UTS Think Global

Tilburg University, the Netherlands

July 1, 2019

I have now spent almost two months living in the beautiful town of Tilburg in the Netherlands, and have loved every minute of it!

I am living in Verbs, the accommodation reserved specifically for Exchange students. My floor has 17 people all up with a shared kitchen and bathroom. It might sound crowded, but your floor really does become your exchange family. I love living with people from all over the world – on my floor we have students from Australia, Canada, France, Brazil, Chile, Turkey, Slovenia, Singapore, USA and Hong Kong, just to name a few! I would definitely suggest trying to get a room in Verbs, but if you can’t, don’t stress! There are plenty of student housing options nearby, and so many opportunities to get to know people.

The orientation program kicked off with TOP week, with parties, a city tour, ice-skating, a movie day, and even a Cantus (basically just hundreds of students packed into a hall singing songs and drinking beer). You get sorted into mentor groups of about 20 students who you spend the week with. It’s a great chance to meet people, and the best way to start out your exchange – make sure you sign up!

Tilburg is a really great town for students. Even though it’s small there are plenty of bars, cafes and shops in the city centre, all an easy 10-minute bike ride from Verbs (pro tip: try and get a bike on one of your first days here. You’ll need it for most orientation activities, and ride it literally everywhere you go in Tilburg. Best option is to rent one from one of the local bike shops). Tilburg is also the perfect central location for travel. In the time I’ve been here I’ve already visited Belgium, Poland, Sweden, and Germany, as well as some beautiful Dutch cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Delft.

Academic life in Tilburg is not so different from what we’re used to at UTS. Most of my classes are lectures, although I do have one class with fortnightly seminars that involves a higher degree of class participation and discussion. Bear in mind that most law lectures here aren’t recorded, so you’ve got to really push yourself to get up and go to class, even on those cold and rainy mornings! The main difference from UTS is that most of my subjects have 100% final exams, meaning close to no assignments or homework during semester. I’m taking a variety of subjects on topics such as international law, legal history, legal philosophy, and am even doing an intensive legal negotiation skills workshop.

My time here so far has flown by and I have honestly loved every minute. I can’t recommend Tilburg enough to anyone thinking of applying for exchange. The university and IESN (International Erasmus Student Network) put so much work into making exchange students feel welcome, it’s the perfect location for travelling all across Europe, and you’ll make friends for life.

Anna Fletcher
Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Communication
Tilburg University
the Netherlands

For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au
Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary

June 28, 2019

Greetings from Budapest!

Having had the pleasure to briefly visit this unique city once before I knew I was in for a treat. I’ve been studying architecture at BME for about a month now and it’s been really interesting to see the different teaching style compared to back home. There is a lot more freedom here, particularly with design. They pretty much leave it all up to you which I found simultaneously exciting and terrifying. I did accidentally take an engineering subject which has been the bane of my existence so really investigate the subjects you need to take before you register! Apart from this, the uni offers a really relaxed and welcoming environment and I’ve enjoyed my studies here so far.

BME runs a pretty comprehensive orientation program that gives you a chance to meet other exchange students and they run a bunch of activities/parties throughout the semester.

This place has got to be one of the prettiest cities in Europe – and the cheapest! I had to triple check the bill of the first lunch I had with a mate because I couldn’t believe half a pizza and a coffee cost me $5. You can get yourself a family value sized beer for $3 and the meals here generally don’t exceed $10. Low cost of living means more $$$ for travel so I have been lucky enough to visit London and Berlin on the weekends, with plans to visit Prague in a couple of weeks’ time.

This city is my own personal Disneyland. Just exploring the streets you’ll find that each one you turn down has something new and beautiful to offer. Every day is architectural Christmas here. The nightlife here has something for everyone – there are some really amazing pubs and clubs here to explore. I personally love a good boogie and Budapest has most certainly delivered on that front!

In terms of my living situation, the university doesn’t offer on campus accommodation so I was lucky enough to find a really lovely apartment in the centre with my friend for about $120 a week each.

