Vic OE Evaluation Form

Transcription

1 Vic OE Evaluation Form A: Student Information VUW degree(s) LLB/BCA Major(s) Law and Economics Exchange Institution University of Groningen VUW Tri & Yearof Exchange Trimester B: Finances Please detail your basic costs in New Zealand dollars. This will help future students plan their own budgets. (Enter your number rounded to the nearest dollar.) Books 60 - ended up photocopying most textbooks Accommodation 3100 Return Airfare 2000 Local Transportation 30 Meals + personal spending + communications 5000 Visa NA Health & Insurance 500 Personal Spending Communications (phone, etc.) Other fees (specify) What unexpected costs did you encounter? What items were more or less than expected? I found supermarket shopping more expensive than in NZ How did your financial expenses compare to what you originally expected to spend? Approximately the same on a day to day basis, but I travelled in Europe more than I had expected, so it did cost me more. By what means did you maintain your finances? What would you recommend? (Credit card, foreign bank account, travelers checks, etc)? Didn't set up a bank account - just used a ANZ euro debit card and withdrew money What financial advice would you give students attending the same university as you? Wouldn't bother setting up a Dutch bank account for 1 semester; makes sense for a year What was the average cost of a can of coke or coffee in your host country? Coffee - 1 euro from a vending machine at university; 3,50 euro from a cafe C: Visas & Insurance *Please note this information is recommended by VUW students & current at the time of their exchange. For all up-to-date visa information you must check with the embassy/consulate of your host university. Did you have to apply for a visa? If so, was it difficult? What was the process, how long did it take and how much did it cost?

2 N/A - had British passport Do you have any advice for future students when applying for visas to your host country? N/A Did your host university have a mandatory insurance? Or a particular insurance they recommended? If Yes, what was it and how much did it cost? No What insurance company did you use and would you recommend it to future students? 1cover - it was the cheapest possible insurance for the time period - didn't have to claim on it. D: Academics at Host University Which courses did you take while on exchange? Please rate the difficulty of each course (1-5, 1 = Very Easy & 5 = Extremely Difficult) and leave any comments you may have. Course Title Language of VUW course Instruction equivalent or elective VUW points/credi ts value Rating (1-5) Comments Climate Law English 12 4 The hardest law class I had to do, had a big focus on the EU's approach, which meant there was a bit of a learning curve as to how that system worked. Also at times quite technical issues regarding climate change. That said it was an interesting course. International Investment Law International Criminal Law English 12 3 Quite a narrow course - although the material was quite complex, there wasn't too much to learn once you got your head around it. English 12 4 My favourite course in Groningen, the material was really interesting, the lecturer was really good, and we got to go on a trip to see a war crimes trial in The Hague! Legal Heritage English 10 2 The only bachelor-level class I took at of Europe Groningen - downside was it was only

3 International Economics IIB worth 5 ECTS. Pretty easy - more like a history paper than a law one. English 10 4 Harder than an intermediate level Macro class in NZ - the exam content wasn't too tough, but there was a large assignment which required a strong understanding of an econometric software package VUW Trimester 2/YEAR Course Registration/Enrolment Please describe the registration process at your host university. What kind of help was available? The registration process was very simple, the administration staff were very friendly, and it was possible to enrol and dis-enrol for classes for much of the semester. How successful were you in registering/enrolling for classes you wanted? What advice would you offer to next year's exchange students about registration at your host university? I had no difficulties enrolling for the classes I wanted. I couldn't take some as they had prerequisite classes from the previous semester. The administration staff at times tried to discourage people from taking certain classes which they thought would be harder, but I would say go to the class yourself to see how difficult it is. Do you have any advice for future students when choosing and applying for courses? Groningen has two half-semesters of 7 weeks each - many courses only go for one of them. I would suggest taking more classes in the first half semester, to reduce the course load for the second half. If it's too much you can always drop the class a month

4 in because the registration for exams occurs separately and later to the registration for classes. Academic Experience How did your academic experience differ from your time spend at Victoria? Did the academic experience meet your expectations? All the classes I took were interesting, and definitely different to the sorts I had taken back home. One interesting thing was that more than 50 percent of the students in the classes would have either been exchange students or international students - there weren't that many Dutch! How did the style of teaching at your host university compare with that at VUW? How did the workload compare to what you would expect at VUW? As the classes I took were primarily Masters-level, they were all pretty small. However even so, there wasn't too much dialogue between the lecturers and students - they don't really do the socratic method there. What would you recommend as an appropriate course load for other VUW students visiting your partner university? What specific courses would you recommend to visiting VUW students? Why? You can take 30 ECTS/60 VUW credits without too much difficulty. I ended up taking only 28 ECTS, but there was very little difference in the amount of work I did compared to those who did 30. What advice would you give VUW students about succeeding academically at your host university? Some classes require work throughout the semester, others are only exam based - it's probably worthwhile thinking about what you're more suited for. My classes were either fully or largely exam-assessed, which meant that I didn't have to work too hard, and could enjoy the rest of exchange life, until the weeks before the exams. What was your impression of the computer facilities, library, and internet access at your host university? The university wireless internet was a bit dodgy, but the facilities compare pretty favourably to VUW. If you went to a country where English is not the native language, how did you prepare for this? Were there any intensive language courses provided by the host university? In the Netherlands, everyone is fluent in English. If you want to learn the language, you really need to enrol in classes to do so. That's probably the one thing I wish I had

