Students Look Abroad for More Opportunities
Text: Grace Yeoh
Students attending International Exchange Day said expanding one’s worldview was their central reason for choosing to go on student exchange programmes.
Muhammad Fazari Othman, 22, a second-year sociology undergraduate said, “Besides experiencing a different social climate, it’s also about personal development and pushing myself out of my comfort zone, since I’ll be living by myself and building new networks.”
Also at the event was 22-year-old Joyce Tan , a second-year life science undergraduatewho is currently planning for her exchange. She said, “I like that going overseas removes Singaporeans from our conservative culture by exposing us to different ways of living.”
Themed “Imagine Your Journey”, the annual event was held at the National University of Singapore’s Central Forum on Sept. 5, 2013. Organised by the International Relations Office, the event aimed to create awareness of the international opportunities available to undergraduates.
The event included a series of informative talks covering the different countries available for exchange, as well as booths for each faculty, where students got to interact with international students from partner universities and NUS students who had previously gone on exchange.
In addition to exchange programmes, students also had the opportunity to find out more about summer programmes, international internships and international research attachment programmes.
“The event provided me with a clearer picture about how exchange will be, though it could have been more comprehensive. It was also very helpful regarding the application process,” Othman said.
With a wide array of information available, the event also helped NUS students discover the chance to do their exchange in exotic countries, as well as seek funding opportunities for their exchange.
NUS alumnus Fiona Pay, 23, chose to do her exchange in India in 2011. She said, “My mom wouldn’t fund my exchange to India, but through this event, I found Temasek Foundation which helped me greatly in terms of finances. The world is anyone’s oyster. Don’t confine yourself to academics alone.”
Pay’s sentiments were echoed by life science undergraduate Tan, who was determined to seize these international opportunities instead of spending her entire three or four years solely in NUS. She said, “Studying in NUS is quite stressful, so I’d like to get out.”
Even though most students were already aware of the advantages of international programmes, Camy Cheng, 22, a fourth-year communications and new media undergraduate who was on the marketing team for the event, said attending the event would still prove to be useful.
She said, “There are fourth-year students who haven’t even heard of summer programmes, which is why going down to speak to people at the event is beneficial. There is only so much you can get from websites.”
Tags: breaking news
Students attending International Exchange Day said expanding one’s worldview was their central reason for choosing to go on student exchange programmes.
Muhammad Fazari Othman, 22, a second-year sociology undergraduate said, “Besides experiencing a different social climate, it’s also about personal development and pushing myself out of my comfort zone, since I’ll be living by myself and building new networks.”
Also at the event was 22-year-old Joyce Tan , a second-year life science undergraduatewho is currently planning for her exchange. She said, “I like that going overseas removes Singaporeans from our conservative culture by exposing us to different ways of living.”
Themed “Imagine Your Journey”, the annual event was held at the National University of Singapore’s Central Forum on Sept. 5, 2013. Organised by the International Relations Office, the event aimed to create awareness of the international opportunities available to undergraduates.
The event included a series of informative talks covering the different countries available for exchange, as well as booths for each faculty, where students got to interact with international students from partner universities and NUS students who had previously gone on exchange.
In addition to exchange programmes, students also had the opportunity to find out more about summer programmes, international internships and international research attachment programmes.
“The event provided me with a clearer picture about how exchange will be, though it could have been more comprehensive. It was also very helpful regarding the application process,” Othman said.
With a wide array of information available, the event also helped NUS students discover the chance to do their exchange in exotic countries, as well as seek funding opportunities for their exchange.
NUS alumnus Fiona Pay, 23, chose to do her exchange in India in 2011. She said, “My mom wouldn’t fund my exchange to India, but through this event, I found Temasek Foundation which helped me greatly in terms of finances. The world is anyone’s oyster. Don’t confine yourself to academics alone.”
Pay’s sentiments were echoed by life science undergraduate Tan, who was determined to seize these international opportunities instead of spending her entire three or four years solely in NUS. She said, “Studying in NUS is quite stressful, so I’d like to get out.”
Even though most students were already aware of the advantages of international programmes, Camy Cheng, 22, a fourth-year communications and new media undergraduate who was on the marketing team for the event, said attending the event would still prove to be useful.
She said, “There are fourth-year students who haven’t even heard of summer programmes, which is why going down to speak to people at the event is beneficial. There is only so much you can get from websites.”
Tags: breaking news