Find out about advantages of study abroad
A HIGH-PROFILE free event at Villa Park in ten days’ time aims to inform British students, currently in sixth form, of the many advantages of studying at an international university.
The world-renowned facilities of Villa Park will be the venue for the Birmingham International Education Show, where young visitors and their families can meet representatives of international universities face-to-face, take part in activities and tour a range of stands to help them plan their next steps for international study.
The exciting event will take place on Sunday, March 11, between 10am and 3pm, and is the first in a series of their shows travelling across the country. Visitors will include students, parents, school and college groups, businesses and careers advisors. All will be able to gain in-depth experience from experts about the benefits of studying for a Degree at an international university.
Antony Adams, founder of International Education Week in the UK, is a qualified careers adviser who specialises in international education. During the last year he has visited 40 universities outside the UK and blogged about his experiences in his blog ‘around the world in 80 universities’.
He said that the Birmingham event features as part of a national effort to raise awareness of international education opportunities for British students.
“There are many advantages for students who want to study at an The world-renowned University of Maastricht in The Netherlands and, right, some British students head for Bishop’s University in Quebec, Canada international university,” said Mr Adams.
“They include the opportunity to live in another country and fully discover its culture, instead of simply travelling there; and from a careers perspective it is increasingly essential for students to have international experience on their CVs, particularly in view of the global business opportunities that Brexit is expected to bring for the UK.
“Two-thirds of graduate recruiters require strong evidence of international experience on the CVs of job applicants.
“That is why it is vital for students to develop international competency and understand the culture in other countries if the UK is to compete in overseas markets. We need a globally aware workforce.”
Mr Adams said that when students return to the UK with this expertise it demonstrates they can work outside their comfort zone. They will also have found that studying abroad can provide a ‘value for money’ education.
“Unconventional, heuristic, transformative” . . . that is the way that Emma Wilson described her student experience in studying abroad.
Emma, now a third year digital media production student at Florida State University, said that she chose to study overseas because “I wanted to do something that would make me stand out from other job candidates and because university fees had increased so much in the UK... studying in the US became comparable fee-wise”.
She said: “Studying abroad was the perfect opportunity for me to have a completely different university experience that will also benefit my employment prospects when I return to the UK.”
Emma emphasised that studying overseas has enabled her to meet people from all over the world and make lifelong friends. She has been able to experience the “real” America as opposed to just the tourist trail.
She said: “I have had an extremely hands-on experience creating films with talented students and state-ofthe-art equipment. Not only has this been an extremely fun experience, but I feel prepared to go out into the world of work and apply what I’ve learned.”
FREE TICKETS
For full information on tickets for the event go to the following link: http://www.ieweek.com/birmingham