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Pursuing international education despite pandemic

Published on 25 October 2021

UIC held the 12th International Postgraduate Education Information Fair from 20 to 24 October, which built a platform for UIC students and overseas colleges and universities by applying both online and offline communications.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, many students favour international education. They believe choosing cooperative universities like UIC or pursuing overseas studies can broaden their global horizons and expose them to different cultures, which may significantly influence their lives.

A total of 53 higher education institutions from 14 countries and regions have participated in the International Postgraduate Education Information Fair (PG Fair) this year. Among these institutions were 14 QS top 100 institutions, such as the University of Hong Kong, the University of Toronto and the University of California, Berkeley.

Wei Xuan, a UIC graduate from the Statistics Programme, is in her first year of the Master's programme in Biostatistics at the University of Yale. She believes that opting for further studies overseas can help enhance her English competence, broaden her horizons, and learn about different cultures.

UIC helped Wei Xuan open the door to a bigger world. She said that the Liberal Arts Education and the UIC curriculum strengthened her ability to adapt to new surroundings and step out of her comfort zone to explore more possibilities.

Wei Xuan discovers the surroundings of the University of Yale

Due to the pandemic outbreak, the government introduced a policy allowing students who hold offers from the top-ranking overseas higher institutions to stay and study in Sino-foreign cooperative universities in the Chinese mainland, like UIC.

Zhong Boshen, who held an offer from the University of Leeds, got the chance to be admitted to the Master of Arts in Communication programme at UIC. As a result, he is now enjoying the vibrant college life at UIC.

UICers attend the PG Fair

Professor Tang Tao, President of UIC, said that UIC provides international education rooted in Chinese culture, which means studying at UIC will cultivate creative thoughts and global outlooks.

The press interview President Tang Tao

Professor Chen Zhi, Provost of UIC, introduced the study environment of UIC at the fair. According to recent data, 65% of the graduates in 2021 chose to study abroad for further education.

Ms Li Mei, Director of the Career Development Office, gave a speech on behalf of UIC's Associate Vice President (Student Development) Prof Stella Cho. She said that the PG Fair could provide students with first-hand information benefiting their application. She also encouraged students to take the "One-to-one consultation" initiative and use the resources at UIC.

Mr Nylam Gauthier, Head of Campus France China (Guangzhou Office), joined the fair, and he told that over ten UIC students apply to continue their studies in France each year. Good English competence and academic proficiency are their advantages. He added that the French government is offering international students medical and financial support for pandemic-related reasons.

Nylam (first from right) answers students' queries

Xu Xinyi, a fourth-year student of the Applied Translation Studies Programme, decided to pursue her further education in translation in the United Kingdom. Therefore, she consulted the admission officers from universities such as the University of Glasgow at the fair. She looks forward to meeting friends worldwide, improving her academic abilities, then coming back to China when she finishes her Master's degree.

Xinyi is not the only one who found the PG Fair helpful. Li Jiahao, a third-year student from the Finance Programme, said he walked away from the fair with useful information and a clear plan for the future. He plans to study in Hong Kong after he graduates. He thinks UIC provides students abundant resources regarding studying overseas.