UTS Think Global

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Disclaimer: All blog posts are written by students and do not necessarily reflect the views of UTS staff.

  • A city of dreams

    A city of dreams

    I think that’s the first thing I wrote in my personal statement when I was applying to study for a semester abroad in NYC. I guess that statement still rings true, NYC is everything you could ever imagine it being, both the good and the bad. It’s a city filled with diverse people who all have somewhere important to be. It’s somewhere you can have picnics in Central Park or go ice-skating in front of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree. It’s somewhere you can get a $1 slice of pizza or go night-clubbing with views of the Empire State Building. It’s a city filled with new things to try and different places to see; it is eye-catching in the same way it is eye-opening.

    If anyone tells me they are interested in exchange I tell them, YES, DO IT! There are a variety of reasons that exchange was so worth-while. It’s an amazing opportunity to grow your sense of independence away from home, to tackle obstacles without the immediate support of friends and family and to learn how to build relationships that will last beyond the exchange program. It is a unique slice of freedom to be the person who you always wanted to be without the constraints of city filled with people who already know you. Or, if you don’t know who you are, it’s a great place to figure it out. 

    PACE university is set amongst the bustle of Downtown Manhattan. A few streets over from the iconic Wall Street, PACE has the similar, city-university vibes as UTS. Classroom buildings find themselves nestled between metro stations or Dunkin Donuts and students either commute from places like Queens and Brooklyn or they stay on-campus where a mix of international and inter-state students mingle. It’s in a prime location; a 15-mintue walk from views of the Statue of Liberty, a few stops on the metro from the Museum of Natural History or the MET (and yes pay-as-you-wish really means you can pay $1) and a few blocks from the infamous Brooklyn Bridge.

    NYC is a place where literally anybody will find a place that is just their own. Whether you’re interested in music or art or sport, NYC has places and people to explore that interest with. Also keep an eye out for events in NYC; with so many people it’s a hotspot for underground concerts, music festivals and art shows. I found online ticketing websites a cheap way to get last minute tickets to sporting events like a baseball match at Yankee Stadium or basketball game at Madison Square Garden.

    If there’s one piece of advise I would give to anyone considering an exchange program in NYC, it’s to schedule in your classes so you get Mondays or Fridays free! There are so many cities close by that you can explore on a long weekend (Boston, Chicago, Washington DC) all filled with their own original take on America.

    Giselle Loo
    Bachelor of Arts in Communication/Bachelor of Law
    Pace University
    United States

    For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au

  • Two Weeks at Mitsui & Co. Japan

    Two Weeks at Mitsui & Co. Japan

    This July I participated in the Mitsui Immersion Program run by Mitsui & Co., a huuuge Japanese sogo shosha (global comprehensive solution provider) with connections around the world – including (most importantly) Australia!

    I and 13 other students (6 UTS, 7 UWA, 1 UoN) spent 2 weeks in the heart of Tokyo – a pleasant 10 min walk from Mitsui’s headquarters. During that time, we attended various seminars run by Mitsui employees and managers, allowing us to gain insight into the inner-workings of the company. It was fascinating (particularly from a science-IT background) to learn about how a large company like Mitsui is able to manage its many business units, ranging from natural resources and mining, to lifestyle/health and startup business development. And at the heart of it all are Mitsui’s core values:

    • Challenge and Innovation
    • Open-mindedness
    • Mitsui is people 🙂

    Prior to this program, I was admittedly unaware of Mitsui’s involvement in Australia. However, my perspective quickly changed following the seminars which specifically detailed Mitsui’s various business ventures in Australia, such as Shark Bay Salt Mine (100% Mitsui owned).

    In addition to the seminars, we also…. visited the Edo Museum in Tokyo, where we learnt about former Mitsui’s beginnings as a family-run kimono store (Mitsui’s logo is in fact the original family emblem or kamon); visited Mitsui’s new incubation hub, Moon Creative Lab, which aims to create and develop new innovative business ideas; and, had the chance to meet-up with students from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, learning about each other over some fun team-building activities and lunch!

    But then it was back to work. For the last two days of the program we were split into 2 groups and tasked with creating a presentation showcasing what we had learnt, as well as pitching a potential business venture Mitsui could take that would also benefit Australia. It was a stressful 2 days, between the trials and tribulations of coming up with a business idea, and the pressure of having to speak in front of senior Mitsui executives and Australian/Japanese government officials.

