China University of Mining and Technology Summer School

We have an exciting opportunity for you to study virtually for free with the China University of Mining and Technology. Starting on Monday 5th July and ending on Friday 16th July.

You have the opportunity to study one of the courses below. This is an amazing opportunity giving you the chance to learn modules that are not offered in the UK. The chance to study with on of the key universities in China, giving you an international experience from your home. You will be able to interact with students from around the world as well as China. This is a great addition to  your degree, which can be added to your CV and enhance your knowledge.

B1 Chinese History and Economy

B2 An Introduction to Traditional Chinese and European Architecture

B3 Intercultural Communication(ICC) with The Chinese

A1 Modern Mining Technology and Safety Engineering

A2 Advanced Manufacturing Technology

A3 Renewable Energy

If you would like to take part in this summer school please email studyabroad@reading.ac.uk with which course you would like to take. Please email by 12pm on Tuesday 1st June.

University of Bergamo 2021 Humanities Summer School

The 2021 Humanities Summer School is a 4-week intensive ONLINE program for University students (Bachelor’s and Master’s) with courses focused on humanistic, social and economic fields, linked in particular to the Italian and European dimension. It will be held in Bergamo in collaboration with Fairleigh Dickinson University (New Jersey)  from 21st June to 16th July 2021.

An intensive online program for University students (Bachelor and Master) with courses
focused on humanistic, social and economic fields, linked in particular to the Italian and
European dimension.

Online Courses: 30 hours (3 hours/day, Monday-Friday) for each course. Students may
select 1 to 4 courses
21 June – 2 July 2021
1) Travellers and the Making of a European Cultural Space: from stereotypes to identities.
(Prof. Marco Sirtori, University of Bergamo)
2) Walls or Bridges: Italy, Migration, and the Pitfalls of Globalization (Prof Gloria Pastorino, Fairleigh Dickinson University)
5-16 July 2021
3) Understanding Visual Culture: Making Sense of Contemporary Images from Digital Photography to Videogames
4) ‘Make’ in Italy: An Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Startupping. (C/o Cyfe, Center for Young and Family Enterprise, PM Prof. Davide Hahn)

The cost is FREE for University of Reading students!

For more information see https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100051905806837 and https://www.arch.kit.edu/img/2021%20Humanities%20Summer%20School%20-%20Brochure.pdf

Deadline for registration is 31st May 2021 (subject to availability). Please email studyabroad@reading.ac.uk if you are interested.

     

Thank you Reading Abroad!

After a long flight and a couple days recovering from the jet lag, it didn’t take long to settle in. Curtin University has been by far one of the friendliest places I’ve ever been. Everyone has been so accommodating and are very understanding that studying abroad can be quite a big deal, especially for those who have never travelled alone before. There are so many services available to all students for when you’re struggling academically, financially or personally and these are discussed openly by staff and student representatives.

As I arrived early, our accommodation team (UniLodge) arranged several activities to help everyone get to know one another as new people began to arrive. These included a silent disco, speed friending, pancake breakfasts, make your own wraps and a tour of the city.

These events helped me to settle in much faster and I’ve been able to meet students from all over the world, including those from Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, USA, Vietnam, China, etc.

The following week was our Orientation where the campus was bustling with fun events which you could book online with a personalised planner. I attended several tours, another speed friending, a volunteering information session and an official Aboriginal welcome which included a fascinating smoking ceremony by the Elder of the Whadjuk Nyungar tribe. What I found most admirable was how each staff member and student ambassador would pause before their talk to pay their respects to the Whadjuk Nyungar elders past, present and emerging and acknowledged their ownership of the land which the university was built upon.

At the end of the week, we took a trip to Caversham Wildlife Park to meet some adorable Australian animals!

The campus is absolutely beautiful and covered in art, which makes me very happy! Furthermore, it is a very green and environmentally friendly place with a strong emphasis on outside living which is understandable as the weather has been so lovely!

My advice to those considering study abroad is to not overload yourself and to take it easy. It’s very tempting to sign up to several guilds (societies/ clubs), take the maximum amount of units as well as to book in several trips. I did this and am now trying my best to simplify it all down. Remember you are here to study but also to embrace the culture you’ve decided to immerse yourself in so keep in mind the work-life balance we should all be aiming for.

Studying abroad is a great way to take a fresh look at your studies, to try units/ modules not available back home and to perfect your work- life balance. I never would have thought I’d be taking a virtual reality course but I already love it. In short, studying abroad has been like a fresh start for me and has really boosted my passion for my course. Everyone’s experience will be different but it is a very valuable thing to do and a great opportunity no matter where you go or what you study. Thank you Reading Abroad!         