Living here has been a dream! Super beautiful and super cheap – I can really recommend Budapest for exchange!

Amelia Ruddock
Bachelor of Design In Architecture
Budapest University of Technology and Economics
Hungary

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

June 26, 2019

Hello from Seoul! It has been an absolutely incredible past few weeks exploring the city and starting the semester at Sogang University. From what I have seen so far, I am so happy that I chose Seoul as my destination for Exchange, and I’m so excited to see what is to come!

Sogang University is really centrally located near Sinchon Station, which is filled with interesting stores and many delicious street food stations! I really cannot put into words just how incredible the food is! Upon my first week in Seoul, Sogang University hosted a welcome dinner, which featured a 7-course traditional Korean dinner, which was only an introduction to just how amazing the food truly is.

If you are deciding between universities in Seoul, I recommend Sogang if you prefer a smaller University campus (it is still HUGE – but I have heard that many are very overwhelming, and can take up to an hour just to walk around the whole campus!). Sogang is really beautiful, and everything runs very smoothly and efficiently. Their emphasis on assisting International students to settle and adapt to life in Seoul is above and beyond! Additionally, the orientation schedule was really helpful, particularly the H.U.G program that they have to assist international students with day-to-day questions and advice.

If you are planning on coming to Sogang University, I highly recommend staying at Gonzaga Hall (the international dormitory). It is really reasonably priced, on campus, and very well equipped! All of the rooms are shared, which was something that I was really worried about in the beginning, but it has turned out to be amazing! The only downside is the rules and regulations, but as everyone has to comply with them it doesn’t really affect your time in Seoul.

If you are considering choosing Sogang University as your host university, I strongly recommend you to go for it and apply! It has honestly been the most incredible experience so far, and I can assure you that you wont regret it.

Hana Purvis
Bachelor of Communications / Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation
Sogang University
South Korea

Australian Government New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant recipient.

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

June 24, 2019

I had only been to the Southern parts of Sweden before, so Stockholm was a whole new adventure to me. I had only travelled during the summer months around Europe and hadn’t truly experienced the freezing cold weather that was to come. Leaving Australia in a Summer heat wave and arriving in Stockholm at the freezing cold temperature of -13 degrees was a complete shock.

Having used my free electives to go on exchange I decided to study something else I’m passionate about and landed on film. Film at Stockholm university is amazing, every week we watch a new film at the Swedish Film Institute, which is just a bus ride away from the main campus, and then spend the next few hours discussing and analysing them. Stockholm University’s campus is huge and green during the Spring and Summer months but even during winter just having a stunning white blanket across the whole open campus is just as nice. The University library has enough room for most people but also lets students book rooms in advance just like the UTS Library! Stockholm University’s teaching style is very similar to UTS’ it’s quite calm and relaxed but at the same time really discusses some interesting topics. They provide free Swedish courses to anyone who wants to do them, and these can really help with day to day life and just getting around the city.

My accommodation came through the Stockholm University housing office and they found a place for me in the student accommodation called Lappis. Lappis is great because its right next to the university (and its gym) but it also has the added bonus of having a supermarket right in the middle! It’s about 10-minute walk to the University metro station and you can practically get anywhere in the city in under an hour.

Stockholm city has so many interesting places and sites to see. Södermalm is a great place to go for a night out, with the most bars and restaurants, but even during the day it’s filled to the brim with hip cafes and second-hand clothing stores that are perfect for spending on a budget. Östermalm, closer to the main campus, is a beautiful part of city with lots of the parks and more upper-class restaurants and clubs. Gamla Stan is a must see for anyone visiting Stockholm, the Royal Palace is stunning and has museums and guided tours to truly immerse yourself in the culture.

Plus! There are so many different groups that host events throughout the semester. ESN and the Stockholm University Student Union (SUS) are some of the must join groups to meet people and also get to know the city! SUS holds many different events on campus for the first few weeks but also trips to other places like Russia and Norway without the need for a Visa! They also host things in Stockholm like Fikas, a hugely important part of Swedish culture which just means having a break to have a coffee and a cinnamon bun, and cheaper hockey games!

