The annual Go Abroad Fair was held on Wednesday 16 October, hosted by the Global Opportunities team. Students were informed of the range of opportunities provided by Queen Mary to have an international experience as part of their undergraduate degrees.
Undergraduate students who attended the Go Abroad Fair 2019 to find out about international opportunities
These opportunities are offered through Queen Mary’s Erasmus+ Exchange, International Exchange and Summer and Short-Term programmes. There are also options available through external partner institutions.
Throughout the event, students were able to meet with school staff, partners from host institutions and students who had previously studied abroad, to gain a clear insight into the benefits of a global opportunity as part of a degree.
Speaking of the benefits of studying abroad was a representative from one of our host institutions, International Law Professor Elisa Baroncini, Università di Bologna: “A person is worth the languages that he or she speaks. Studying abroad offers a chance to discover new cultures and experiences, as well as the opportunity to discover your identity. It’s also a great way to make your CV stand out.”
Having that competitive edge in your CV has been of increasing importance over recent years, as prospective employers look to hire graduates with a rounded university experience and skill set. After spending two weeks at Chengdu Sichuan Summer School, second-year History student Natalie has now been inspired to learn Mandarin with the Confucius Institute. “It was the best two weeks of my life! I had my eyes opened to a new culture and it was amazing to not only meet people from China, but to make friends with people from countries such as Malaysia and Uzbekistan too. I also met people from Queen Mary that I wouldn’t necessarily have crossed paths with without this experience.”
Speaking of the opportunity to make new friends, Simona, a fourth-year International Relations student commented: “I studied at the University of Sydney for a year and it was the best decision I’ve made at university so far! I made lots of friends who I’m still in touch with; they’re coming over to visit in December. I’ve come to the Fair this year to tell students to go abroad, because it’s great!”
“We’re absolutely delighted that the event is so well attended this year,” remarked Ceri Bevan, Head of Global Opportunities. “We look forward to it with anticipation every year, as it kicks off our promotion of opportunities for the following academic year. Seeing prospective applicants speaking with international and returned mobile Queen Mary students represents something special for us. For some students, our fair is the spark that begins their interest in completing a period abroad. We are grateful to be a part of that process and to support our students along this journey.”
The application period for outgoing student exchanges during 2020/2021 will open late October. If you are interested in studying abroad and missed last week’s Fair, more information can be found on the Global Opportunities outgoing student webpages.