|
Name: Aihua Ning
Country of Origin: China
Place of Study: The University of Sydney
Being an international student, I feel studying
in a foreign country is quite challenging. Since
living harmoniously within a new cultural environment
and studying successfully across culture are not
easy. We need to leap over language barriers,
to cope with cultural shock, to overcome study
difficulties and to struggle with emotional upheaval.
For the first few months after I arrived in Australia,
I was nearly overwhelmed by these combined factors.
However, after having got used to the new environment,
I feel studying in Australia is also enjoyable.
Since living in Australia, a multicultural country,
we can experience mant 'local'customs and practices
and make friends with people from all over the
world. As well, studying in Australia is rewarding.
What we are learning here is not only from studies,
but also from our daily lives. The broadened new
knowledge would be obviously helpful for a career
success.
In short, it is in Australia that I have experienced
the hardest time in my life, it is also in Australia
that I enjoy an unforgetful life, as well, the
time I spend in Australia will become the most
fruitful season of my life.
back to the top
Name: Michele Rivière
Country of Origin: France
Place of Study: University of Western Australia
Born on the Indian Ocean island of Réunion,
off the north west coast of Madagascar, Michele
Rivière returned to her native France to
attend school and university. She obtained her
law degree from the University of Bordeaux in
1996. "I found studying in Europe very intensive
and somewhat stressful. The French system depends
very much on individual competition with little
in the way of teamwork or learning as a group."
Already a confident international traveller,
Michele decided to look outside Europe for somewhere
to study her Master of Business Administration.
"America appealed to me but studying there
is just too expensive. I have a good friend who
was then at the University of Western Australia.
He sent me a prospectus and some literature about
the Graduate School of Management. I must say
I was impressed by the professionalism of these
brochures. It was apparent they took the marketing
and promotion of their own facilities very seriously."
Having decided Australia was the place to go,
Michele flew to Perth in time to start her four
trimester, full-time MBA course in September 1998.
"I was surprised by the degree of flexibility.
In France, you must begin the course in a specific
month. Here you can enter at the start of any
trimester. It reflects a generally more easy-going
attitude. Studying at UWA is still hard work and
everyone takes it very seriously, but it is not
so stressful as being at Bordeaux University.
The atmosphere is friendlier and more relaxed."
Michele soon discovered that the cost of living
- and of education - was also easier to cope with
in Perth. Even the currency exchange rate was
in her favour at the time she arrived. Since then
she has been able to find accommodation close
to the university campus and cycles to and from
school every day.
Does she like Perth? "Oh, yes. It is quite
a small city in many ways but very attractive,
clean and cosmopolitan. I have met students from
many countries - from Europe, Asia, India and
of course Australia. There are even three fellow
French speakers within the Graduate School of
Management."
As for the course itself, Michele had few preconceived
ideas about what the content would be and how
it would operate. She finds herself pleased with
the variety of subjects and believes that, being
a post-grad course involving older students, it
benefits greatly from an increased amount of teamwork
and mutual self-help.
"Everyone seems willing to help everyone
else. There is a certain camaraderie that means
we can share experiences and opinions freely.
This was not the case when I did my law degree
in France; but then that was based far more on
theory whereas the MBA is more practical, more
involving."
Because Michele has opted to complete the course
in sixteen months, she will certainly have to
put in some intensive study periods. However,
the course is designed to be flexible and she
will still have the opportunity to concentrate
on her chosen specialisation which is international
business.
"I have a lot to learn in a short space
of time. While being in a foreign country and
having to speak English makes it a little more
difficult for me, it also makes it more of a challenge;
more exciting."
Australia's geographical proximity to Asia makes
the study of Asian business systems an essential
part of the University of Western Australia's
MBA program. Case studies involving companies
trading with Asia are a popular part of the course.
"Unfortunately, many of the major companies
in the Australasian Pacific region have their
Australian headquarters in cities such as Sydney,
Melbourne or Adelaide. This makes it difficult
for UWA to forge many long-term links with those
involved in local industry and commerce. It is
not easy for students to make contacts with large
companies so, when it comes to in-depth case studies,
the number of potential subjects is limited."
