Huntsman Global Immersion: United Arab Emirates
Student Reflection by Jeslyn Li (C’26 W’26)
The Huntsman Global Immersion Program is just one of the many incredible opportunities that Huntsman students are able to experience during their time at Penn. I, like many of my classmates, jumped at the chance to pair our traditional classroom learning with on-the-ground activities through this course.
During the semester, we were introduced to various streams of academic research on the growth and development of the UAE through readings, personal reflections, and discussions with Professor Balkan along with guest lecturers such as Matthew Asada (C’02 W’02) and Daniel Zilberman (WG’01 and Huntsman Advisory Board Member). After the end of the semester, we traveled to the UAE and, thus, began a whirlwind of activities that lasted from the moment we arrived to the day we returned to Philly.
From insightful panel discussions at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) to company tours of Talabat, AstroLabs, and The Bureau to visits of leading cultural institutions like the Louvre Abu Dhabi , there are simply so many highlights from this immersion experience. Our panels, for example, were made up of Huntsman and Penn alumni, Emirati professionals, as well as expats working in an array of industries ranging from healthcare to education to entrepreneurship. In these discussions, we were able to hear about their professional and personal experiences in the UAE and, in doing so, deepen our understanding of Emirati culture, business, and society.
One of my favorite itinerary items was our visit to the largest port in the Middle East—Jebel Ali Port—hosted by DP World. Not only did this tour strengthen my understanding of Dubai’s advantageous geographical location through its application in shipping and logistics, it also emphasized the UAE’s ongoing pursuit for excellence and innovation through patented technologies like BOXBAY. Another highlight was our food tour of Deira—Old Dubai—with Wharton alumna Arva Ahmed and Frying Pan Adventures. This tour allowed us to see how various cultures arrived in this land of opportunity and interacted with one another since, while tasting traditional delicacies such as Za’atar and Fāloodeh.
During our travels, I found myself weaving my previous knowledge with new understandings from our exposure to this new cultural environment and deep dive into various industries. This was incredibly insightful as I found myself comparing the current state of these industries in the UAE with their equivalent in other countries, as well as wondering how their futures may contrast. For example, prompted by our visit to The Bureau, I hope to explore the more mature co-working environments in the US and Canada and compare these to the largely successful space that Nikita Patel (W’14) and Rhea Patel “designed with women’s needs in mind”.
In conclusion, this immersive, on-the-ground experience has truly shaped and reshaped my knowledge of the UAE from course materials and given rise to a deeper understanding of my own values. Whether that be the professional and industry-focused programming we engaged with or the cultural excursions we embarked on, this course allowed us to explore so much of the UAE in just a week!
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This experience profoundly enriched my understanding of globalization through the lens of the UAE’s ambitious strategies. Discussions with Wharton alumni and local business leaders like Arva Ahmed highlighted the supportive mechanisms for entrepreneurs, further underscoring the UAE’s commitment to fostering a diversified economy. Overall, this program deepened my understanding of globalization’s multifaceted impacts, prompting my active reflection on sustainable and equitable development practices globally.
— Lily Feng (C’26 W’26)
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