October 2020

Billy Connolly said that there are two seasons in Scotland – Winter and June. However, in Ashi Mittal’s viewpoint, there are seasons of peace, joy, hope and sheer happiness in Scotland. Let’s check out what Ashi has to share from her experience. n “Hi, I am Aashi Mittal, an MSc International Marketing (MIM) from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. I went to Scotland in 2017 after graduating in B.com Honours from Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, Delhi University. MIM, as a course, provides a broad knowledge of the practices and processes of international management. It helps in developing an understanding of national and global contexts, international managerial operations and how those contexts have an impact on organizational expectations and preferences in different cultural environments. Initially, when I decided to go abroad for my Masters, London was my prime option. As a result, I ended up applying for the University of Manchester, Cass Business School, University of Strathclyde, and Aston University but couldn’t get through. Though I wished to study in London, still I decided to go for the quality of course over a city. So, I took admission at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Being the third most populated city in the United Kingdom, Glasgow is well connected with almost all destinations at a walking distance. Apart from this, the city has a unique charm, and it’s connectivity with London, and Europe is excellent. As far as the University of Strathclyde is concerned, it is an excellent option for students planning to study abroad and especially in the United Kingdom. The university curriculum is practical and cost-effective. They even offer scholarships, and I was lucky enough to land a scholarship worth £2500 based on my previous academic records. The University has a very homely environment which was an actual selling point for me as it was my first time far away from home. The faculty is highly cooperative, and the resources available at their library too are incredibly vast and contentful. Throughout my curriculum with Strathclyde, I even had access to other private universities. However, I couldn’t find any better fit than my own University library. nn The University even organizes many seminars regularly, which are highly beneficial and practical case studies based. Strathclyde even offers many chances to develop one’s potential within and outside the class. For example, my curriculum even included a graded trip to the Isle of Cumbrae in Scotland. Throughout the journey, the faculty observed us for allotted water activities that provided an analysis of our leadership and management skills. Later, we even had to write about our experience in 1000 words describing the visit and how we benefited from it. It sounded effortless and straightforward but was challenging to put to words. The MIM is a combination of group and individual-based graded projects with Online stringent timeline-based submissions, and mind it, no plagiarism is accepted. Being a Delhi University student, I was not at all used to Online submissions and research-based work. However, I eventually found my way out. Also, the Indian community here is extremely robust. For example, I was an active member of the Strathclyde Indian Student Association (SIISA) that helps in celebrating all Indian festivals and events at a large scale. n n At last, I would recommend all the fellow aspirants planning to study abroad to take your projects very seriously and not take them as an obligation. Also, if you plan to study abroad, always remember that you have spent hard-earned money to reach here. So, it is essential, to be honest with your true potential and work hard. Enjoy your new-found freedom but don’t forget about your aim. The University has a lot to n offer but only if you wish to avail it”. n nn

n “I vividly remember my mother pointing at the University adjacent to my school in Singapore and claiming, one day you’ll study here. nn Hi, I am Manjeera Pariti, a Bachelor in Computer Science from Nanyang Technology University (NTU), Singapore. Currently working with a Big Four, PwC, I’m elated to share my journey with you all. nn I was born in India, but my parents moved to Singapore in 1996 and then back to India after ten years to be with my grandparents. As a result, I completed my high school and junior college in India but always wanted to come back to Singapore for my Bachelors as my mother’s word stuck with me. Towards the end of class 12th, I started applying to a lot of Indian universities and also, to NTU. I was lucky enough to get through the university adjacent to my school and moved to Singapore for the academic year 2013. n n I always had a knack for Computer Science, probably because my dad was also a Software Engineer and would always bring home the latest computers and other gadgets in the 90’s era. Technology always kept me so fascinated as early as in class 9th that I decided to opt Computer Science in the future. Also, unlike other universities, NTU had fundamental criteria for admission. They didn’t require me to submit test results for IELTS or TOEFL or any other English exams as I had passed out from an English Medium school. Their only essential requirement was my class 10th board result, class 11th, 12th aggregate and JEE Rank. n n The education system here is hands-on, and the exposure at the university level is highly competitive, practical, full of opportunities and even provides assessment based mandatory ‘Industrial Experience/ Internship’. They don’t offer traditional placements, but towards the end, of course, a lot of companies come to organize career fairs which are very beneficial to enlighten students with a wide range of opportunities. For example, I was a very technical person until I precisely got to know what the Big Four does and what options I hold with them. The University also offers exchange programs inclusive of being a centre for Foreign Exchange for IIT students. nnnn To encourage an international student to adapt to and accept the culture here, the University usually allocates their accommodation with the local students. Further, they have exchange clubs for international students like Global Exchange mobility wherein you can network with other students coming from different parts of the world and keep a constant connection between universities and students abroad. There are several clubs and communities for sports, literature, arts, business and entrepreneurship. Likewise, many cultural events provide an opportunity to showcase talents. The University even offers academic as well as psychological counsellors on campus and keeps organizing events that help you develop to your fullest potential. n nn As far as scholarships are concerned, the universities here offer plenty of them with stipends, but under a bond of working in Singapore for a compulsory few years post completion of the course. I wasn’t aware of the full Scholarships when I availed admission, and it was when I interacted with my fellows here, but I too benefited from the MOE GRANT (Ministry of Education Grant). Through the following grant, I fetched 60% government-funded subsidy for all academic years, on a bond of working for three years in Singapore upon completion of the program. n nn Beyond the stigma attached to Southeast Asian countries, Singapore is a culturally diverse, well advanced, organized and moderately expensive country. However, the medical facilities here are highly costly for everyone. The main sectors of employment in Singapore are Banking and Finance, Management, Hedge Funds, Technology, Communication and Media and e-Commerce. The average pay scale as per Singaporean standard is about S$3600- S$4000 per month depending on the industry, with an average expenditure of S$2000-S$2500 inclusive of rent and day to date expenses. n Many people plan to step out of India post-Bachelors, but I would recommend all the aspirants to pursue Bachelors abroad as it gives them better global exposure as well a higher chance of availing Permanent Residency, especially in a country like Singapore. So, if you intend to move to Singapore as a foreigner for work or for pursuing Masters, please keep in mind that you might have to face a tad bit of trouble with getting an employment pass as the government prefers its locals over foreigners for jobs”. nn Manjeera is a trained Indian Classical dancer. She also likes to travel and paint. We have attached one of her works below. It would be great if you all can appreciate the talent this fiercely dedicated woman holds. n

