London School of Economics and Political Science, Global Short Program

My name is Connee and I study a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Sustainability and Environment at UTS. This is the story of my summer at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

Global exchange was not something I had envisioned for myself when I started my university studies. To be honest, I was very comfortable with my life at home and wasn’t sure about how studying abroad would add to my life. After having just returned from a month of studying and exploring in London, I am very happy to say that I was proven wrong.

There were so many highlights from my session abroad but I have to give special mention to my amazing course and professor, and witnessing a performance of Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ live at THE Globe Theatre.

The subject I chose for my summer program was EC240: Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development, which was all about the economics of pollution control, natural resource use, international development and climate change. I absolutely loved this course and would recommend it to anyone interested in understanding the complexities of climate action, not just economics or sustainability students. Not only was it incredibly eye-opening, but my professor was so skillful in engaging us as students and always gave us context and perspective in what we were learning. Even though you could sometimes feel a sense of hopelessness learning about these things, we were always reminded of the importance of continuing nevertheless.

I found that the most difficult thing to adjust to in London was the length of the days – oftentimes, the sun wouldn’t set until 10pm! That meant after classes finished for the day, we would have another 5-7 hours of sunlight to explore the city under. Here’s a photo of one of my favourite discoveries when I went exploring after class – the Southbank book market located under a bridge next to the National Theatre:

Finally, my trip would not have been complete without visiting the Globe Theatre. I was lucky enough to grab a standing ticket for the yard (for only £5!) on the second weekend of my course. It was an unforgettable performance of Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ all thanks to the phenomenal actors. Their liveliness and energy could be felt from the galleries and it made for a brilliant comedic atmosphere.

If you are considering embarking on a global short program or similar exchange program, please take my advice and go for it. You will never experience something quite like it and you might just learn something new about yourself.

For those who are hesitant due to financial barriers, you can read about the many forms of financial assistance which UTS offers here: https://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/opportunities/global-opportunities/financial-assistance

Connee Fung
Bachelor of Economics Bachelor of Sustainability and Environment
London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdon
Global Short Programs Travel Scholarship

For more information about the UTS Global Short Program visit: www.uts.edu.au/thinkglobal