Study, travel and make new friends in Nottingham

From the 17th to the 28th of July, 2023, I participated in Nottingham Trent University’s Global Summer School. The two-week program brought together university students from around the world studying various courses such as Photography, Writing in the style of Jane Austin, Finance and Criminology. I chose to study a course called ‘The Entrepreneurial Citizen: Problem-solving and Solution Creation for Business Life’ as I was eager to discover the steps I needed to take to become an entrepreneur within my community and workplace. At UTS, I am studying a Bachelor of Business, majoring in International Business, and a Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation, and thought that this subject would be the perfect way to both consolidate and challenge my existing insights.

The program was structured so that each day, we would be in the classroom with our peers who were studying the same subject, and then in the afternoon, there would be a social activity for us to mingle with students in other classes. These activities included, but were not limited to, a Robin Hood tour of the town, dinner in a historical church, and sessions sharing our home cultures. In addition to the afternoon cultural and social activities, the program also took all students to the town of York where we were able to explore the historically significant attractions. 

I really valued the opportunity to broaden my perspective, enhance my self-awareness and push the boundaries of my comfort zone. By partaking in a global short program, I was able to learn about what it took to become an entrepreneurial citizen and the experiences of University students in other corners of the globe, all whilst technically being on holiday and reducing the workload I would have to take on the semester following.

I recommend doing a global short program to anyone who wants to travel the world and make new friends from other countries without extending the time it would take them to complete their degree. It is a great opportunity to experience a short snippet of living and studying in a foreign country with the support of your home and host university, as well as the other students in the same position as you. 

Eliza Ross
Faculty of Transdisciplinary Innovation
Enterprising Skills for Life at Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom
Global Short Programs Travel Scholarship recipient