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You’ve studied the website, you’ve read the prospectus and you know all about the course content. But have you ever thought about what happens when you arrive in the UK to study or, crucially, what happens after you leave? Stephen Williams, International Liaison Officer at the University of Warwick, caught up with two current Indian students and two recent graduates to find out |
| Arrivals While the thought of studying in the UK can seem an exciting prospect when viewed from the comfort of your own home, the reality of arriving in a new country can be quite daunting. As a response to this, some UK universities have developed an orientation programme aimed at easing international students into their new homes as smoothly and enjoyably as possible. The concept is a simple but extremely effective one: help international students settle into their accommodation, enrol at the university, open a bank account, buy a mobile phone and find their way around, before the home students arrive en masse.While they get to grips with the practicalities of life in the UK, orientation participants are encouraged to have as much fun and make as many new friends as possible. A typical orientation programme in the UK might include: friendly, helpful faces to welcome students at the airport, a free coach service to take them to their new university, information sessions and tours of the university facilities, trips to places of interest – locally and further afield – and an exciting entertainment programme ranging from African drumming to traditional barn dances. At the University of Warwick in 2004, 870 new international students (107 of them from India) chose to take part in the biggest orientation programme to date. Such large numbers need a lot of organising, and the 22-strong team in the University’s International Office spent months preparing and planning the four-day event, which started with providing free shuttle buses from local rail and bus stations to the university campus and a coach service from Heathrow airport. They were helped during orientation week by students who gave their time for free, because of the great time they’d had as participants in previous years. Although 230 students applied to help, only 80 could be taken on, and these included 10 Indian helpers and two Indian team leaders. Orientation programmes can help with anything from buying a mobile phone to organising an African drumming evening Two of those involved in the 2004 programme were Vivek and Puja Shah, a brother and sister from Mumbai. Vivek, a third year BSc Accounting and Finance student, was a team leader. As a new arrival from Cathedral and John Connon School, Puja (LLB Law) was there to participate and find her feet (with a little help from big brother) at her new university. The team leader: Vivek Shah When you first arrive in a new country and a new environment it can be an intimidating experience, and orientation week is probably the most important time to help new students settle into their university lives. Orientation is run by the International Office with the help of current students, who are extremely friendly and make you feel very welcome. Orientation weeks are ideally structured with a range of events and information sessions to help new students deal with ‘culture shock’ and adapt to a new environment. The fact that there is so much going on makes it much easier to settle in and make friends. At Warwick, the programme generally lasts for four days and is hosted in a marquee at a central point on the campus. It is heavily subsidised by the International Office and includes accommodation, food and beverages. New students are offered advice on health and safety, parent and family information sessions, campus tours, sessions on how to use the library, guided tours of the local area – the list is endless. The week also boasts international cuisine, music and games. The week is made possible by the current students who act as enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers to welcome the new arrivals. From meeting 4.00 a.m. flights at Heathrow to cleaning the orientation marquee every night, I am proud to say that the week is a highlight for all students, whether they are arriving at university for the first time or are part of the week itself. Orientation week is a special time at Warwick and a great place to meet people. It helped me settle into my new home and has given me the chance to do the same for others, in such a fun-filled atmosphere. It’s where I have made my best friends for life. The participant: Puja Shah To everyone arriving at Heathrow for the first time with a student visa: beware of the health control queue! My advice is to remember to carry your chest X-ray in your hand. After that, everything else is a breeze. Orientation week aims to make international students welcome and, for me, it did just that and much, much more. From the minute I stepped off the bus I was surrounded by orientation helpers (‘red T-shirts’), running around giving everybody a helping hand. My every need was looked after, my luggage swiftly put into the marquee, hot coffee provided and a welcome pack filled with all sorts of useful advice on how to settle in. They even gave me a calling card so that I could phone home and assure my parents that I had arrived safely. Orientation helped me to get familiar with the campus, the people and campus life. There was not a moment when I felt lost or homesick.Walking into a new environment in a new country and being surrounded by hundreds of unfamiliar faces can be quite a daunting experience. Luckily, orientation week is the best way to make friends – from Nigeria, Brazil, Spain, Switzerland, Oman, even the Canary Islands. It was as if I was travelling round the world. Now, more than a month since orientation, my friends and I still reminisce about the wonderful time we had. The week was an absolute whirlwind – barn dances, visits to Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon, campus tours and African dancers, not to mention HEAT, an unbelievable night of international music. I never knew that learning the Zorba (Greek dance) could be so easy and so much fun. If I was given the task of describing orientation in a single word, it would only be appropriate to say it was fabulous. |
