Expanding horizons

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Jordan

3 minute read

Still a semester away from graduating from The Australian National University (ANU), Jordan Nicholaeff already feels confident about what will follow after he completes his degree in December. He is excited to implement all he has learned in the real world, and he feels well-prepared for the next chapter.

“While studying at the ANU College of Business and Economics (CBE), I’ve reaped many benefits. It’s been a great opportunity for me to practice and refine my skills, including those that aren’t focused on my quantitative-leaning degree,” explains Jordan, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Finance, Economics and Statistics (Honours)

Amongst the valuable milestones he has had while at CBE, Jordan highly regards the time at Tsinghua University in Beijing, one of China's most prestigious universities. “This unique experience was in recognition of my academic merit,” he says.

In 2018, Jordan was selected to represent ANU on a full scholarship at the People's Bank of China's Financial Leaders of Tomorrow Program, alongside delegations such as the Deutsche Bundesbank (German Central Bank) and Magyar Nemzeti Bank (Hungarian Central Bank), among others.

While studying at CBE, I’ve reaped many benefits. It’s been a great opportunity for me to practice and refine my skills.

“My trip to China was a very valuable and memorable experience. I enhanced my cultural awareness and gained economic knowledge, both formally through the program itself and informally, by having casual conversations with people I met outside the academic setting. I can now acknowledge the complexities of Chinese traditions and norms, have a rudimentary understanding of the important role history plays in China today, and have become better informed regarding how China does business differently to us,” shares Jordan candidly, who is originally from North Sydney.

He adds that his ability to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the program was greatly enhanced by the scholarship he received.

“The funding allowed me to not have to worry about money, so I could focus on soaking everything up. With less financial obstacles, this experience became lengthier, more comprehensive and immersive,” Jordan explains.

Outside of his academic endeavours, Jordan believes he is fortunate to have had the opportunity to get quite involved with the broader ANU community.

“It was a very interesting experience last year, serving as CBE’s undergraduate student representative, expressing a student voice at College-wide policymaking discussions and advocating on behalf of student needs. One of the key aspects of this role was assisting students who have issues or queries and don’t know where to seek support, and I found it very rewarding to do student-facing work,” he reflects.

The ANU College of Business and Economics offers an extensive range of specialised programs. Click here for more details.