The highs and lows of studying abroad
Feron Jayawardene (pictured) is a Press and PR executive in the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce external affairs department. He was born in Sri Lanka and here he presents a personal view of what it’s like to join an international student community far away from home. He graduated after studying English and Journalism at Birmingham City University while his dissertation project focused on homelessness in Birmingham earned him a first class.
The economic impact brought by international students to the West Midlands economy is a no brainer.
The quality of education coupled with the prospect of being a part of the graduate workforce, contributing to the world’s fifth biggest economy, is enticing for any individual from outside the UK, like myself.
Birmingham has the second highest international student population and several high-ranking universities, making Europe’s youngest city a student hotspot.
The added prospects of having the biggest library in Europe, a vibrant nightlife with many indie pubs and clubs, and a very diverse community only strengthens this outlook for potential students.
Adding to this is the high quality of course content and the availability of diverse courses for creatives from around the world.
Of course, that is not to say that life of an international student is all a bed of roses. Although appealing, no one likes to be taken for granted, especially when you pay an inherently higher amount in fees than the locals for the exact same course.
There is much more universities and the government can do to make international students feel at ease, starting from better integration and signposting services.
One of the main reasons students choose Birmingham is the potential of studying with a diverse set of people. While students from around the world make this diversity a great feat, the lack of integration with local students proves to be a dampener.
More networking and social events with the complete student community is a necessity in this age.
Coming to another country away from home comforts and especially parents is not an easy task itself. Newcomers often feel homesick during the first few months which potentially could lead to severe mental health issues, making proper signposting and mentoring schemes crucial.
Ongoing security issues pertaining to racism and knife crime severely dampens the encouragement levels. Being an Asian, there have been countless times I have been called certain words that does not warrant going further. These inherent issues embedded in the population need to be addressed.
While Birmingham offers a quality place to live and study in, certainly, a lot more can be done to protect this £3billion strong workforce.