    Luckily, everyone was impressed with our presentations and the program ended with smiles all around 🙂 – as well as tears, once we realised it was coming to an end.

    Thank you to everyone at Mitsui and UTS, as well as the Japanese and Australian governments for making this program possible! It was an amazing experience that resulted in life-long relationships, valuable connections and unforgettable memories. It has undoubtedly helped me develop as a business professional through teaching me about Japanese business philosophy – knowledge which will definitely come in handy should I decide to work in Japan one day!

    With that said, I encourage anyone who is interested in Japan to apply for this program if you get the chance! 🙂

    Sofia Oldman

    Bachelor of Forensic Science (Digital Forensics)/BA in International Studies (Japan)

  • Tilburg University, The Netherlands

    Tilburg University, The Netherlands

    This semester I am completing a Global Exchange at Tilburg University in the Netherlands. After just over six weeks in the Netherlands, I’m pleased to say I have not fallen off my bicycle, not even during orientation week when it snowed, and I have now learnt a total of three words in Dutch – hallo, dank je vel and ja.

    Academic life in Tilburg is pretty similar to UTS but there are a few main differences. Unlike UTS, Tilburg University has a self-contained campus. I would love to say this meant I didn’t get lost in my first few weeks but that would be a lie. I also have far fewer contact hours in Tilburg. In fact, I only have classes one day a week. As such, we are expected to do lots of self-directed study but I have found the reading load less demanding than at UTS.

    My classes are primarily lecture based and are lead by a collection of lecturers from all over the world. This emphasis on the international may be a reflection of the law electives I have chosen but Tilburg is also a surprisingly multicultural campus with a large contingent of international students. Some of these students, like me, are only here for six months while others are here for longer periods of time. I love the way in-class discussions are broadened by other students’ experiences of different legal systems.

    With only one day of university a week, I am left with lots of time for travel. Tilburg is perfectly placed to explore the rest of the Netherlands and Europe. The Dutch affectionately refer to Tilburg as the one of the ugliest cities in the Netherlands but luckily it is surrounded by some of the most beautiful towns, in my opinion, in the world. I was able to see lots of these towns when I participated in the Holland City Race, an event organised by Tilburg’s international student organisation, I*ESN Tilburg. This event required teams to travel to as many towns and cities in the Netherlands as possible in one day, taking pictures at particular monuments. My particular favourites were Delft and Leiden. While my team was not even close to winning this race, I loved seeing more of the Netherlands and I cannot wait to keep exploring.

    Alycia Robertson
    Bachelor of Communication
    Tilburg University
    The Netherlands

    For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au

  • Ein Berliner Aufenthalt – July ’19

    Ein Berliner Aufenthalt – July ’19

    Before leaving for my program, I was the most excited but also the most nervous I had been. I had wanted to go to Berlin for years whilst learning the German language. I was considering doing a semester abroad but finding about the Humboldt University Berlin in the Summer Program, I knew this would be more plausible for me. It was a rush to organise everything within a matter of 2 months which was worthwhile in the end. I got to spend my break immersing myself into a culture I was so intrigued by whilst receiving academic credit for it.

    I was scared because I knew I would be alone there. This was my first time overseas by myself, and I did not know anyone else going, but I knew this was what I wanted to do. In my first week there, I really noticed the rugged nature of the city which gave its own character. Everyone dressed how they liked which I really appreciated, as I love to see people’s artistic expression through their style.

    I was amazed to meet a variety of people from all around the world on my exchange and in my German class. It fascinated me how one program could do this. It amazed me even more knowing that most of their native languages were not English, yet they were onto learning their 3rd languages.

    My class was situated on a quaint street tucked away from the buzz of Berlin, but only a few hundred metres away from some of its most popular nightclubs. Nearby was the lovely River Spree, and delightful bakeries where croissants were sold for only 1 euro. I loved how diverse this city was. Residences, nightlife, stores etc were all mixed together with things spread out in the city.

    I was living in Kreuzberg, allowing me to experience the 24/7 buzz of Berlin. Street art decorated the old and new buildings, as well as the array of multicultural cuisine and nightlife. Being on the east side of the city really felt like it had more soul, than the west. However, the west had Tiergarten! A truly beautiful sight.

    I got to enjoy Biergartens and the famous Berliner Weisse beer (I recommend the grün flavour!) and of course Currywurst. I saw the infamous Bahnof Zoo for myself as seen in ‘Wir Kinder vom Bahnof Zoo’ which I was surprised by how much the same it looked 40 years later.

