Warwick Graduates in business success

Despite graduating from Warwick just three years ago, Jennifer Leong, 24 and Gaston Chee, 25, have already founded their own business; BeGo, a unique company that aims to help international students coming to the UK to study.

When Jennifer and Gaston left Malaysia in 2006, they struggled to adjust to student life in the UK, not however because the climate was cooler or the food blander, but because it took months to organise a bank account, set up a sim card and arrange insurance.

“When we arrived in the UK we found ourselves in a completely foreign environment where everything was unfamiliar – the language, the currency, the shops, the technology”, said Jennifer.

“We arrived on our own, with just a suitcase and plenty of challenges!” she added.

The pair said that the university offered some support but this was chiefly study-related.

“We wanted to make the international students’ university experiences better than ours was”, said Jennifer and so, BeGo was born.

Jennifer’s degree in Accounting and Finance and Gaston’s in Engineering and Business, meant that the pair were well-equipped to run a successful business.

Their website clearly signposts the services on offer – ranging from a free interactive checklist which advises students on the tasks they should aim to complete before arriving in the UK, to the selection of BeGo Boxes on sale.

Students can chose from the ‘Home Starter Pack’, the ‘Financial Box’, or the ‘Premium’ package which promises to include everything an international student could possibly need – from pots and pans to banking and insurance for just £600.

Maëlle Qd, a second-year International Business student from France said: “I think BeGo sounds like a really good idea. Even though I tried to be self-sufficient and set up a few things like my bank account and sim card before I came to the UK, it was hard.

“BeGo’s service would have been helpful. At the end of the day I’m not too international – my parents came with me from France to help me settle in – but my friend who’s from Monaco said something like this would have been great!”

The University currently offers an ‘International Guide’ for prospective students that includes written advice on the issues Jennifer and Gaston struggled with – money and banking, packing and insurance and so on, but practical, personal help seems to be lacking.

“I went to Warwick’s orientation week but I still felt a bit left to my own devices,” said Maëlle.

“There was no one responsible for me personally, no one to follow my progress.”

Peter Dunn, Head of Communications at Warwick said: “Undergraduate students, whether from overseas or not, are expected to use their time at university to develop as independent young adults”. But he cites the personal tutor system, the proactive resident tutor system in halls and the SU’s welfare services as examples of the support on offer.

But Jennifer and Gaston claim that these services proved insufficient during their time at university.

“We want BeGo to make life easier for international students”, said Jennifer.

“We want to be a trusted, local friend.”