Why studying abroad?

                                                                                                                                                           By ZHU Yingyin
    If you are reading this article, it means that you are interested in studying abroad. I have so far enjoyed my experience of studying in the UK, hence I would like to mention some reasons why I chose studying abroad. I hope my article will be of some use to you.

Academic Reputation:
    The Britain is famous for the high-quality higher education worldwide. Your degree in the UK will be recognized and respected. The education here will provide you with a solid foundation and boost your potential for having a higher salary.

    In 2012, I went to the University of Southampton through the ‘2+2’ program in the JXUFE. I am really thankful for the support that my teacher Ms. Cheng Qin, staff in the international office of the JXUFE. In 2014, I chose to enter the University of Warwick to study Msc Finance. This course is ranked as the UK’s second top pure finance course, and in the world’s top 15. In addition, Warwick Business School (WBS) is highly targeted by top employers. The competitive atmosphere here breeds a desire to excel in students. This is because Warwick’s entry standards are quite high. Some of my classmates were sent here at the government’s expenses. Some of them once worked in the world’s top investment banks like Deutsche Bank.

Campus or City:
    I recommend offer holders to visit the campus on one of those Open Days. Going to university in a city is quite different to studying on a campus, and which one is better depends on the person. While Southampton is a city University, Warwick is a campus University.

     Southampton is the largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. If you are interested in the story of the Titanic, you may know that the Titanic pulled away from White Star Dock in Southampton at the start of her maiden voyage in 1912. In Southampton, it took us around 20 minutes to go to the city center by bus. There are a wide range of facilities like pubs and restaurants around. There is a large shopping center ‘West Quay’ located right at the heart of Southampton’s city center, which contains over one hundred shops, including major retailers such as, John Lewis, Zara, Hollister Co. and many more top brand names. Girls must love it!

    In contrast, Warwick is pretty isolated. I went there thinking it was near Warwick but this is not the case. The university is located in a nice area of countryside close to a little place called Kenilworth, Between Coventry and Leamington Spa. Since I really enjoy peace, Warwick is perfect scenery for me. Warwick is like small, compacted cities with everything clustered together and a strong community feel. There are two banks, a large grocery store named Costcutter, some restaurants and a Costa coffee. In addition, a huge Tesco is a ten-minute walk from the central campus.

Skills gained:
    Nowadays, employers prefer high quality employees who have specific skill sets, including independently thinking, teamwork, problem solving and so on. My learning experience in the Britain was one that would provide me with the skills. To give an example, I did many group projects in the UK. In a team, we can share ideas, understand different point of views and work towards common goal. Through collaboration, I not only enhanced teamwork spirit, but also improved oral English skill.

    The higher education system in the UK is quite different from the Chinese one. Two-year study in the international school of JXUFE equipped me with overall English ability and professional knowledge in the accounting and finance, which makes it easier for me to adapt to the Englisheducational system. In the UK, there are no textbooks like in China, only ‘Module Introductions’ which include only brief information about the course, the assessments, and a long reading list. Modules are taught though a combination of lectures, seminars, and computer lab sessions. While lectures introduce key concepts and core economic models, in seminars you will solve financial problems and numerical exercise, analyze case studies, and make presentations of research published in academic journals. Lab work will give you hands’on experience of using software to perform finance-related calculations and conduct realistic simulations. Besides, English colleges place more emphasis on you as an independent learner supported by a professor knowledgeable in the course material. As a result, you will only spend 2-4 hours a day in class and be expected to spend as long as it takes outside of class to master the content of the course.

Have fun!
    The extracurricular opportunities are endless on campus in the UK. Most societies organize great events, which provides an opportunity to meet like-minded people and enjoy time. I participated in the Rotaract Club of Southampton University and made many friends from all over the world.

    English people attach great importance to exercising, so there are plenty places to play the sports such as football pitches, the gym, tennis courts and so on. I form a good habit of exercising regularly after my study in the UK.

    Holidays in the UK are Christmas, Easter and the summer holidays. These are in length but generally are 3-5 weeks, 3-5 weeks and 12-14weeks. England is the gateway to the rest of Europe. You can take advantage of this opportunity of travelling around Europe. Also, the Britain is an ideal holiday destination with its wealth of attractions, and its towns and cities reflect a rich historical and cultural heritage. taking a day trip to Bath and Stonehenge, or visiting London and the British Museum would be good.

    If you love travelling, meeting new people, and experiencing new culture, studying abroad can be a good opportunity while developing your professional knowledge and learning a new language. However, the decision is up to you. Hopefully this article can give you some food for thought and perhaps help you make a decision.