    Apart from the rigorous bike riders, I was pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of the German people. Any stereotype I was informed of them being unfriendly was completely thrown out the window. I saw smiles from bus drivers and even those in supermarkets.

    I loved the sense of freedom in Berlin. Apart from the fact that I was living by myself, the city felt freer. Police were hardly seen. You did not even need to pass through gates to get on a train – just present your ticket if a controller comes! No lockout laws, less of a reliance on cars, frequent open-air cinemas, bikes – the city just gave a free vibe to me. I really cherished this.

    Having class only 3 times a week, I was able to utilise my long weekend! This meant I got to visit Amsterdam and catch up with some friends whilst also visiting Leipzig and Potsdam one week with my newfound friends.

    It was difficult at first being on my own, but experiencing this city and forcing myself into uncomfortable situations was the best thing I did for myself. By the end of the month, I didn’t want to leave (except when the weather dropped below 20 degrees!). I know I will definitely be back to Berlin again.

    Beril Akbulut

  • Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Austria

    Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Austria

    The facilities at the Academy of Fine Arts are fantastic. The entire year group only consists of 25 people, so you end up becoming very close with your classmates as well as the students in all the other years. This for me was great as you were definitely known by all the teachers and you were able to get very individualised feedback on your work. I surprisingly had to take more courses than expected as the Studio class was equivalent to a single course at UTS and the rest of the courses were worth a third of a single course, so I had 6 courses to do for only 3 courses at UTS. Also just my studio class consisted for 12 hours spread over 3 days, so I am currently going into the academy every day of the week.

    Although it has been a lot of work so far, I love the method of teaching, which has been one that is very supportive and welcoming, there is also no strict guidelines on assignments as they want you to produce the best work you can and are aware that everyone works at a different pace. Also the class that I am in has been really helpful in showing me around, we are always working late in the studio they are always keen to go out for dinner and drinks after class.

    One of the great parts about Vienna is definitely the nightlife and general ‘night culture’. Every cafe becomes a bar at night and still serves coffee which is almost unheard of in Sydney, also because there are a lot less restrictions ‘generally’ in Vienna, so people definitely take advantage of this and use the night time to express themselves and have fun. Also, as there is in most capital cities, the food options here are amazing and the students here are the best people to talk to for good cheap food.


    I am living in OEAD Housing which has been one of the most popular options for the exchange students here. If you are travelling here by yourself I would definitely recommend it as you are able to also choose to live with housemates, which although might seem stressful to live with strangers, it is really nice to come home to a house with people in it, especially if you are use to living with people.

    So overall the experience so far has been fantastic. You will definitely feel the ups and downs at the start as you get yourself grounded, for myself travelling to a country where I didn’t speak the first language has been fairly exhausting, but it has pushed me to want to learn languages more and everyone here speaks English quite well, especially within the Academy.

    Matthew Peate
    Bachelor of Design in Architecture
    Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
    Austria

    For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au

  • Singapore 2019 – A fairytale in the Garden City

    Singapore 2019 – A fairytale in the Garden City

    Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to live in the future? Perhaps you can visualize a city among a garden? In the winter vacation of 2019, I had the opportunity to travel to a country that most other nations consider as the ‘model city’ – Singapore – an enchanting modern metropolis. A city planned 50 years in the future, and I did not believe that myself until I saw it with my own eyes.

    Combine this with the opportunity to study an exchange at one of the world’s best universities, the renowned Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and this trip was even more amazing. Over the 4 weeks in June-July, my 5 friends and I from UTS embarked on a trip of a lifetime, discovering every aspect the tiny nation of Singapore had to offer.

    NTU has one of the best campuses of any University, it has its own residential dorms, bus lines, gyms, pools and fast food joints like McDonald’s, KFC, Starbucks etc. It was also an incredible learning opportunity to be taught by professors with over 30 years of experience in their respective fields of Cyber Security and Project Management.

    One of the most interesting aspects of Singapore was the food. Delicious, cheap, abundant and diverse. It makes me wonder how a country with no agricultural space, hot-humid annual weather and a huge population can have such a huge variety and seemingly endless supply of food. I also got to try the highly anticipated Chili Crab but was left a little disappointed.

    Travelling was a breeze. Singapore has developed one of the world’s most technologically advanced and efficient infrastructure for the Metro system (MRT), public buses and ride sharing services – GRAB. Automated trains run from sunrise to midnight at an amazing frequency of 3 mins and buses are not a minute late. Singapore may be small but it is hugely dynamic and fluid.