Overall, Stockholm University has been an amazing experience and I’ve met so many different and awesome people during my time here that I’ll never forget and I can’t wait to spend my next semester here too!

Hej då!

Aidan Lee
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Stockholm University
Sweden

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

June 21, 2019

Arriving in Chile was a whirlwind at first. Literally, the dialect of Spanish here is so fast and distinct that many Latinos from countries more north of Chile & even Chileans, will joke to you that it’s not Spanish, its Chilean. This pretty much sums up the entire culture of Chile, the Chileans really say and do what they feel like and when they feel like it and although you’ll definitely find yourself arriving to things way too early a few times, you get used to it and you’ll absolutely love how different life is here. But even before assimilating into the new culture, you will already love the place. Chile is a country where in almost all parts you can go from the beach to snow capped mountains within a day, traveling through some of the most amazing dry mountain landscapes in the world, not to mention that driest desert in the world and everyone’s favourite, Patagonia are both located in this awesome country.

University Life

I, along with two other students from UTS am currently studying at Universidad Adolfo Ibanez in Vina Del Mar, one of the many neighbouring coastal cities in the Valparaiso region of Chile, that essentially form one big city surrounding the ocean, about an hour away from the capital, Santiago. The university structure could not be more relaxed. The program for exchange students (which is in English, so if you don’t speak Spanish don’t let that stop you from coming!) is seemingly designed so that most of the exchange students have all their classes on two days back to back, allowing the academics to take a back seat to all the other aspects of exchange. The university also organises an awesome “buddy program” with Chilean students who basically organise things to do close to every day and are great for cultivating an amazing and fun lifestyle for us exchange students, bringing everyone together within the first day of exchange. There are also lots of sports classes everyday where you can join casual games like soccer and basketball run by the university, and these are awesome ways to breakup the normal exchange routine and meet heaps of new people.

Accommodation

In terms of accommodation, exchange students basically have two options, you can live in one of the four beach front towers sharing high end apartments with other exchange students, which is kind of the centre of a lot of the exchange student life, or like I chose, you can stay with a Chilean family, which is great for improving your Spanish. Either way, although you have likely heard that Chile has its rough spots, the standard of living in Vina Del Mar and the surrounding cities is exceptionally high and you’ll feel super safe and comfortable for your entire stay.

I have only just started my adventure here, but I’m so excited to keep it going and keep living this awesome Chilean lifestyle and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone thinking of coming to Chile. Al Seco Weon!

David Gribben
Bachelor of Business
Universidad Adolfo Ibanez
Chile

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

June 19, 2019

やほ！(Hi!)

I have just hit Day-50 of my exchange here at Kansai Gaidai University, and I still don’t understand how the days are going by so quickly. I have already met so many friends from around the world, visited many of the go-to places in the Kansai region, as well as found some hidden gems in my own local town. Although everything was so confusing and a tad overwhelming at first, I was able to settle in just fine!

When I first arrived at KIX Airport, I was so nervous and didn’t really know what to do from there. However, Kansai Gaidai University (KGU) was very organised and integrated a pick-up service as part of the Orientation schedule. This was honestly a lifesaver because I got to the dorms safely and also ended up meeting a lot of my close friends at the airport itself! Overall, the orientation was very helpful as the university held sessions that explained important things like road signs, manners, experiences of other students etc.

At KGU, majority of the foreign exchange students enrol into the Asian Studies Program, where you are required to take a Japanese language class, as well as a minimum of three other cultural/language classes of your choice. There is a large range of interesting classes related to Japanese culture that you can take that are not usually offered in Australia. For example, some of my friends are taking a class about Japanese monsters and ghosts. In my opinion, classes here run similarly to an Australian high school system in which the classes are kind of a mix between a lecture and a tutorial, and where there are five periods per day. I generally have two classes per day but am lucky enough to have one weekday completely free, leaving me plenty of time to explore.

