From Robotics to Global Innovation: How SP Jain Helped Shape My Global Career
Representing Malaysia at the World Robotics Olympiad was one of the first experiences that sparked my passion for technology and innovation. While robotics captured my interest, I was equally fascinated by a bigger question: why do some countries become leaders in innovation while others do not? I wanted to understand how technology, economics, and people came together to create meaningful change.
That curiosity led me to SP Jain.
What attracted me most was its multi-country learning model. Rather than studying global business through textbooks alone, I wanted to experience it firsthand. Surrounded by multinational companies, international events, and classmates from across the world, global business became something I experienced every day rather than simply learned in class.
The people I met had an even greater impact. Before joining SP Jain, countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and the Philippines were places I knew very little about. Through friendships, group projects, and everyday conversations, they became places I would later visit, work with, and continue learning from. Those experiences taught me to look beyond someone’s nationality and instead understand their perspectives, motivations, and experiences. That approach continues to shape my leadership style today.
My education extended far beyond the classroom. While studying, I worked several part-time jobs, from serving customers at Burger King and a Korean restaurant to teaching robotics to children. Although these roles were unrelated to my long-term career, they strengthened my communication skills, taught me responsibility, and showed me the importance of understanding people from different backgrounds.
Participating in hackathons, attending technology exhibitions, and meeting entrepreneurs showed me how ideas become real businesses. Around the same time, I joined AIESEC as a volunteer. What began as a student activity evolved into a six-year leadership journey across three countries, eventually allowing me to collaborate with teams and travel across 21 countries. Each new experience reinforced the confidence to step into unfamiliar environments, adapt quickly, and work effectively with people from different cultures.
Among the highlights of my time at SP Jain was the opportunity to attend the Chicago Booth Summer Scholars Program. Experiencing another business ecosystem broadened my understanding of leadership and entrepreneurship, while the university’s Global Immersion Programs made economics come alive. Instead of understanding industries only through lectures, we explored local industries, interviewed businesses, and experienced how culture, policy, and markets influence economic development. Those experiences showed me that every country solves problems differently, and understanding those differences is essential for anyone hoping to create meaningful innovation.
These lessons became especially valuable in my career.
Today, I work in product development and innovation, where I have learned that great technology alone is rarely enough. Successful innovation also requires understanding of market demand, economic incentives and human behaviour. A technically brilliant product can still fail if it does not solve the right problem or create value for the people who use it.
The Bachelor of Economics and Communication (BEC) programme gave me the foundation to connect these different perspectives. Economics helped me understand markets and incentives. Technology provided the tools to build solutions. Studying across different countries taught me that the same innovation can succeed in one market and fail in another because every society has its own culture, priorities, and economic conditions. Being able to connect these elements has become one of the most valuable skills I bring to my work today.
Perhaps the greatest lesson SP Jain gave me was not about business or technology, but about people. Living alongside classmates from many different countries taught me that diversity is not about deciding which culture is better. Instead, it is about recognising that every culture has something valuable to offer. There were moments of misunderstanding and discomfort, but those experiences helped me develop empathy, adaptability, and the ability to build meaningful relationships across cultures. In today’s interconnected world, those qualities are just as important as technical knowledge.
For students hoping to build an international career, my advice is simple: start building your experience earlier than you think you need to. Don’t wait until graduation to prepare for your future. Every internship, volunteer role, part-time job, competition or student project helps you develop skills, build confidence, and create opportunities. Careers are rarely defined by one breakthrough moment. More often, they are built through many small experiences that gradually open bigger doors.
SP Jain gave me far more than an academic qualification. It gave me the confidence to work across cultures, the ability to connect technology with economics and human needs and the mindset to see every new country as an opportunity to learn. Those lessons continue to guide me as I work to create innovation that makes a meaningful impact. If you dream of building a global career, stay curious, embrace every opportunity, and never underestimate the value of the people you meet along the way. Sometimes, a single conversation can change the direction of your journey.