It's a comment about which the university administration
is only too aware. Consultations are already underway
to encourage more links with local industry and
to investigate the introduction of scholarships
and sponsorship schemes involving Perth-based
organisations.
On the subject of geographical location, Michele
also feels that the Graduate School of Management,
situated as it is on the outskirts of the university
campus, is a little isolated. "The social
life on campus seems to be very lively but we
MBA post-grads sometimes feel we are too far away
from the centre of things. But, then again, study
doesn't leave much time for partying and perhaps
the school's location only enhances the feeling
of being a group and of having to help one another."
And what of the future for Michele Rivière?
"I believe that with an MBA from a well-known
university like UWA I could work almost anywhere
in the world, but I will probably return to France.
I certainly intend to make more use of my MBA
than my law degree although it too will no doubt
prove useful. I would like to work for an international
fashion house or cosmetic company. But we'll have
to wait and see."
back to the top
|
|
Name: Andrea Iris
Schäfer
Country of Origin: Germany
Place of Study: University of New South
Wales
I am currently finishing my PhD in Chemical Engineering
in the UNESCO Centre for Membrane Science and
Technology in the School of Chemical Engineering
and Industrial Chemistry. I am looking at removing
natural organic substances from drinking waters
which become carcinogenic when chlorinated.
My initial degrees are an Honours in Physics
Engineering (Germany), a Masters in Environmental
Engineering (France) and a research degree (D.E.A.)
in Process Engineering (France). I have worked
on membranes in many places (Germany, New Zealand,
France) and fell in love with them before ever
starting to study! During my time in New Zealand,
I started to like research, loved the working
conditions and began to consider a PhD. So after
my final year in France, my partner and I decided
to go to Australia.
The UNESCO Centre for Membrane Science and Technology
was famous for what I wanted to do, while the
Photovoltaics Special Research Centre at UNSW
served the other half. So here we were, yet to
face many difficulties associated with red tape
and moving far away from home for a very long
time. But we made it, now both with scholarships,
finances to go to conferences overseas, and what
I really love is the freedom to do what I want.
I always wanted to work with or supervise visiting
students and although this is not usual in the
Australian system, I am able to do this and achieved
a much broader experience that way. What is very
nice as well is the incredibly good library at
UNSW and the fact that I can access analytical
instruments all over the campus and generally
people are helpful.
To write up my PhD I moved out of the city air
to the coast near Wollongong (70km south of Sydney),
literally overlooking the sea and the sound of
the waves reducing stress levels. This has been
a wonderful experience of the Australian countryside.
People are friendly, are less rushed and it is
a lot easier to make real friends than in the
city and especially to meet people who think about
other things than PhDs. Being an outdoor fanatic
I spend most of my spare time bushwalking or exploring
the numerous national parks in the area and there
is plenty left for a post-PhD holiday. Finally,
the research I did over the last three years at
UNSW is internationally very competitive and I
would do it again.
back to the top
Name: Audrey
Hauser
Country of Origin: USA
Place of Study: The University of Sydney
I was overwhelmed with the choice of units of
study. There are subjects that I didn't even think
existed! Although I decided to stick to subjects
related to Accounting, I had the choice to take
anything I wanted. Also, Australia is a world
leader in the field of Accounting, especially
research. It's great because I come here and my
professors are the authors of the research that
I'd been reading about back home. It's just fantastic!
I was a bit overwhelmed at first because I go
to a small private university back home and the
University of Sydney is such a large institution.
It all comes together really quickly though. The
International Office helps set up everything and
the Orientation is a good ice-breaker. Not only
do you get to meet other international students
and see how they're coping, but you get to meet
Australian students and the lecturers too. The
University has a vast cultural mix and there are
people here from every background imaginable,
which makes things very interesting. I think it's
important to encounter as much diversity as possible.
I live very close to the University which means
I have my academic, sporting and social life practically
on my doorstep. The Uni is so close to the city
centre too and I knew it would be everything I
was looking for.
back to the top
|