I have had an incredible time so far studying abroad

 

The last of Alicia’s Blogs. See her testimonial at https://studyabroad.reading.ac.uk/testimonials/i-will-cherish-for-the-rest-of-my-life/

I am now halfway through my year studying abroad at the University of Melbourne and the time has flown by! I have loved my time so far and have had some incredible experiences that I wouldn’t have been able to have without this opportunity. I have also met some amazing people but have sadly had to say goodbye to a few as they were only studying abroad for a term. We are keeping in contact though and I now have excuses to travel to even more countries. I have also had the opportunity to travel around Australia and have had an amazing time exploring this incredible country with the friends I have made here.

The first term ended with exams which were quite stressful, especially as mine were on consecutive days, and we were all very relieved when they were over. The exams are held in the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne which is a picturesque World Heritage Site-listed building that is lovely to visit outside of exam season but is very daunting when you do have exams. It can hold hundreds of students so it was more of a struggle to find your seat number than it was to take the exam itself. Exams were all over by 16th November though so we didn’t have to suffer for too long before we were finished for the term and able to go travelling. My friends and I decided to travel up the east coast of the country and the day after exams had finished we flew to Sydney. We spent several days in Sydney and visited the landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and walked over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We also did the famous Coogee to Bondi coastal walk and, as avid fans of the Australian TV programme Bondi Rescue, spent some time exploring Bondi beach and trying to spot the lifeguards from the show, with little success. We then hired a car in Sydney and drove up to Newcastle where we relaxed on the beach and visited some friends who were currently living up there. From Newcastle we drove to Port Macquarie where we explored the area before heading off to Coffs Harbour. From there we headed to Byron Bay which had some of the most stunning beaches and we spent several days lounging on them before heading up to the Gold Coast.

At the University I had joined the Cheer and Dance society and became a member of the MU Capri Pom team. We had our national championship in the Gold Coast so I stayed in the area whilst my friends continued to travel up the coast. The competition was huge and teams from all over the country as well as internationally came to compete. In our category we came 2nd which I was very proud of and I thoroughly enjoyed the competition as well as being a member of the team. I spent several days celebrating with the team in the Gold Coast then met my friends again to travel back down to Sydney. We drove down to Sydney just in time to be caught in the worst storm it had seen in decades and were forced to spend an additional day in Sydney. We then flew back to Melbourne and made it just in time before my friends had to fly back home. I have had an incredible time so far studying abroad and I can’t wait to start the next term!

I am loving every second of it

The first of Alicia’s Blogs. See her testimonial at https://studyabroad.reading.ac.uk/testimonials/i-will-cherish-for-the-rest-of-my-life/

 

It has been a month since I arrived in Australia to commence my year studying at the University of Melbourne and so far I am loving every second of it. Melbourne is a very diverse city that is made up of lots of unique suburbs. I am staying in the suburb of Carlton which is just outside of the Central Business District so there is always lots to do and lots of shops and restaurants located conveniently nearby. There is also a very good tram system in Melbourne so I have been able to explore some of the other suburbs, such as St Kilda and Fitzroy, in my free time and I intend to do more exploring in the future. The weather in Melbourne is also a characteristic of the city, it is often said that you can experience four seasons in a day and I am still not used to how quickly the weather can change. It was quite cold when I first arrived here, as it was the middle of winter, but now it is beginning to warm up and I’m excited for all the BBQs that I’ve heard so much about.

  

The University campus is astounding. Parts of it are very old, with buildings that are similar to those at Oxford or Cambridge, but there are also many new buildings with amazing resources. I have a lot of my tutorials in the business building, known as The Spot, which was recently built and has an incredible lecture theatre, as well as a state of the art library specifically for business and economics books. Studying at the University of Melbourne has given me the opportunity to take courses that are not provided at Reading, such as Neuromarketing, which I am really enjoying. I have also been able to join new societies and clubs and I am part of the student exchange club and film club where I have been able to meet many new people.

    

I have also had a fab time exploring Melbourne with the friends I have made here. We have been to visit the famous Laneways and have been to watch a game of Australian Rules Footy which is great to watch even though we weren’t very good at following the game. We have also been down to the beach and explored Chinatown and Little Italy. I live nearby the well-known Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne and they run a winter night market throughout winter that has live music and lots of food stalls that we love to visit. It is also Melbourne Film Festival here at the moment and we have been to one of the events which was amazing and took place in the biggest cinema I have ever seen. We have also been to several bars and clubs and have plans to go on a party cruise along the Yarra River at the end of the month. We also have plans to visit Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef in our half term break in the middle of September and lots of plans to travel at the end of the term. Overall, I am having a fantastic time here and I don’t think a year will be long enough!

