Studying Abroad: Making the Experience Count

By William Ham Bevan

1 Attending a foreign university for all or part of your degree may make sense on financial and academic grounds, but there are other benefits to be gained. In terms of personal development, few experiences can have such a positive impact as living in a foreign country and getting to grips with a different educational culture. 

2 Often the cultural differences begin in the classroom, as Dave Richardson discovered. Originally from Carlisle, the 24-year-old is now in the fourth year of a BBA Hons (Bachelor of Business Administration) of Management at Lancaster University Management School. Students on the “study abroad” version of the course go to a top North American, Australasian or Asian university for their second year, before taking on a managerial work placement in their third. Richardson, who ended up at the Schulich School of Business at York University, Toronto, found the Canadian teaching methods both stimulating and daunting. 

3 “It was a completely different style of learning, and very much focused on class participation,” he says. “There were no ‘mug and jug’ style lectures and a percentage of our marks were given for what we contributed in class. Having a British accent meant that as soon as I opened my mouth, everyone would turn to look at me, so I had to be sure what I said was right!” 

4 On commencing her degree in arts and culture at the University of Maastricht, Danielle Older, 23, also faced a totally different educational culture. Dutch universities are a popular choice with British undergraduates — not only due to the increasing range of courses taught in English, low fees and proximity to the UK, but also because of their pioneering “problem-based learning” methods. “We have small groups of just 14 to 15, and my class changes every eight weeks,” says Older. “The teaching standard is incredibly high.” 

5 Older believes she has also benefited from the cosmopolitan makeup of the student body. “In my classes there are Lithuanians, Latvians, Hungarians, people from Belarus — it’s so diverse. I don’t think there is any university in the UK that would have such a mix of people in one room. With the topics I’m studying, such as philosophy and sociology, it makes for some fascinating conversation and debate.” 

6 Away from the campus, it’s advisable to immerse yourself in the culture. According to Lizzie Fane, founder of ThirdYearAbroad.com — an advice website for those studying overseas — students should try to become locals. “For instance, if you’re in Italy, don’t habitually buy your favorite breakfast cereal if you see everyone else is going to the local bar in the morning and standing up to drink an espresso. Do as they do, and have that as your breakfast instead. It’s about adapting your way of life to your surroundings.” 

7 Another advantage that should not be taken for granted is the chance to explore your host country or continent, according to Lee Miller, manager of Study Overseas UK, a consultancy that helps prospective students find places in foreign universities. He says: “Being able to combine your education with out-of-term tourist trips is a huge add-on. For example, if you are studying at Macquarie University in Sydney, you can easily plan a day trip to the Blue Mountains or a short flight up to Bryon Bay on the Gold Coast.” 

8 From his base in Toronto, Dave Richardson took full advantage of the opportunities to discover more of the continent. “I went to Niagara Falls, Montreal, Vancouver and then down the West Coast of America,” he says. “When else would you have the chance to do all that?” 

9 And being well travelled leaves more than good memories — it can lend graduates an edge in the workplace. After his year abroad, Richardson went on to spend his third year as a marketing intern at Dow Jones in London. “Being familiar with the North American lifestyle and work ethic was a big advantage,” he says. “I was dealing with people from the US on a day-to-day basis. We had common ground, and I knew how they would react to things.” 

10 Perhaps the most important advantage of having lived and studied in another country is that it demonstrates a sense of initiative and independence, which is bound to help you stand out after university. 

11 “The range of skills you pick up is amazing,” says Fane. “You get to understand another culture and its bureaucracy, you become more independent and motivated, and your self-confidence grows. When it comes to finding a job, all these skills are valuable to employers.” 

海外留学：努力实现留学的价值

威廉·汉姆·贝文 

1到外国上大学获得学位或学分，除了在经济上和学术上可能划得来，还有其他好处。就个人发展而言，在外国生活并应对一个不同的教育文化会给人以积极影响，很少有其它的体验能起到这样的效果。

2正像戴夫·理查森发现的那样，文化差异往往首先体现在课堂上。他今年24岁，来自卡莱尔，目前是兰开斯特大学管理学院四年级学生，攻读BBA（工商管理学士）荣誉学位。攻读该学位的学生如果选择“留学”，就可以在二年级时前往北美、大洋洲或亚洲的一所顶尖大学学习，三年级时回国参加管理实习。理查森去了多伦多的约克大学舒立克商学院。他发现加拿大的教学方法既令人振奋又叫人气馁。

3“这是一种全然不同的学习风格，非常注重课堂参与。”他说。“课上教授们从不‘满堂灌’，课堂参与占总成绩的一定比例。因为我的英国口音，我一开口，人人都会转头看我，所以我得确保自己说对了！”

423岁的丹妮尔·奥尔德去马斯特里赫特大学攻读艺术和文化学位时，同样面临截然不同的教育文化。英国本科生偏好荷兰大学——不仅因为那里有越来越多的课程用英语讲授、学费低、离英国近，更因为荷兰大学开创了“基于问题的学习法”。“我们一个班只有14到15名学生，而且每八个星期就换一个班。”奥尔德说。“教学标准高得令人难以置信。”

5奥尔德相信，由于她的班是由来自世界各地的同学组成的，这也让她获益匪浅。“在我班上有立陶宛人、拉脱维亚人、匈牙利人和白俄罗斯人——多元化程度很高。我不认为英国有哪所大学会把这么多不同的人聚集到一间教室里。因为我学的是哲学和社会学这样的课题，所以多元化的学生构成使得课堂上的交流和辩论精彩纷呈。”

6在校园以外，不妨融入当地文化。ThirdYearAbroad.com是一个专门向留学生提供咨询服务的网站，其创始人莉齐·费恩认为学生应努力像当地人一样生活。“比方说，如果你在意大利，别人早上都去当地酒吧站着喝浓咖啡，你就不要按老习惯去买你最喜欢的早餐麦片。入乡随俗，与他们吃一样的早餐。这关乎改变你的生活方式以适应周围的环境。”

7Study Overseas UK是一个帮助学生申请海外大学的咨询公司，其经理李·米勒认为，另外一个不应视为当然的好处是有机会探索东道国或东道国所在的洲。他说：“能在受教育之余去旅游是一个极大的额外好处。例如，你在悉尼的麦考瑞大学学习，你可以轻而易举地安排去蓝山的一日游，或者短途飞行去看看黄金海岸上的拜伦湾。”

8戴夫·理查森以多伦多为基地，充分利用各种机会探索美洲大陆。“我去了尼亚加拉大瀑布、蒙特利尔、温哥华，然后南下游览了美国西海岸。”他说。“除了留学期间，还有什么时候能做这一切呢？”

9周游各地不但给人留下美好回忆，还能让毕业生们在职场占据优势。留学一年后，理查森回到本校读大三，在道·琼斯伦敦办事处做市场营销实习生。“熟悉北美生活方式和职业道德给了我很大的优势。”他说。“我每天都跟美国来的人打交道。我们有共同之处，而且我知道他们面对事情会做出什么反应。”

10或许在外国学习生活的最重要好处是它体现了学生的主动精神和独立性。这势必有利于你在大学毕业后鹤立鸡群。

11“你留学时学到的各种技能是令人惊叹的。”费恩说。“你了解了另一种文化和它的行政管理系统。你变得更为独立、更积极、更自信。所有这些技能都是你在找工作时雇主所看重的。”