Person 12 Basic Information 1. Name Stina Walheim 2. Exchange university Sussex University 3. City Brighton 4. Country United Kingdom 5. First semester of your exchange Swedish autumn semester (HT) 6. Academic year 2011/12 7. Level of studies at the exchange university Undergraduate 8. What are you studying at Uppsala University? Samhällsvetarprogrammet - Utvecklingstudier 9. How many years of study had you completed before going on exchange? 1 Studies 10. Write one or more paragraphs describing the following: The differences between Uppsala University and the exchange. What were the teachers like? The relationship between teachers and students. Examinations. The academic level and quality of your courses. Access to computers. The structure of schooling system at Sussex University is almost identical to the system of Uppsala, but with one major difference. At Sussex, you study all subject at the same time. Despite this there are more similarities than differences. They are both based upon an idea of individual responsibility, with a belief that self-study is essential. The number of lectures is comparable and all the seminars request individual research. In all my courses I had one lecture (40min) and one seminar (1 or 2 hours) per week. So in total I had 4 lectures and 4 seminars per week + my English lecture. They were mandatory however it was ok to miss a few. The lectures and the seminars were very alike the ones back home but I found the seminars a bit more relaxed at Sussex. I am used to having professors as guidance and I thought it was good that they mostly had Phd Students at Sussex. Overall I felt that I had a more personal contact with the teachers and the tutors than at Uppsala. It was about the same amount of reading as I was used to and I felt that the quality was about the same, but with less time. Some lecturers were better than others. Sussex University has a system of three terms which from the beginning felt very different and with intense work load during a short period of time. I had 4 essays to write and with no time off to write them, so you had to do it at the same time as everything else. It was very stressful, but in 2 of my courses I could submit my work after Christmas. I think the quality of the essays was less good than required at Uppsala, but you had to write them at the same time and with less time. One thing that was very good was that students in all of my courses were offered much more help from Tutors than I ve experienced before. I had several appointments with my tutors and that made my essays much better and I also got some help with proof reading. Unexpected and really good, I learned a lot!
Orientation and reception 11. Write one or more paragraphs describing the following: How you were welcomed as an exchange student. Orientation, information, activities. We were very welcomed with a lot of information and in the end of the week it was a nice welcome party at the Dome. This Welcome week before it all started was good, but would have loved to see more activities, or maybe it was some but that I did not know about them. Accommodation 12. Write one or more paragraphs describing your accommodation. What type of accommodation did you have, where you satisfied? Do you have any tips for future students? I went to Brighton about 3 weeks before the term started, just because I wanted to spend some free time at the beach. I stayed at a cheap Hostel in Hove and went on Gumtree online to find my accommodation off campus. Took me about 2 weeks and I was picky, but found a decent place in the very center of the town. Loved it, but it was not as Swedish standard expensive, dirty and cold I had my own room and shared the house with 3 other students and a strict land lady. Overall very pleased with my accommodation. Bought a buss card to get to Uni, took me about 40min. Make sure what is included in the rent. Your finances 13. Write one or more paragraphs describing the cost of living. Did you find CSN adequate? How was the rent in comparison to your rent in Uppsala? Did you undertake part-time work in addition to your studies? I think we are about the only people that think it is cheap in England. Drinking and eating out is cheaper, food at Tesco about the same, but the rent is higher. My rent was 90 pound per week + electricity so in total about 4000SEK / month. I was not used to receiving all my money at the beginning of the term, so I was very broke in the end So planning is a good idea, but do enjoy eating at a pub etc. Brighton has lots of nice restaurants! London is just a short trip away so spend your money well. Free time 14. What did you do in your free time? Did the university arrange any special activities? Where there any activities specifically for exchange students? Were you happy with what was on offer? My best moments had nothing to do with the University, just organized with people I met. Went around the area and visited a couple of places in England. Loved all the bars with live music! Since I am 23 years old I felt that it was not a good idea to join Freshers Week with all the young students in the beginning of the term, but I did join a few activities which was nice. Did not really understand which activities that were for Freshers and which ones that were for International Students and would have loved to see more information about the latter one. Joined a bar tour and a dinner, but felt that it was almost over before it had started. I actually think this is the only thing that I thought could be much better organized. During the semester there were some trips to Oxford and some other places, bur no other international activities arranged as much as I know. There was an International Society but they just organized a few parties. However there were plenty of other great societies like art and music.