At KGU there are two campuses that classes run in. Both campuses have amazing facilities for students to use such as 3-4 storey libraries, student lounges, study areas, on-campus Seven-Elevens, cafeterias and close-by restaurants! The Gotenyama campus, also known as “Global Town”, is very new (around two years old) and is also the location of an on-campus Starbucks and the student dorms – where both exchange and Japanese students can live. I’m currently living in the dorms and really enjoy it. Although everyone has their own room, you can still hang out with all your friends in the communal lounges and kitchens.

Since Kansai Gaidai is in the city of Hirakata, it’s around 30 minutes – 1 hour away from Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Kobe. This makes it super easy to sight-see and check off a lot of things on my Japan bucket list. Even in Hirakata itself, there are plenty of things to do like arcades, Izakaya’s, 100-yen stores, parks etc, and many of the students and teachers recommend places to see!

Overall, I’ve been loving both my university and my exchange experience so far. My tips would be to try and utilise a lot of the free time you have (even on weekdays; before or after class) and go explore! I have also found that more local areas where there are less tourists have given me more enjoyable experiences and time to interact with locals.

So, if you are still on the fence about going on exchange, don’t overthink and just do it! I guarantee you will love every second of it 😊

Monica Dayao
Bachelor of Engineering, Diploma in Languages
Kansai Gaidai University
Japan

Australian Government New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant recipient.

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

June 17, 2019

Why Copenhagen? Without doubt the first question I get asked. From friends, family, colleagues, classmates… and I’m only now able to start to answer that well.

I had been studying an MBA at UTS part-time for three years while working in advertising full-time. With four subjects to go, I started thinking about how I could finish it off in one semester rather than take another 12 months.

Then I thought, why not just study full-time and move to another country?

Copenhagen was top of my list for a few reasons at the start. First, it’s a long way away (I really didn’t want to go up the road). Then, there’s all the Danish design that I’d seen for years (which is immediately noticeable when you arrive). And, my company had an office in Copenhagen so I hoped I could transfer and work part-time (that worked out).

So now I’m here, typing on a Danish keyboard (æ, ø) and taking Vitamin D supplements.

I’ve had a great time at Copenhagen Business School so far. CBS is a 15 minute bike ride from the centre of the city with buildings spread throughout Frederiksberg. My classes are in both the modern Solbjerg Plads building (the main CBS building) and Graduate House. The subjects I’m taking are Sport Economics, Consumer Culture and Communication, Customer and Firm Profitability and Luxury Management and Marketing. The classes are very similar to seminars at UTS. There is some interaction between the lecturer and students but it isn’t an intimate tutorial setting. The assessment structure is very different though. Each of my subjects has one ‘exam’ which is a take home assignment that you submit and then talk through with the lecturer.

I’m living at Basecamp in a room across the road from the National Gallery. Everything is close by bike, which is the only way I get around, even when transporting bedding. And even though it is cold, it’s entirely bearable. In fact, the other day it got to 8 degrees and Danes conquered every inch of sunlight for a dose of UV.

After a week of Danish, I appreciate all too well how difficult the language is. The vowels are almost physically impossible. But I do recommend A Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell. I read it before I arrived and though it did nothing for my Danish it did give me a good introduction to some of the cultural oddities of Scandinavia.

So, why Copenhagen? It’s calm without feeling quiet, Danes have life pretty much worked out, you’re close to everything in Europe, it’s outrageously beautiful, Copenhagen is a long way from Sydney and the university experience is fantastic.

John Dawson
Master of Business Administration
Copenhagen Business School
Denmark

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

June 14, 2019
From the day I arrived at Tilburg, I knew that the next 6 months were going to be a whirlwind. The journey from Australia thousands of miles away to a new country, away from everything I know and love, was always bound to be the most intimidating part of my exchange. However, being at Tilburg university, and especially living at the infamous student accomodation, Professor Verbernelaan (Verbs) with 16 other people made it almost impossible to feel lonely or even contemplate being homesick.

