I went on exchange from LUT to Taiwan Tech in Taipei, Taiwan, in autumn 2025, originally planning to stay for one semester. During my exchange, however, I noticed that I enjoyed my time in Taipei so much that I wanted to stay longer. That’s when I had an idea: Could I write my master’s thesis in Taiwan and then continue working in the country afterwards?
The application process required patience and networking skills
When I started looking for a master’s thesis opportunity in Taiwan, finding the right company was way more challenging than I’d expected. I spent a few months looking for interesting opportunities, sending emails and applying for jobs, but I never heard back. The hardest part was finding the right companies and getting in touch with people I could actually talk to about the possibility.
After sending several applications, I realised that reaching out directly on LinkedIn to Finns and other Nordic professionals working in Taiwan was more effective than submitting formal applications. Through these contacts, I eventually found my way to Scania Taiwan, where Executive Director Tino Pannone helped move things forward and put me in touch with Markus Hallsten, director of presales and sales support. Finally, my efforts paid off, and we agreed on a master’s thesis and internship project related to supply chain development, which I started in February 2026.
The challenging application process taught me that an interesting company doesn’t necessarily need to advertise an open position. If you want to work in a particular country or industry, it’s worth identifying the right people, networking with them, and asking directly about opportunities.
Timo Hyppönen
- Industrial engineering and management alumnus, graduated with the degree of Master of Science in Technology in May 2026, majoring in supply chain management
- previously studied information and communications technology at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
- completed his first student exchange in South Korea during his previous studies at Metropolia
- lives in Taipei, Taiwan, and works as a web operations and e-commerce manager at Supacaz, a cycling accessories brand
An independent project in a large international company
In my master’s thesis, I examined Scania’s order-to-delivery process. I analysed lead times, their variation, and potential bottlenecks, and I developed a set of KPIs and a dashboard for monitoring them. The aim of my work was to make it easier to monitor the performance of the process. I found it particularly interesting to apply the knowledge and skills I’d gained during my studies to a practical development project in a large international company.
Working on my master’s thesis was very independent. I had to figure out for myself how to move the project forward, what information I needed and whom to ask for it. Help was available whenever I asked, but I was largely responsible for keeping the work on track. At LUT, my thesis supervisor was Petri Niemi, an associate professor of industrial engineering and management, while Markus Hallsten supervised my work at Scania. During the internship, I had the opportunity to solve practical problems, and working independently taught me how to move things forward without constant guidance.
Overall, the experience was extremely positive. I learned a great deal about how a large international company operates, the workplace atmosphere was good, and the people were friendly. For me, this kind of hands-on experience was an excellent complement to what I had learned at LUT.
My career continued in Taiwan after the master’s thesis
I found a new job in Taiwan while I was still working on my master’s thesis, and I started at Supacaz, a company specialising in cycling accessories, around the time as I was finishing my thesis at Scania. When I applied, one of my strengths was my ability to combine my previous experience in web development and technology with the knowledge I had gained at Scania about logistics, supply chains and business development. In my interview, I was able to demonstrate that I understood both the technical implementation and the commercial side of the business.
At Supacaz, I work as a web operations and e-commerce manager. My role brings together many of my interests that I had previously thought of as separate. The past year has reminded me that a career doesn’t have to follow a single, narrowly defined area of specialisation.
In Taiwan, I’ve had the opportunity to experience different working cultures. At Scania, for example, everyday work felt familiar and European in many ways. I’ve also worked in environments where responsibilities and roles are not always as clearly defined, and employees may be expected to be available in the evenings or on weekends as well. Experiencing these differences has taught me to adapt to different situations and highlighted how important it is to understand the expectations of a workplace from the very beginning of an employment relationship.
Courage and initiative are the key to gaining international experience
I encourage students to gain international experience and go on student exchange during their studies, especially to places that are different from what they’re used to. A new environment challenges you, teaches you a great deal and allows you to see things from different perspectives. I also highly recommend travelling around the region while on exchange and taking the opportunity to discover other countries and cultures.
When looking for a master’s thesis opportunity or a job abroad, the most important thing is to be proactive. Instead of waiting for job openings to be advertised, you can contact companies and the people working there directly. You probably won’t receive a response to every message you send, but sometimes a single LinkedIn message can open the door to an international opportunity.
Originally, I came to Taiwan simply as an exchange student, and now, it has become the place where I completed my master’s thesis and began my international career.