Your exchange on a whole 15. Please sum up your exchange experience. If you have any other tips for future exchange students, or any other comments feel free to include them here. Before I came I thought it would be hard to be as good as the British Students, but at Sussex there are so many international students that no one knows who is who. I have learnt so much! Sussex is a very good university, Brighton is an awesome city and my only wish is to come back! Approval 16. Do you approve the publishing of your exchange report on Uppsala University s website? Yes
Person 159 Basic Information 1. Name Matilda Magnusson 2. Exchange university Sussex University 3. City Brighton 4. Country United Kingdom 5. First semester of your exchange Swedish autumn semester (HT) 6. Academic year 2011/12 7. Level of studies at the exchange university Undergraduate 8. What are you studying at Uppsala University? Law 9. How many years of study had you completed before going on exchange? 3 Studies 10. Write one or more paragraphs describing the following: The dierences between Uppsala University and the exchange. What were the teachers like? The relationship between teachers and students. Examinations. The academic level and quality of your courses. Access to computers. Generellt är det större fokus på föreläsningarna i England än seminarierna. I övrigt är innehåll, upplägg, storlek på klasser, etc. relativt likt Uppsala. Jag föredrar PBL (Problembaserad inlärning) vilket jag har i Uppsala. Dessutom föredrar jag att ha terminstentor framför helårstentor som det är på Sussex University eftersom det blir så lång period att plugga in inför tentan. Generellt har jag haft en till två föreläsningar varje vecka i varje ämne (man läser fyra kurser parallellt) under höst- och vårtermin. Parallellt till detta har jag haft seminarier generellt en gång varannan vecka i varje ämne. Föreläsningarna med alla personer från en och samma årskull. Seminariegrupperna är mindre och relativt interaktiva. Jag är mycket nöjd med mina lärare i juridikkurserna men inte alls lika nöjd i business & managementkurserna. Lärarna i juridik var generellt något äldre, var mycket kunniga i sina ämnen och hade ett intresse som avspeglades under seminarierna och föreläsningarna. Tyvärr var lärarna i business & management mindre engagerande och förmedlade inte särskilt mycket positiv energi till sina elever. Jag tycker generellt att lärarna på Sussex University är mer engagerade i sitt ämne och sina elever än mina lärare i Sverige. Jag är mycket nöjd med mina lärare i juridikkurserna men inte alls lika nöjd i business & managementkurserna. Lärarna i juridik var generellt något äldre, var mycket kunniga i sina ämnen och hade ett intresse som avspeglades under seminarierna och föreläsningarna. Tyvärr var lärarna i business & management mindre engagerande och förmedlade inte särskilt mycket positiv energi till sina elever. Jag tycker generellt att lärarna på Sussex University är mer engagerade i sitt ämne och sina elever än mina lärare i Sverige. Nivån på de juridiska kurserna har varit motsvarande de jag har i Sverige. I business & managementkurserna kändes nivån låg. Kraven vid prov känns generellt som något lägre på Sussex University i förhållande till Uppsala. Tillgången till datorer har varit mycket bättre på Sussex University än Uppsala Universitet.
Orientation and reception 11. Write one or more paragraphs describing the following: How you were welcomed as an exchange student. Orientation, information, activities. Jag mottogs väldigt bra vid tågstationen på campus och det var en minibuss som körde mig och mitt bagage till huset jag skulle bo i på campus. Under första veckan är det s.k. freshers week för alla förstaårsstudenter som innebär mestadels sociala aktiviteter. Internationella studenter kan delta på den samtidigt som det parallellt nns ett program för internationella studenter som handlar om sociala aktiviteter och information om diverse praktiska detaljer. Accommodation 12. Write one or more paragraphs describing your accommodation. What type of accommodation did you have, where you satised? Do you have any tips for future students? Jag bodde i Kent House på campus som är en byggnad med långa korridorer på varje våning. I varje korridor var vi cirka 22 personer som delade fyra toaletter, två duschar och två badkar samt två stora kök och ett common room. Rummet var okej standard och var ganska litet men hade tvättställ och var möblerat. Fördelen med att bo i korridor är den sociala biten. Några av mina närmaste vänner träade jag i huset. Nackdelen är att det är lyhört och att folk grisar ner. Man bör även vara medveten om att det generellt är det bara förstaårselever som bor på campus så medelåldern ligger runt 19-20 år. Men samtidigt är det många internationelle studenter i varierande åldrar. Jag tror att det viktigaste man ska tänka på när man söker boende är att du inte bor ensam. Leta boende privat där du delar hus med andra studenter eller bo på campus. Om du bor utanför campus är det bra att bo i närheten av bussen som tar dig till campus dygnet runt alternativt tågstationen. Your finances 13. Write one or more paragraphs describing the cost of living. Did you nd CSN adequate? How was the rent in comparison to your rent in Uppsala? Did you undertake part-time work in addition to your studies? studiemedel räckte utan problem. Maten är lite billigare och det är billigare att gå ut i England. Jag betalade 97pund i veckan, dvs drygt 4000 kronor i månaden. Det inkluderade el, vatten, värme, toapapper samt städning av korridorens allmänna utrymmen två gånger i veckan. Jag arbetade inte extra. Free time 14. What did you do in your free time? Did the university arrange any special activities? Where there any activities specically for exchange students? Were you happy with what was on offer? Universitetet anordnande ett visst antal resor under året till platser i England. Dessutom hade de andra aktiviteter såsom food party, quiz och fester för internationella studenter. Jag deltog inte personligen i så många av dessa aktiviteter men jag vet några som gjorde det och de var generellt positiva. I övrigt nns det massor med olika föreningar och sportklubbar som man kan bli medlem i. Jag var bl.a. med i salsaföreningen och spelade ultimate frisbee. Att delta i några av dessa föreningar är något som jag starkt rekommenderar eftersom det är ett roligt sätt att träa nya människor.