I have been here for nearly two months and I can safely say that most of my time is spent in the Verbs kitchen (usually not cooking as I have mastered the art of spending less than 6 minutes on each meal) but instead talking to everyone and learning all about different cultures. On my floor alone students are from Ireland, Canada, Argentina, Italy, Brazil, Turkey, Taiwan, Hong Kong, New Zealand and South Korea which inevitably sparks interesting conversation.

TILBURG UNIVERSITY

Tilburg University is a highly reputable university, with a great campus and a friendly feel. The teaching style is similar to UTS, however in my experience, is far more laid back. In terms of classes, for each of my law electives, I only have one lecture a week and no tutorials or seminars. The professors are often international themselves and extremely willing to help exchange students navigate their way through the semester. The dynamic between professors and students at Tilburg University is similar to that at UTS, whereby student interaction during the lectures is both recommended and appreciated.

Overall, I highly recommend Tilburg University and believe it is easy to adapt to student life here given that it is similar to UTS in several ways.

MY TOP 4 POINTS
1. Join TOP Week and I*ESN (International Erasmus Student Network)
TOP week is the perfect way to start your exchange at Tilburg, being filled with fun activities, partying and getting a feel for the Dutch culture and the city more generally. On day one of TOP week, you are put into a mentor group of about 20 students from all over the world, which is a really good way to make friends. Our mentor group still hangs out every couple of weeks and catches up over dinner or drinks.

No exchange blog about Tilburg university would be complete without mentioning the chaotic yet incredible concept of Cantus. Cantus involves a live band in a massive warehouse, which is crowded by thousands of students who sing along with the band on the top of their lungs and drink plenty of beer after each song. It is by far one of the best nights I have had in Tilburg.

2. CARNAVAL

If you come to Tilburg in the Autumn semester, get ready for another consecutive 5 days of partying during Carnaval. Carnaval is a like a big street party, celebrated in the south of the Netherlands, where all the companies and universities shut down to accommodate the festivities. Everyone dresses up in crazy costumes and takes to the streets of Tilburg. I would highly recommend joining in and immersing yourself in the local festivities during this time, including the mini Dutch concerts held on the streets.

3. GET A BIKE

It is no joke when everyone says you will be biking everywhere in Tilburg. Despite my cycling abilities being shocking in the first couple of weeks, given that Tilburg is super bike friendly, I now enjoy being able to bike everywhere.

I would highly recommend renting a bike from Tilburg fietsen, which a small bike store near Tilburg university. It is cheaper to rent a bike here than Swapfiets (which is often recommended), and since it is so close to the university and Verbs, it makes it super convenient to take your bike in for any repairs needed. Also if you rent a bike, instead of purchasing one, the bike store does free repairs which you will definitely appreciate at some point.

4. MAKE THE MOST OF EXCHANGE

Truly, your exchange will be what you make out of it. Take advantage of any opportunity to socialise and travel, and get involved in student activities such as sport etc.

If you are coming to Tilburg for your exchange, you will not be disappointed. It is a small student town, with a cosy feel, but genuinely the best exchange program especially if you join I*ESN.

Pooja Tandon
Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Laws
Tilburg University
the Netherlands

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

June 12, 2019

The facilities at Sophia University are nice, the area surrounding is lovely too. If you go on exchange for the Autumn semester at UTS (Spring in Japan), you will get to see the cherry blossoms, which are stunning. The campus itself in Yotsuya is big and easy enough to find your classrooms. There are a few cafeterias which have plenty of available options but is open in a very small time frame so can get busy.

The teaching style does depend on the classes/faculty that you are enrolled in. For Faculty of Liberal Arts, there are plenty of contact hours, a lot of homework and quizzes every few days. In my subject selection, I have chosen to take the Intensive Language track for Japanese, meeting Monday-Friday from 9am-12.30pm, it is more of a workshop style class (neither a tutorial nor lecture). I have been studying Japanese at UTS for 2 years, but it’s been good to practice it in the country. It has been fun meeting a lot of people from a few different backgrounds.

