Study students take fair trade ideas around the world

For the second year in a row, in collaboration with The Study’s China-based partner school in Jiangmen, a group of Study students will travel to China to test market Québec products at an upcoming trade fair.

While they work mostly on their own, students also receive expert marketing instruction and support. MBA candidate Mirella Mokbel from Concordia's John Molson School of Business advises the students on a regular basis as part of a unique partnership programme The Study has with Concordia.

What also sets this course apart is the amount of independence the girls have — choosing their own local companies, coming up with their own strategies and producing cutting-edge multimedia promotional materials in Chinese (Mandarin is taught at The Study starting in grade 5). “From the beginning of the year I’ve been excited to hear that we would work on a real marketing project and send it to China” said grade 9 Study student and Westmounter Sarah Battat, whose team is developing a marketing plan to sell Nutra Fruit, a dried cranberry and chocolate snack.

This is another example of “reality-based” learning, an educational approach that continues to grow at The Study, explained Philippe Guillem, who teaches the French–immersion class called Entrepreneuriat. “In simple terms, reality-based learning means applying everything you learn in class to a real-life situation,” said Guillem.