had to quickly learn to understand document flow and negotiate with Chinese partners without the right to make mistakes. But it was precisely RUDN that gave me the foundation on which I could rely, and the rest was a matter of practice and my hard work.

What exactly is included in your responsibilities? Can you provide an example of a real task you solved at work?

My responsibilities include full support of the deal: correspondence with suppliers in Chinese and English, preparation of deal documents, control of payments and logistics, accounting in 1C. To give an example, I personally found a new factory in China, conducted negotiations, agreed on all terms, and brought it to regular deliveries. I preliminarily calculated the market demand for this product — and the offer turned out to be in demand. Now we have a stable new supplier, which is an expansion of the assortment and better terms for the company. You also develop a blog about Russian food export.

Why did you choose this particular niche? What goals do you set before the blog and what results have you already achieved?

My blog about Russian food exports is a continuation of my thesis and term paper. I became very interested in the field of deep milk processing and consider it promising in the near future. The main goal I pursue in my blog is to inform young researchers about current trends in Russian business and opportunities for the development of Russian exports.

Do you plan to continue your studies in graduate school?

Master’s degree is a serious step, and I just have to make a choice. I am considering RUDN, the field is most likely the global economy and international trade. And it is pleasant that the additional points I earned by becoming a prize-winner at the RUDN-ON olympiad will help me with admission to my home university.