| Departures If arriving at university in a new country is daunting, leaving the security of the university environment can be equally so. After having the time of your life as a student in the UK, and the glamour of the graduation ceremony is over, you’re faced with the reality-check of what you’re going to do next. A prime reason for studying in the UK might have been to share a multicultural international experience that you couldn’t have had in your home country. However, this noble aim ultimately needs to translate into a clear career benefit too. For many international students, departing university does not mean departing the UK. Many choose to remain here to pursue their careers Shubhendra Swarap from Modern School, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi, graduated from the University of Warwick in 2002. His BSc in the innovative multidisciplinary degree of Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics (MORSE), gave him the ideal start for a career in accountancy. Shubhendra currently works as an executive at Ernst & Young’s Financial Services Office in London. Working in India: Shreya Mukherjee My master’s in Creative and Media Enterprises (CME) was definitely the best career move I ever made. My background was as a journalism major, with work experience in television (BBC World). My passion for music was the driving force behind my decision to pursue this MA, however, which offered me a thorough degree programme that would help me understand the workings of the music business. I looked at courses everywhere but none had such a comprehensive repertoire that focused on the creative as well as the business aspects of the music industry. CME helped me to understand the workings of the exciting, unpredictable entertainment business, while at the same time giving me the liberty to focus on the music business through term essays, which allowed me to delve into all aspects, from legal to marketing. Guest lecturers from all over the world also gave us their insights into different areas of the entertainment industry. My goal was to work for a record label and my thesis research took me to the US, where I interned with an independent record label for two months. The exposure I received through the course was absolutely tremendous, and enabled me to secure my dream job as Marketing Executive in International Repertoire with Sony Music. In June 2004 I took the next step up the career ladder when I became Manager of Corporate Relations for the Sales Team at Indiatimes (Times Internet Ltd), the internet venture of India's largest media conglomerate, Bennett Coleman & Company Limited. I’m now responsible for acquiring, maintaining and developing corporate clients for the Times Group Internet properties and I’m more convinced than ever that studying in the UK was the right choice, for me and for my career. Working in the UK: Shubhendra Swarup As an executive in the insurance division of Ernst & Young’s Financial Services Office, my role involves working on projects for some of the biggest insurance companies in the world, such as AVIVA Group, Cornhill and Lloyd’s of London. Working in London has been a great experience. As one of the financial capitals of the world, dynamic and fast-paced, it has given me opportunities galore to grow, both professionally and personally. Working at Ernst & Young has been a steep learning curve.With every new project, you learn more and more about the insurance and financial markets. Each new project brings with it a lot of responsibilities, and the job involves a great deal of technical work and interaction with clients. It adds to your knowledge about the financial workings of big companies – another feather in your cap. In addition to my job, I am also studying for a chartered accountancy qualification, and this is funded by the company. I was given the great opportunity of working for one of the most prestigious firms in the world, in the financial capital of Europe, as a result of having gained a degree from a university which is respected and popular amongst employers in the UK. My degree helped me to secure two graduate jobs with leading accounting firms (the other was KPMG) well before I had finished my third year at Warwick. Academically, I learned the difference between studying for exams (which is what we do at school) and actually learning a subject inside out so that you are able to apply it practically. The subjects I studied were statistics-based and I had a number of technical projects and assignments. These helped me to gain key skills such as working in teams, communicating well with people, organising work around other activities and, crucially, taught me the importance of working hard towards your goal. The skills I acquired at university turned me into a thorough professional. They have also proved to be a boon for my career graph, as these are the qualities that have helped me get through a number of projects and assignments at Ernst & Young, and were key components in my climb to become an executive, a highly stressful and competitive job. My UK education has most benefited me in that it has shaped my personality and made me a well-rounded, self-motivated, independent, mature and confident individual. It has provided me with a firm foundation, which is not only academic, but which has acted as a launch pad for my career. I will always be indebted to my university for making me what I am now. The single most important piece of advice I would like to give you all is that you should be willing to struggle, work hard and remain focused during your university years. At Warwick, we are taught that there is no easy way to success; and that has been my key to success. |
On the postgraduate side, Shreya Mukherjee followed up her first degree at Delhi University by reading for an MA in Creative and Media Enterprises at the University of Warwick.After graduating in 2003, she worked as a marketing executive with Sony Music, and is now Manager, Corporate Relations with the Times of India group. Choosing to study in the UK can really improve career prospects at home Both Shubhendra and Shreya are convinced that choosing a UK university really enhanced their career prospects. |
