——A Conversation with Farouk, an International Faculty Member of the School of International Commerce

International Faculty Member Farouk

Dr. Farouk Umar KofarNaisa, a Nigerian faculty member at the School of International Commerce, is a management expert, analyst, and senior researcher. He previously served as a Lecturer (Grade II) at Federal University Dutse in Jigawa State, Nigeria, and joined Jilin International Studies University (JISU) in August 2025. He teaches courses including Insurance and Risk Management and International Settlement. He speaks highly of JISU’s educational philosophy and tenets, and consistently puts them into practice in his teaching and research, making outstanding contributions to the development and construction of the university's management disciplines. Recently, Farouk shared his reflections and experiences of teaching at JISU based on his own journey.

First Impressions of JISU: Warm and Professional

In June 2024, I earned my Ph.D. in Management from Beijing Institute of Technology. After accumulating some research experience, I had been seeking a university that truly values internationalization and academic rigor. JISU stood out—not only for its outstanding reputation, but also as an institution that genuinely practices the principles of global exchange.

I joined JISU in August 2025. My first impression of JISU was that it is both warm and professional. The campus environment is pleasant, President Qin He’s educational philosophy is forward-looking and well-defined, and the university is brimming with vibrant momentum for development. What attracted me most was the university’s commitment to integrating Eastern and Western educational philosophies and models, particularly its deep engagement in the emerging field of digital finance.

After arriving in Changchun, I found the city to be a blend of industrial heritage and modern development vitality. The four distinct seasons and the sincere, down-to-earth people here give the entire city a steady, pragmatic, and progressive resilience. Economically, Jilin Province is leveraging its traditional manufacturing strengths to vigorously advance the digital transformation. In education, the province places high importance on international cooperation and globally-oriented schooling. Jilin’s opening-up policies are by no means mere slogans—they are implemented through concrete actions, such as providing numerous conveniences for foreign experts to integrate into local life and work. In my view, Jilin is gradually emerging as a new hub for cross-border academic exchange and economic and trade cooperation.

JISU Puts Its Educational Philosophy and

Tenets into Practice at Every Turn

Since joining the university, I have gained immensely both academically and personally, and have truly felt the warmth and care of the institution. The university’s educational philosophy—“All for the Students’ Growth, Success, and Achievement”—is not an empty slogan but a guiding principle that informs curriculum design, faculty development, and student services. The educational tenet of “Student-Centered, Most Responsible Education” requires us to offer courses that are responsive to the needs of the times, true to the essence of education, and oriented toward future development. In practice, this translates into small-class seminar discussions, real-case teaching in digital finance, and a regular teaching feedback mechanism. The university holds students to high standards while making every effort to help them grow, progress, and realize their aspirations.

JISU’s achievements in international exchange are remarkable, with partner institutions spanning across Asia, Europe, and beyond. In my teaching, I introduce case studies on digital finance and fintech from both Nigeria and China—using African mobile payment platforms such as Opay (a well-known Chinese fintech startup operating in Nigeria) as research subjects—and guide students in writing comparative cross-border policy analysis reports. I took the lead in initiating a series of online academic exchange activities between Jilin International Studies University and a West African university, focusing on two main areas: digital payment R&D and fintech inclusive finance development strategies in emerging markets. This achievement is one I am particularly proud of.

JISU Faculty Work in Solidarity and Collaboration

JISU Students Are Diligent and Hardworking

The faculty at JISU fosters a strong atmosphere of teamwork, a youthful mindset, and a powerful spirit of intellectual curiosity and academic exploration. One memory stands out to me. In my first month on campus, a senior Chinese professor took time on a weekend to patiently help me familiarize myself with the university’s scoring and assessment system, and even shared his teaching materials and lesson plans with me. On another occasion, the Office of International Exchanges and Cooperation organized a special seminar for all international faculty members on teaching methodologies, where we shared effective lecturing techniques. This family-like collective atmosphere is both rare and truly precious.

JISU students are diligent, hardworking, and respectful toward their teachers, and their global awareness and international perspective are continually improving. At first, students were somewhat reserved when it came to voicing critical viewpoints, but once trust was established, they demonstrated remarkable capacity for in-depth analytical thinking. The reason, I believe, lies in the university's responsible educational model, which guides students beyond exam-oriented thinking and toward independent critical reasoning.

I have noticed that students have spontaneously formed study groups on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) finance—a topic not even required by my course syllabus. This enthusiasm for proactive exploration shows that they are not just passively absorbing knowledge, but are also building capabilities to lead the future development of their industries. The students’ earnest academic attitude and reverence for knowledge fill me with confidence in their learning outcomes and further fuel my passion for teaching.

Striving to Cultivate Students as Cultural Ambassadors

in China-Foreign Exchange

As international faculty members, we bear the important mission of guiding students to become bridges and bonds in China-foreign exchange and cooperation. First, we ourselves must serve as models of cross-cultural communication—sharing authentic development cases from our home countries, covering both successful experiences and the challenges encountered. Second, we should implement project-based teaching, allowing students to engage in interviews and collaborative research with peers from other countries. Third, we must guide students to move beyond stereotypes and develop a rational understanding of the diversity and complexity of different cultures. For example, when teaching digital finance, we compare China’s Digital Currency Electronic Payment (DCEP) with Nigeria’s e-Naira, analyzing the underlying reasons for the differences in policy choices between the two countries. Through this approach, we cultivate students’ rational thinking and inclusive mindset, enabling them to truly grow into cultural ambassadors in China-foreign exchange.

Looking ahead, I plan to establish a Digital Business Research Laboratory within the school, collaborate with Chinese and international scholars to publish academic findings in top-tier SSCI journals, and compile a collection of cross-cultural teaching cases. I hope the university will further improve post-doctoral talent support policies and increase incentives for interdisciplinary research. I will also do my utmost to mentor young faculty, promote the signing of more international cooperation MOUs, and help integrate the digital finance discipline into the core talent cultivation system. I came here not merely to teach, but to participate in the university’s development and construction—to jointly help make Jilin International Studies University a fertile ground where countless faculty and students can build and realize their dreams..

Source: Publicity Department, JISU News, Issue No. 584