University of Surrey: Collaborations for Intermediate Student Support

Waheeb Ulla
If sleep is where dreams are made then Universities are the laboratories of turning those dreams to reality. An aspiring span of 18 to 20 years of a person's lifetime comes to play in those crucial years of university education. The utter need and sheer importance of stability along with exposure to novelty sets the foundation of a graduate who undergoes a transition to face the world. In pursuit of excellence in the ever-growing world by giving it individuals who are intellectually of the higher regard, the University of Surrey has been a sheer epitome to the world of producing able and noble graduates.

The University of Surrey has students from over 140 countries that comprise of a 30 percent in the totality of students. The students benefit from a committed international staff body which uses research-led teaching approaches to stimulate and realize the learning potential of them along with their employability. Located within the county town of Guildford, Surrey, in the South East of England, United Kingdom; it is widely known for its vast diversity of students it educates. The University is regularly placed within the top 10 universities of the United Kingdom. It currently holds contacts with over 600 alumni in India, such as Dr. Kajal Gupta, Chief Technologist at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Centre and others. The alumni across Asia add substantially to furthering the University's profile in the region and in assisting both in student recruitment and profile-raising and providing opportunities for work placements through its professional training programs.

A credit to attract students from far and near goes to the various attributed approaches of the University. Some of these include country specific scholarship schemes aimed at countries like India along with partnerships with organizations such as the Commonwealth Scholarship Scheme, the Chevening Scholarship Scheme, and also with universities in Asia. These approaches facilitate graduates from an undergraduate degree program into a postgraduate taught or research program at the University of Surrey.

Another facet that helps students feel at home is the Students' Union which has a number of country-specific societies. The association deals with putting forth shows and International Gala where the diverse cultures are celebrated. There is the Indian Students Association (ISA) which celebrates and represents India and its heritage on a foreign land.

At the research level, the University of Surrey has many links into Asia particularly into India, and has recently received UK India Education Research Initiative funding to revolutionize renewable energy which involves TATA Steel. These interactions benefit the University and help raise its profile in India, and also contribute to solving some of the world's greatest problems which are particularly applicable to India as it continues to expand its economic footprint.

With investments of over £250 million in infrastructure in the last 5 years, The University of Surrey provides state-of-the-art facilities both for learning along with research. New students joining the University join a campus that is self-contained, welcoming and safe. A series of events including induction week and a buddy scheme allows all international students to be assimilated into the Surrey campus culture, and quickly settle in to life at the university. There is a range of retail and cultural opportunities including theatres, concert halls, and on campus the Guildford School of Acting (part of the University of Surrey), that provide ample room for students to manoeuvre in engaging and performing arts. There also is the Student Support whose services assist and support international students with matters like visas and others.

When an Indian student packs their bags to come to the University of Surrey, upon arrival the Pro Vice-Chancellor (International Relations) Professor Vince Emery welcomes them with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi "be the change that you want to see in the World."

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