In June, students from Abingdon School and John Mason School came together for an exciting and immersive Mandarin Business Challenge, part of the ongoing Abingdon School in Partnership programme. Around fifteen Year 10 pupils took part in this dynamic event, designed to develop creativity, teamwork, and language skills through a real-world business simulation.
The day began with a keynote talk from Old Abingdonian Mark Lintott, speaking live from Taipei, Taiwan. Mark offered fascinating insights into life and work in Taiwan, sharing his experiences of international business and cultural exchange. His talk inspired students to consider how language skills, particularly Mandarin, can open doors to global opportunities.
Following the keynote, Business Teacher Mr Gray launched the main challenge: teams were tasked with designing and pitching a robot dog-themed product entirely in Mandarin. The brief required students to develop a compelling product idea, prepare a Dragon’s Den-style pitch, and create a social media campaign—all within a tight timeframe.
Working in mixed-school teams, the students showed exceptional creativity and collaboration. From pet tech to canine soldier, the ideas were both imaginative and well thought through. Each group presented confidently in Mandarin, impressing the judges with their linguistic flair, marketing acumen, and entrepreneurial spirit.
The Mandarin Business Challenge highlighted the power of partnership and the impact of creative, cross-curricular learning. It was a day of collaboration, learning, and ambition—and a showcase of what young people can achieve when they step out of the classroom and into the world of business. We look forward to building on the success of this event in future Abingdon School in Partnership activities.