Every year lakhs of students compete for the highly competitive NEET examination. Our aspiring candidate too appeared for NEET but missed the opportunity to pursue Medicine in India by just a few marks. She then decided to follow her dream at a place where one would not have thought conventionally, for higher education. This story is about Dr Archita Gupta, who with her persistence and determination, have let no hurdles stop her from making her dream come true. n n “When my score came, I knew it would be highly competitive to get a seat for MBBS in India, and I was not at all ready to compromise on the field of Medicine. It was at that time that I practically considered studying at Southern Medical University (SMU), Guangzhou, China. My parents being doctors themselves were highly supportive of my decision. China is known for its high technological advancement in the field of medicine. Also, being an Asian country the medical standards were quite similar to the Indian standards of Medical education making me eligible to practice in India. The education there was way cheaper than any other developed nations and India. The country also offers additional scholarships at school, provincial and country-level based on one’s academic performance. It was a fair opportunity for all the students irrespective of their origin to compete for the scholarship and win them based on their hard work. I was awarded the ‘Outstanding International Student Scholarship’ for all my academic years. These felicitations encouraged me to work more diligently and broaden the horizon of my professional credibility. n n The session each year starts in September with the total duration, of course, being five years with an added year of internship. The first two years of study include ‘Para-Clinical subjects’, and last three years, ‘Clinical Subjects’ which are inclusive of in-class lectures and hospital orientations. In those three years, we cannot do direct dealing with patients which is the same as in India. It is only during the internship that we are allowed to be in charge of the patients. The medium of my education was in English. However, we did learn Mandarin as it is a crucial learning component for long term survival in the country. As far as the faculty at SMU was concerned, I was highly blessed. They provided much-needed support and assistance to get proficient with the language, acclimated with the culture and weather. They made sure our curriculum was not hectic during the first three months giving us plenty of time to adopt a new language. n n China is not an easy country, so if anyone decides to go there, they have to go with a hard shell. I came here with a promise to myself. Along with learning what I came here for, obviously, I wanted to enjoy my college years to the fullest and work judiciously to grow as a person. I will not deny that food in China can be a problem for many, but you will have to accommodate to make your life easier. One has to take an active initiative to adapt and adjust in a new environment. Within three months in this enchanting land, I fell in love with the country’s oldest continuous civilization, its unique culture, food and customs. Also, initially, when I landed in China, it was pretty shocking because of the language barrier. As a result, I felt a bit bound but at SMU there are ‘Volunteers’ that help the newbies settle in the country and also take them on city tours in the initial months. My experience with them was extremely cooperative and hospitable. We even have a Psychology department at SMU that regularly keeps a check on the mental state of students to understand their coping mechanism with curriculum, language, culture and various other latent factors, which could otherwise abate the efficiency of students. The university provides accommodation for all five years. Nevertheless, some students still did opt for outside accommodation. In my opinion, living on campus helps one to grow culturally, explore and engage with more ethnicities. n n For visas, unlike other countries, China does not require you to show your living cost. However, China issues only study visas and not work visas along with them. Also, the visas are bound to be renewed every year based on your academic performance and college attendance. During my first visit, I was issued a visa for 30 days. After completion of an admission procedure, I was allotted a Visa sanction for one year. For healthcare of international students, one has to get mandatory healthcare insurance with their visas. If one falls sick, they have to pay the price upfront for the medical facilities. Once they have the bills in their hand, they can file for an insurance claim, and the due amount is later reimbursed in their accounts. If it is a scheduled surgery, then you can get the money directly credited to the hospital account from insurance firms. n n Another thing that I liked about China was that during my stay, there was quite a bit of conflict between the two countries. However, I never came across any discrimination because of that towards me. There was zero hostility. The Chinese government makes sure that the crisis between two governments does not in any way affect its citizens and students, and I think it is of prime importance. In my opinion, despite the stigma it carries, China is a very open and welcoming country. Everyone is treated fairly irrespective of the caste, colour, region, religion and faith. However, yes, you are not allowed to practice and propagate religion publicly. In terms of global ethnicities, the University accommodates students from across the globe and from various walks of life. It gave me a chance to meet and share the roof with students from around the world and cherish diversity. The city is also home to many expats. nn Early in those days, Android Phones just entered