Your exchange on a whole 15. Please sum up your exchange experience. If you have any other tips for future exchange students, or any other comments feel free to include them here. Jag rekommenderar alla att åka till Sussex University. Mitt år har varit en rolig upplevelse och jag har träat massor med härliga människor. Universitetet känns väldigt internationellt med många studenter från hela världen. Ett stort plus för läget vid havet och närheten till London och Gatwick Airport. Approval 16. Do you approve the publishing of your exchange report on Uppsala University's website? Yes When you are done press Submit. You will then be asked to conrm that you want to submit your answers. Press OK. Thank you for replying to this survey - your input is greatly appreciated.
Person 135 Basic Information 1. Name Laura Awad 2. Exchange university Sussex University 3. City Brighton 4. Country United Kingdom 5. First semester of your exchange Swedish autumn semester (HT) 6. Academic year 2011/12 7. Level of studies at the exchange university Undergraduate 8. What are you studying at Uppsala University? Human resource management and commercial law 9. How many years of study had you completed before going on exchange? 4 years Studies 10. Write one or more paragraphs describing the following: The differences between Uppsala University and the exchange. What were the teachers like? The relationship between teachers and students. Examinations. The academic level and quality of your courses. Access to computers. Overall the two Universities were quite similar. The teacher at Sussex aimed for the students to have a closer relationship than teacher at Uppsala University. The examinations of the courses were mostly made by handing in academic essays at the last week of term which it is a big difference from the Swedish system. In addition to academic essays, traditional exams were a part of the final examination. The downside of having several courses at the same time is noticed during exam periods. I prefer the Swedish university system when you focus on a particular subject at a time. The academic quality in Uppsala is slightly higher even though that the difference is not that obvious. Sussex university has a tendency to integrate the teaching with more contemporary society issues than Uppsala. Both universities are keen on students adapting critical thinking but I think that Uppsala is more successful in that area. The library at Sussex is really good compared to all libraries in Uppsala although there are problems with accessing computers at the library. The feeling of studying at a campus is more obvious at Sussex with more shared student feeling. Orientation and reception 11. Write one or more paragraphs describing the following: How you were welcomed as an exchange student. Orientation, information, activities. The reception at Sussex was excellent in every way. They are really good at welcoming exchange students and have a lot of activities specifically aimed for international students. Sussex is truly an international university. The welcome programme at Sussex makes it easy to socialize with other exchange students. There is a specific office for international students which make it easy to get questions answered. During the term there are a lot of activities and trips made by the international office.
Accommodation 12. Write one or more paragraphs describing your accommodation. What type of accommodation did you have, where you satisfied? Do you have any tips for future students? The first days I lived at a hostel with one other student from Uppsala University while we were looking for apartments at the website gumtree.com. It was a bit hard to find apartments because everyone was looking for a place to live but it was harder to get a place for only the autumn term. I lived in Hove in a shared flat. Hove is a really nice area close to the sea but it was a long way traveling every day by bus. If I could change my decision I should have picked a place closer to town or university. I recommend living close to Churchill square, at Lewes road or at campus. Your finances 13. Write one or more paragraphs describing the cost of living. Did you find CSN adequate? How was the rent in comparison to your rent in Uppsala? Did you undertake part-time work in addition to your studies? The living costs are basically the same as home in Sweden. The rent is much higher but food and activities is a bit cheaper than home. I found that the CSN was adequate. Free time 14. What did you do in your free time? Did the university arrange any special activities? Where there any activities specifically for exchange students? Were you happy with what was on offer? We were a big group of exchange students that liked to hang out. Falmer bar at campus was really nice and a lot of pubs in town were worth a visit. We travelled with the international students to Bath, Oxford and Stonehenge. Brighton is really close to seven sisters, London and Eastbourne so we made a couple trips to each town. We also made trips to Dublin and Edinburgh. I really enjoyed the free time. I recommend you to make trips at weekends and before finals starts. It is much funnier if you make a visit to town if you are a large group of students. Your exchange on a whole 15. Please sum up your exchange experience. If you have any other tips for future exchange students, or any other comments feel free to include them here. The sum up my time at Sussex was a great experience. I found a lot of friends that I still keep contact with although many of them are Swedish. If you get the opportunity do not hesitate! Brighton is the best town in the UK and Sussex is a great university for international students. Approval 16. Do you approve the publishing of your exchange report on Uppsala University s website? Yes