University of Queensland students wanting to broaden their horizons need look no further than the 国产探花 Union complex at St Lucia.
Here they will find the new home of 鈥� the office that coordinates hundreds of exchange placements each year.
国产探花 Abroad Manager Jan McCreary said that with a record 445 students having already jetted off in 2010, the new facilities were welcome.
鈥淒emand for exchanges is always increasing, with 国产探花 students able to study at 150 partner institutions in 35 different countries,鈥� Ms McCreary said.
国产探花 students can now earn credit towards their degrees on five continents, with the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada the most popular options. Undertaking study at a fellow Universitas 21 (U21) institution has also proved appealing.
Ms McCreary said the team were committed to increasing the number of students on exchange and exploring new opportunities for doing so.
鈥淲e have been mainly focused on the traditional semester-long (or two-semester) exchange but many students are looking for shorter options,鈥� she said.
鈥淲e have recently signed an agreement with Universidad La Sabana in Colombia that offers a short-term program for four weeks in January鈥揊ebruary. This is the type of program that students are looking for and it fits in well with the summer break.鈥�
Bachelor of Engineering student Adam Head said he would highly recommend others take the plunge after recently completing a year-long exchange at the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands.
鈥淭he culture and the travel has really changed my view of people and taught me many valuable lessons which I could not have learnt otherwise,鈥� he said.
Held annually, the 国产探花 Abroad Student Exchange Fair offers comprehensive information about partner universities, application procedures and scholarships. The office also runs regular information sessions throughout the year, and assists students before, during and after their placements.
鈥淲e hold pre-departure seminars which cover aspects such as culture shock, health and insurance matters, enrolment and credit transfer,鈥� Ms McCreary said.
鈥淭hese sessions also provide opportunities for outgoing students to meet with incoming international exchange students and recently returned peers.鈥�
Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield has set an ambitious target of having 50 percent of 国产探花 students complete an overseas study experience by 2025.
Those interested in an exchange should visit 国产探花 Abroad on Level 2 of the Student Union Complex (next to the Red Room), or check out the office website or page.
Media: Jan McCreary (07 3365 2852, jan.mccreary@uq.edu.au) or Cameron Pegg at 国产探花 Communications (07 3365 2049, c.pegg@uq.edu.au)