    Singapore does not have the natural beauty that many other countries in the world are gifted with, but oh boy do they impress with their modern architecture. Singapore has a vast indoor, underground and vertical infrastructure rivaled by few cities. One of their most magnificent structures and landmarks is the Marina Bay Sands hotel in the heart of the bay.  The huge towers are a symbol of prosperity, art and affluence. At night, water shows, and light shows in the neighboring Gardens by the Bay bring the city to life. It was here I spent a majority of my time exploring and admiring the city. We also spent a lot of our time enjoying the cooler climate in the many shopping complexes around the city which are open till 10pm daily! One of my most favourite shopping destinations were the famous Orchard Road and Jewel at Changi, a new entertainment hub recently inaugurated.

    Singapore also has some unique natural attractions to offer such as Sentosa Island and Henderson’s Waves. It was fun to visit the Southernmost part of continental Asia, visiting the largest Merlion on the island and riding on the Luge with friends at Sentosa.

    Global Short Programs Student

  • Bologna 2019

    Bologna 2019

    Aerial panoramic cityscape of Bologna, Italy. Rooftops of typical houses, ancient buildings and medieval towers

    In June 2019 I set off to fly across the world to Italy to continue my studies of Italian Language and culture through a winter program. This intense three-week language and culture course at the University of Bologna allowed me to expand my knowledge of the Italian language in such a short amount of time and immersed me within the culture of the city.

    I set off from Sydney three weeks before the commencement of the course to go visit my family who live in Italy. After spending my time travelling around Italy with my relatives I caught the train to Bologna, where I met up with my friend from UTS who I was sharing an apartment with for the duration of the course.

    The next morning was the first day of classes, kicking off with a speaking assessment to judge what level of Italian we already had. The first week of classes flew by and the next thing I knew it was our first weekend in Bologna. In true Italian style, my class decided to head out on the Friday night for some traditional Bolognese food; tagliatelle with ragù, mortadella and tortellini.

    After sampling the food, wine and gelato and listening to some music across town it was time to start the second week. Although the intensity of the course was sometimes a little overwhelming, the fast pace of the learning allowed me to gain the most amount of knowledge possible in the short amount of time. One of the cultural activities we did during this week was my favourite by far: a traditional cooking class. As a class we made tortelloni (big tortellini) with ricotta, a salad with veal and a panna cotta with caramel.

    Before I knew it the last week of the course had arrived and it was time to start studying for the final exam and making the most of the last few days before university in Australia started again. Making the most of the summer warmth, I spent my last days studying in the park and soaking up the sun. Unlike parks in Sydney, the park was filled with people playing soccer, basketball, frisbee, tightrope walking and juggling, with strangers encouraging me to give them all a try.

    The last day of class quickly approached and it was time to say goodbye to everyone I had met. We went out in traditional student style watching a band play in one of the many parks of the city on our last night. After many hugs it was time to pack up and leave and head back to Australia. Although I was only in Bologna for a short amount of time, my experiences in this wonderful city improved my Italian language skills to a new level and I now have more cultural awareness of Italian customs and traditions.

  • Pompeu Fabra University, Spain

    Pompeu Fabra University, Spain

    Having lived in Barcelona for three months now, I am at that stage where it now feels like home. Upon arrival, I had a very positive experience with the ESN welcoming activities – this is where a group of local students help organise and lead a two week program of day and night activities with the exchange students. Everyone was extremely friendly and it was interesting getting to know people from all parts of the world. There are ongoing trips, where they go to cities close by sometimes for a day or two nights. The leaders lived up to the Spanish reputation of partying, especially when we went on a two night welcome trip and got everyone to do Zumba at 9 am after a big party the night before!

    The structure of the classes is very different, with seminars taking place once a fortnight and tutorials at least twice a week – due to the trimester system, there is a lot more work within a shorter period of time. At first I was a little bit taken aback by this demand, but since everyone is in the same position it is a positive experience – everyday studying in the beautiful library, meeting friends in the cafeteria (which to my surprise sells beer and wine) and going to the beach after class. The work itself I have also genuinely enjoyed – the subjects are electives such as history and global politics so I am learning about entirely different concepts and world views.