Adventures with Erasmus+

      I honestly don’t think I would have had even half of the experience that I had if it wasn’t for the funding that I got from Erasmus +. To be completely honest I don’t know that I would have been able to afford to go at all. The Erasmus+ funding was such a huge part of my experience of studying in Venice, because of the money it meant I felt comfortable enough to go to social outings and meet new people and not worry about spending a bit of money while I was there, I was able to afford Italian lessons that helped me improve and feel comfortable in my surroundings.

The money meant I could travel throughout Italy, during my time there I was able to travel to Sicily, Naples and the Amalfi coast, Lake Garda, Verona, San Marino, Milan, Florence, Trento and the money even meant I could afford to go skiing in La Folgaria with a big group of people from around the world. I’ll never forget any of the adventures that I had or the people that I met while I was studying abroad it truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity and the Erasmus+ funding made all of it possible. As a bonus the Erasmus+ funding even contributed to the fact that I now have a graduate job for when I finish my final year of university as I was able to afford several flights to go back and forth to interviews (one of which led to an internship that led to a graduate job!)

Arrival in Ottawa

Prior to applying to study abroad, I already had full intention on studying abroad when possible. In addition to that, I also had family members that had travelled to Canada, either for work, placement or even to study abroad there! So not only did I already have the decision to take this unique opportunity, I even had decided where I wanted to go! It was of great relief when I saw a letter of acceptance to travel to the country of my choice! The hardest part before leaving was realising that I would not see my friends until the next year. I packed my bags, excited to see what was to come entering a country on my own.

As I first entered Canada, I was shocked almost instantly at what I saw when I left the airport, the air was warm and the sun was blazing. I took my jacket off just to compensate for the heat. It seemed I packed too heavy for such a warm weather. So with my first assumption already out the window, I enter my campus and placed my stuff down quickly to then set off and explore the grounds.

The second thing I noticed was how the place showed similarities to the UK, city wise that is. The structure of buildings reminded me of a busy city area in London. Which may sound minuscule. However, it made me feel comfortable to know what to expect when it came to exploring the place. Everybody I met there was incredibly welcoming, and since I was essentially a freshmen, I took pamphlets upon pamphlets so that I could navigate myself around the campus. Unlike most universities in the UK, uOttawa, at the very least, was incredibly open, some of the buildings would stretch into the city, and every now and then you would find a building somewhere in the main city with a uOttawa sign on it. So at least I knew that on my way to my lectures, I could grab a Tim Hortons and pretend I was a Canadian like everyone else. As I walked around the campus, I was greeted by many friendly guides from Ottawa who were more than happy to lend a helping hand.

I went to my first class of season, technical theatre, I was anxious to see how the classes would be structured and how the students would interact with me. Fortunately, the second I walked into the room I was greeted almost instantly by these two people who then became one of my closest friends. Overall, the first few weeks showed promise, and I was excited to proceed with the further months to come.

Meet the Hoosiers

One thing that really surprised me about the whole experience of studying abroad was how welcoming and eager to talk to me people seemed to be in my first few weeks (and for my entire time there for that matter). Even after being there a few days, it became clear to me that most Hoosiers (the name for people from Indiana) have never even met someone from the U.K before. The way I spoke was something out of a movie for most of the people I met, I suppose in the same way most American culture is to me. Upon meeting people, I would receive a quick second-glance at the sound of my voice which would almost certainly be followed by the words “Oh my god, do you have an accent?”, so I mean it literally when I say that I must have heard that sentence at least once a day.

I have been using the time in between my studies to see as much of the U.S as I can. I went with friends down to Anderson County in Kentucky where we went bungee jumping, and then the next day went hiking and cliff jumping in Red River Gorge national park. The bungee jump was one the best experiences of my entire life. The 240 foot drop from the platform of a disused train bridge to the Kentucky River beneath induced a feeling of fear, adrenaline and excitement of which it would be hard to come by again. And Red River gorge was an adventure in itself. We spent the day walking along trails in the dense forest underneath the red hot sun, clambering along beautiful rock formations such as what’s known as the Sky Bridge. A natural rock formation of a bridge which the trail leads you over and then takes you back around underneath. Later that day we also came to a part of the river that runs through the national park known as Jump Rock. Here people were swimming in river, which was surprisingly pleasant, and deep enough so that you could jump off a rock around 12 foot above the surface of the water that protruded from the banking.