The orientation at Sophia was brief, but a lot of things you should be working out yourself anyway. They put you in contact with a buddy before you arrive. Mine was friendly, spoke English and was happy to show me around and explain things to me. Try to make friends and get to know everyone in your dorm/classes, that’s how I found out about events happening, enrollment procedures etc.

Sensoji Temple and the Tokyo Skytree from Asakusa

I’m living at Soshigaya International House, which is a partner dormitory of Sophia. I highly recommend it, as there is a mix of international and domestic students. There is a great opportunity to practice languages and meet people from all over the world. It’s been a lot of fun so far. You can get to Sophia University in about an hour, as expected, the train system is super-efficient (departing every 2-3 minutes) but in peak hour, trains arrive with people’s coats poking out the doors because they’ve been packed in so tightly.

Tokyo is a great city and very safe, though as you would probably expect, it is expensive. Your biggest expenses will be in the first weeks when you are settling in and purchasing things like cookware and commuter passes. If you are sensible about your money (prepare food rather than always eating out, schedule any payments and restrict your daily spending) you can manage.

Shinjuku area

Before I left, I joined ING Banking, which has been great. Surprisingly a lot of Tokyo still seems to prefer cash payments, but with ING you can pay internationally with no additional fees and use ATMs. I know some other exchange students using CitiBank which offers a similar service.

Olivia Schaverien
Bachelor of Management
Sophia University
Japan

Australian Government New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant recipient.

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

June 10, 2019

Only two and a half months into my exchange at Maastricht University, located in the Netherlands, and I can already say that it has been the best decision I’ve ever made. Maastricht offers a variety of courses for Law students, mostly surrounding International and EU Law. Coming from Australia EU Law has never been a part of my course, so taking subjects and learning about new systems has been an intriguing part of my degree. Both tutorials and lectures are used at Maastricht, however they follow the Problem Based Learning System (PBL). This means that tutorials are much smaller and are led by students with a major emphasis on discussions as a group. This method while not too different from UTS, has been helpful in engaging me in the content and really having to think about what I am learning as I am expected in at least one of the classes to lead the discussions. Overall, class has challenged me and I find the style in which it’s delivered and the subjects thought-provoking.

Uni life at Maastricht has been a lot of fun. I live in the Guesthouse where hundreds of exchange students also live. It has been so helpful to meet people and there is always someone around to talk to or something happening in the common rooms. The Guesthouse is located about a 15-20 minute walk from the Law Faulty, or if you have a bike which (most students do) it is only a short ride. Having a bike is the easiest way to get around and lets you move through the city quickly, you can even go for bike rides across the border into Belgium.

Being in central Europe has meant that travelling is much more accessible. Whether it’s just a day trip somewhere close by or a week travelling around Europe when there’s a break in classes. I’ve been lucky enough to travel on weekends and days off to cities and countries close by. Maastricht is right on the border with Belgium and Germany, which means I am able to travel there frequently and relatively cheaply.

As well exploring the Netherlands, it is also great place to live. There are several airports close by to Maastricht meaning that often you can get cheap flights and travel in time off. Recently I have flown to London and Budapest and had awesome trips with friends I have made at uni. I have more trips planned when my exams are finished and look forwarded to travelling Europe at the end of my exchange.

When in Maastricht you have to try the hot chips with mayonnaise, and waffles, these are the local foods and are found all over the Netherlands and Belgium. There is even an aisle in the supermarket dedicated to waffles. While Maastricht is a small city it has a lot to offer with lots of cafes and bars scattered around. It even has a carnival festival in March which runs for 3 days and the whole city celebrates dressed in crazy costumes.

Overall Maastricht is a great place to pick for exchange, it’s a university city full of students. I would highly recommend picking Maastricht as an exchange destination, I wouldn’t have wanted to go anywhere else.

Amy Squires-McCarthy
Bachelor of Law and Communications
Maastricht University
the Netherlands

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