    I am currently living in an apartment that I found through an app called Badi. It is only a 10 minute walk to uni, and overlooks a small park. For future students, I recommend really just enjoying every day as much as you can – I am half way through now and I know I will miss Barcelona and everyone that I have met so much. Don’t worry too much about the small things. It is an experience like no other.

    Aileen Wesson
    Bachelor of Management
    University Pompeu Fabra
    Spain

    For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au

  • Tokyo: An experience I’ll never forget

    Tokyo: An experience I’ll never forget

    Over the winter I went on exchange to Senshu University in Japan and it’s a trip that I’ll never forget! From the friends that I made, to all the new challenges and experiences I faced, I learned so much from this opportunity to study abroad.

    The first thing that struck me when I arrived alone in Tokyo, was how foreign everything was and how alienated I felt. Having never been overseas alone before, I’m not gonna lie, I definitely wanted to go home in the first couple of days. It was hard adjusting to not being able to understand or read anything, to not have anyone by my side that I could rely on, from being pushed so far out of my comfort zone.

    However, the students at the dorm I was staying at were friendly and encouraging and I’d made some friends within the first few days. The way the dorm was structured was that an international student would room with a local student to encourage us to converse in Japanese and get to know the local students better.

    The program that I attended was a 7-week intensive language course at Senshu University, Ikuta Campus in Kawasaki – about a 20-minute train trip from Shinjuku, Tokyo. The first thing I did was take a placement test, then we were placed into the appropriate class level and began our classes! With a small class of 5 people, we had classes every weekday from 9am-1pm with a 10-minute break every hour. In the afternoon, we were left to our own devices, to explore, eat, or study. It was challenging and fast-paced, however I enjoyed the teaching style and learnt so much in that immersive environment. At the end of the 7 weeks, we had to make a 6-minute presentation on a theme that we’d chosen ourselves, and I felt that my confidence and fluency in Japanese speaking had improved significantly.

    I enjoyed the lessons we had and the field trips that they took us to – to the Ghibli Museum, to Kamakura, to a tea ceremony and Kabuki performance, it was incredibly fun and eye-opening! These experiences furthered my understanding of Japanese culture and society, as well as exploring nearby neighbourhoods, night trips to Shinjuku, Shibuya, Kawasaki and so many other places, visiting temples and parks, riding public transport – it was all so overwhelming (in a positive way), and I wish I could have stayed longer. I gained so much more confidence from this experience abroad, from learning how to overcome challenges using my own initiative, communicating with a diverse range of people and continuing to challenge myself to venture outside of my comfort zone. It was a dream come true to have studied in Tokyo for those 7 weeks and I would recommend every student to take the opportunity to study abroad 🙂  

    Asa Li

    Learn more about Think Global opportunities 

  • Hej Copenhagen!

    Hej Copenhagen!

    Copenhagen has heaps to do every day of the week– this has been so refreshing after coming from Sydney. There are events on for every hour of the day, and countless museums, parks, bridges, monuments, bakeries, flea markets, art festivals and restaurants to go to. I’ve been here for exactly one month, and I have lists of things I’d like to check out still. When I landed in January, the 0 degree weather was quite a shock. There was snow outside my window. Since then, the days have been getting longer and warmer. On sunny days like today, everyone comes outside, filling the bike lanes and streets and parks.

    I’m studying Graphic Design at DMJX, a small school that not many have heard of and is located a little far from the city. My class is extremely close and feels more like a family or an office than a classroom. We spend 9am-2pm every day in the same room with the same 24 students – 4 exchange students, and 20 Danes who are slightly older than your average 2nd year students at UTS (around ages 25-35). All the locals are extremely dedicated to real world design clients and projects, they all have loads of experience and are generally passionate about it. At the moment we are all working on illustrating a card game for a client to help pay for our study excursion to Barcelona in May!

    I have luckily met (by chance) other exchange students outside of DMJX, who go to the University of Copenhagen and the Copenhagen Business School. Instead of student accommodation, I chose to find my own shared apartment in Osterbro (using the flatmates website called blogportal). It’s closer to the university than the student housing that was offered.  I can’t recommend getting a bike enough, even if you are as scared and inexperienced as I was. You’ll feel like a proper Dane, and save so much money on public transport here. I’ve also learned that Danish people are very trusting. If bikes are locked its only to their back wheel, babies are left in bike prams outside while parents are inside. Copenhagen feels extremely safe, even walking home in the early hours of the morning.

    Lauren Oliviero
    Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication
    Danish School of Media and Journalism (DMJX)
    Denmark

    For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au