Effective cross-cultural communication depends on understanding your audience and listening empathetically to what they have to say, international communications expert Maria Rincon told Global Business Journalism. Raised in a Colombian-Chinese household in Canada and now based in Sweden, she has sharpened her skills in bridging cultural gaps and empowering non-native English speakers. “Growing up in a multicultural household was a gift but also felt very lost in the sense of

“I realized how important journalism is and how it changes people’s perceptions," said Global Business Journalism student Zuza Bialas.

As Mika Hentunen prepares to leave Beijing, the YLE reporter shared his insights on China’s rise and the rapidly shifting global order.

Here's your chance to get to know the plans and goals of the new first-year international students in the Global Business Journalism program