In terms of my studies, the relaxed nature of my lessons has certainly become a little bit more stressful as the pressure starts to build up. Luckily for me my classes are more coursework based as opposed to having exams to take. I really thrive off of the individual and creative nature of my assignments. I have learnt so much practical knowledge about the things that interest me in terms of my professional goals. For example I now know how to fully devise and professionally format a screenplay. And I can utilise the settings of a camera in a creatively enhancing way, whilst also being able to develop my own rolls of film and print the photographs myself in a dark room. Furthermore I know how to think in terms of lighting and plan accordingly when filming for my Video Production class, and my Telecommunications Management class has taught me how to think in terms of running my own freelance business, which may very well be my entry point into the film and television industry.

 

Endless Corn Fields

I can say with confidence that I absolutely loved everything about my first few weeks on my

study abroad placement at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, in the heart of the United

States’ mid-west.

 

I remember the one-hour car ride from the airport to the small town of Muncie very well.

Even after over twelve hours of travelling, the site of the Indianapolis skyline with the Indiana

Colts’ famed Lucas Oil American football stadium in the foreground didn’t fall short in filling

me with excitement for my forthcoming adventure. As we got further away from Indianapolis

I began to see the real Indiana. I was struck by the natural beauty of its rural setting. The two

words “Corn” and “Fields” would suffice in perfectly describing what the general terrain looks

like throughout the state. The earth is flat for miles in every direction and all you can see is

clumps of trees growing sparsely amongst the vast agricultural landscape. To put it into

perspective, if you ever happen to be driving through Indiana you could you fall asleep in the

car and wake up an hour later to find that the view from your passenger window hasn’t

changed at all. That just about sums up the endless, and no less beautiful, setting that

comprises the state of Indiana.

 

It didn’t take me long to settle in to ‘college life’ once the semester commenced. I was placed

in Studebaker East, which is Ball State’s dormitory for international students, however there

were American students there as well. The mix of Americans and fellow international

students was great as it meant that I had a group of friends to experience this new culture

with, and then friends who were keen to show us their culture and vice versa. This meant we

had a great group with which to go to the college American football games, and basketball

games which really became a big part of our weekend most weeks. The tailgate parties that

preceded every college football game were a lot of fun. It felt like a very American experience;

with people dancing next to big trucks that had huge speakers on them whilst others were

grilling burgers on their portable Barbeques. And then we would all venture off to the game

itself.

 

Academically, I found that Ball State’s system took a little bit of getting used to, simply

because it was different to what I am used to in England. I really like how Ball State students

could pick classes from different departments within reason. For example, I took two classes

from the Telecommunications department, a class from the English department and a class

from the Art department. I benefitted from this variety as it allowed me to steer my education

in the direction I wanted it to go. My classes in the end were Photography, Screenwriting,

Advanced Video Production and Telecommunications Management. As my degree is Film, you

can see why these courses were beneficial to me. The class-room based, more relaxed

teaching styles made classes feel more personal and enjoyable. Particularly in the

Telecommunications classes (Advanced Video Production and Management), both of my

instructors filled their classes with clear information and helpful anecdotes of their

experiences in the industry I wish to work in.

Arrival in Australia

When I arrived in Australia, it wasn’t exactly the weather I expected, grey, cloudy and windy. Luckily, thanks to the study abroad co-ordinators at my host university setting up a Facebook group, I had managed to find people on my flight from Abu-Dhabi to Perth in which I was able to travel to the university with. I was the only one at my flat when I first arrived, reality then hit that this was going to be a challenging experience, many emotions ran through my head but already having friends who were in the same boat made it a lot easier (it’s hard not to develop a close friendship 26 hours flying). Being in student accommodation made it a lot easier to meet people from all across the world, something I had not experienced at Reading.Curtin’s O-week is pretty much like the fresher’s events we have on campus. It allows you to get to know the campus, what societies and sports they have to offer, and also to get familiar with the happy hour they have at The Tav (their equivalent to Park Bar). The study abroad department, and accommodation office organise a lot of trips, which allows you to experience the city and also spend time with those also studying abroad. So far this has involved going to Caversham Wildlife Park, where I got to see koalas and kangaroos, Freemantle Prison, Kings Park and many more. My friend in other accommodation has hired a car which meant we could easily get to and embrace the beaches now that the sun has come out.

With trips to Bali and Sydney being planned, I am looking forward to my next few months in Australia and seeing what Curtin has to offer!