5 done. E: Accommodation What form of accommodation did you stay in? International student house (Blekerslaan 4). What were the pros and cons of this form of accommodation? Pro: Living with dozens of other international student who are doing the exact same thing as you. Make lots of friends, don't have to deal with landlords, there is always something happening. Con: If you were very studious, it might not be the best environment; it means you spend most of your time with non-locals. What accommodation would you recommend to future students? International student house. How early can you move into accommodation? Whenever you start paying from, I guess. What options were available for meal plans or cooking facilities? How satisfied were you with the food? I think it depended on house to house, but there was a massive communal kitchen in my student house If you lived in off-campus housing, how easy was it to find? What should future VUW exchange students know about living off-campus? Do you have any tips of advice for future students when applying for accommodation? The international student houses fill up quickly so apply ASAP. Generally the more centrally located and larger they are, the more attractive they are. G: Personal & Cultural Connections What was it like making friends? How successful were you at making friends with local (i.e., not international) students? The international student community and the local student community aren't very mixed at all. If you want to get involved with locals you really need to put yourself out there. Join sports teams, cultural groups, get a buddy etc. What was it like to adjust to the culture of your exchange country/university? Very easy What, if any, cultural differences did you find particularly challenging? How would you recommend students to prepare for these differences? Not really

6 What parts of the culture did you most appreciate? The Dutch are very friendly people, and they're always up for a party! How were you treated by local people? By university staff and faculty? By students? Everyone was very friendly, and eager to get to know you. As far as you could tell, how easy would it be for students with disabilities to study at your partner university? For students who are visible minorities in your host country? For students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered? I don't think there would be any difficulty. Groningen is a very bike oriented city though. Did you face any issues regarding discrimination in your host country? What were they, and what advice would you give to future students? None H: Extra-curricular/Social Activities What organized activities (clubs, sports, etc.) were available to students? What extracurricular activities would you recommend to future exchange students? There are loads of sports and cultural activities organised in Groningen. ACLO, the student sports association, has a huge variety of things to do and at really subsidised prices. So do all those things you've wanted to do in NZ but never got around to doing. It's probably good to sort that out early, as otherwise things might have already started (and closed to new members) by the time you get around to it. Also, I'd say getting involved in different teams/societies is one of the best ways to meet locals, so it's definitely something to do. What do you recommend other visiting students see or do on their weekends or holidays? Travel! You can generally get a 'Dagkaart' for around 16 euros (they go on sale kind of randomly at different shops, but they're easy enough to find), which lets you travel on the trains through the Netherlands for a day - for example, it's just over 2 hours to Amsterdam - go in the morning and take the last train home. Germany cities are only a couple of hours away by bus or train too. There's also airports with cheap flights nearby - Groningen has Ryanair flights, otherwise Bremen and Eindhoven airports are only 2 and a bit hours away too. I had a 4-day weekend for half the semester, so I really tried to make the most of travelling. What opportunities were there for students to work on-campus? Off-campus? It's very difficult to find jobs, especially for non-dutch speakers. What volunteer or internship opportunities were there for students?

7 Not so sure, but I think there were plenty of student organisations that did that sort of thing. 5 things to take to your host country or region 1 Warm jackets - it gets a lot colder then Wellington in winter! 2 Waterproof shoes - likewise, it rains a LOT in the Netherlands, or at least for me 3 Earplugs/eye mask - I took a lot of late night buses; this is the best way to get some sleep on them (just remember to get off at the right stop!) 4 A journal, a blog, or even just something to store all the maps, receipts and tickets you will acquire on your travels - it'll help you remember when you get home! 5 A good recipe from home a pavlova or bacon and egg pie is a sure way to make some friends 5 pieces of useful advice would tell a VUW student going to your host university 1 Buy a bike as quickly as you can when you arrive, you will feel like a fish out of water until then 2 Get involved - Groningen has so much to do for a small town; you shouldn't have much time to rest! 3 Make travel plans with someone (or a group of people) you've just met on the spur of the moment; they might become your new best friends 4 Get involved with ESN (Erasmus Student Network); these guys really make the exchange experience fun! 5 There aren't that many contact hours at university; see if you can get a 3 or 4 day university week - it means you can travel every (extended) weekend Top 5 Things to do

8 What are your Top 5 Things To Do future VUW students at your host university or city/country? 1 Biking through the central city (which you'll do every day on your way to class or to the bars!) 2 For a city with less than 200,000 people the nightlife is amazing - there is always something to do any time you want to 3 Amsterdam is one of the best cities to visit in the world - it's only 2 hours away by train 4 Lots of the cities in the Netherlands have large canal systems - hire a canoe and check out the view from the water level. 5 Make the most of the fact that you can fly around Europe for 30 euros return on Ryanair! I: Personal Experience Please write one paragraph about your exchange experience. Plus, don t forget to submit some photos to the exchange office!! Going on exchange to Groningen is the best choice that I've made since arriving at Victoria University. The city is really well designed for the exchange experience - it's compact, beautiful, full of students, cheap to go out at night, and you bike everywhere. I made some really close friends from all around the world, both in Blekerslaan (my international student house) and outside it, and also was able to travel a huge amount during the semester. I don't know a single person who regretted choosing studying in Groningen for their exchange. I think a big difference between Groningen and other exchange options is that there is a lot helps support international students - the university and the exchange office were really helpful from an academic/administrative perspective, and ESN and other student organisations make it really easy to be involved and to be able to do a huge range of activities.