SCAN DESIGN FOUNDATION BY INGER & JENS BRUUN EXCHANGE STUDENT EVALUATION REPORT Dear Fellowship / Scholarship Recipient: The Scan Design Foundation requests that fellowship / scholarship recipients submit an evaluation report concerning their experiences and the services provided by the institutions that manage grant programs funded by the Scan Design Foundation. This report has a dual purpose: to help us evaluate our current programs and to help us inform and orient grant seekers who will be future recipients. We ask you to reflect on your experiences in the US or Denmark. Advice or comments on other topics are also welcome. - Use this form and fill-in your answers. It is not necessary to answer every question. - Send a copy to: 1. admin@scandesignfoundation.org And to your University 2. UW-Madison: scandesign@international.wisc.edu Thank you for your cooperation. We appreciate your time and effort. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Student Name: Karina Culqui Institution where you studied: Danish Technological Institution Semester of participation: Fall 2017 E-mail address (if possible not University email): cxkarina@gmail.com 1. Pre-Exchange. Why and Where: a. Why did you decide to study in the US or Denmark as an exchange student? I decided to study abroad in Denmark because I wanted to gain a different perspective on both my academics and life in general. I ve never been anywhere as different as Denmark so I thought it would be both interesting and a challenge for myself. b. Why did you select the program/university? I selected the Danish Technological Institution because it is an engineering school. As a civil engineer, I was worried that I wouldn t get the chance to study abroad because my classes wouldn t match in other universities. At DTU, I was able to find courses that agreed with the academic path I had set at UW-Madison. c. What were your expectations? I expected to be challenged while at DTU, and I was. Academically, I felt that I improved as a student because I learned how to effectively work in team environments and manage my time better. As a person, I also grew because I learned to adapt to a new culture and have an open mind.
d. What preparations did you make prior to departure? Most preparations dealt with being able to go to Denmark with a visa. The process of gaining it was a long one and required quite a few visits to the Danish Embassy in Washington D.C. but it was all worth it at the end. Culturally, I started to learn some common Danish phrases and traditions so that I would adapt into the culture faster. e. How could you improve your preparations? I would improve my preparations by doing even more research. Learning more about the politics and norms in Denmark would ve been more helpful. Also, learning about places to visit would have been nice too. 2. ARRIVAL/ON-SITE ORIENTATION: a. Recommend accommodations for future students upon arrival. I would recommend filling out the housing accommodation form that DTU sends out as soon as possible. Personally, that made the experience so much easier for me because I didn t have to hunt for a place to live on a different country. DTU found a place for me and within a month before I left I was signing the contract. b. Comment on the orientation and activities offered at both your home University and the host University, what did it cover and how did it help you prepare / adjust after arriving? The orientation offered at my home University I found to be extremely informational. I didn t know what to expect when arriving so it was nice to have a few meeting dedicated to giving us advice and preparing us. I also found it helpful to meet the other students I would be travelling with. The exchange student orientation at DTU was amazing to say the least. They put us into different buddy groups that consisted of about 10-11 students in total. For an entire week we had different activities planned and events, one where we actually all went to tour Copenhagen and do a scavenger hunt. I met the people I would be closest to during my semester abroad in this orientation and for that I am thankful. 2. ACADEMICS: a. Evaluate the instruction you received. Compare the following to your home institution s system: - class registration Class registration I felt went pretty smoothly. I had planned the courses I was going to take abroad a few months earlier with my academic advisor at my home university. I felt that the website was easy to use and understand. Class registration at my own university can be pretty stressful. Because UW- Madison is so big, there always seems to be a fight between students whenever enrollment starts. Everyone wants the same courses but we can t all take them. However, with careful planning, class registration can go smoothly too. - classroom structure I enjoyed the class room structure at DTU because it consisted of a much smaller number of students, which made it easier to work with people and get to know each other. In madison, because the school is so big, the class room sizes don t really start getting smaller until you start taking your much more specific classes pertaining to your major.
- instruction At DTU, there was a lot of instruction but they professors also gave us plenty of time to figure things out on our own. They were always there to offer help. This is also like in Madison, there is a balance between instruction and independency among students. - teacher/student relations Because of the small class sizes, all my professors knew us by name which I really enjoyed. I didn t feel like just another face in the class. The relationship between student and teacher was must less formal than what I am used to but it felt like a nice change. Student teacher relations is much more formal in Madison and it is also much harder for a professor to get to know you by name. - grading/exams What I found to be interesting at DTU was that there was barely any homework due and there were barely any exams throughout the semester, primarily just the final at the end of the semester. This was a very nice change from Madison because instead we focused on group projects and I was able to retain the information a lot better. Sometimes the pressure of midterms and weekly homework assignments in Madison cause me to memorize the information rather than truly understanding it. That is what I m having a hard time adjusting back to now being back at UW. - administration I didn t interact must with DTU administration but my professors and the accommodation office were extremely helpful whenever I had doubts or questions. I find UW administration to be very professional and dependable. They are always there for me whenever I need help and I ve gotten to know a lot of admins throughout my 3 years here. - library, computer, and classroom facilities When I arrived for my fall semester at DTU, the library was newly renovated and I was amazing to say the least. The open space was welcoming and there was plenty of space to find a place to study in. There were also plenty of computers for students to use. However, there was only one big library so turning finals it was always overflowing. UW has numerous libraries and facilities that students are more than welcomed to use. Because of the large number of students, I believe that Madison has done an amazing job of providing countless facilities, labs, and classrooms for students to use. b. Evaluate the quality and content of instruction. Professors at DTU were highly respected and professional. The quality of instruction was always very high and I felt that I learned a lot especially since we only had the class about once a week. For that reason, all lectures were effective and well organized. Professors at UW are also highly respected and amazing. Sometimes lecture can seem tedious to go to because we can have it up to 3 times a week but there is always something to learn. c. In general, what did you like best and least about the academics? What I liked best about the academics in Denmark was the fact that it was heavily focuses on working together in groups as a team. I ve always been used to doing assignment individually so this was a nice change. What I liked least was probably that the courses lasted for 4 hours. Personally, I m not used to staying in one class for that last but with time I
got used to it. d. Are there any courses or instructors you would recommend to future students? ------- 3. HOUSING: a. How would you assess the housing arrangements? The housing arrangements were fair. We had to fill out an accommodation form provided by DTU where we ranked our building preferences. We had enough time to research the different options that were offered both on and off campus. b. How did you locate your housing? My housing was given to me through the DTU accommodation process. I lived in Kampsax my semester abroad and I would highly recommend it to everyone who applies to go to DTU. Everyone is very nice and welcoming and the location can t be beat. 4. EXCHANGE SITE: In general, please describe your impressions of the host University campus and its location and surrounding community. DTU highly impressed me because I felt that I learned so much both academically and personally. The courses are very hard but DTU offers so many opportunities to get help and working in groups was a nice change. I enjoyed living in Lyngby because it s a very calm town but has so many interesting places to visit. Having a big shopping district near the train station was very convenient for days when we couldn t go to Copenhagen. The community at DTU and Lyngby was very welcoming and I felt safe living there. 5. HEALTH AND SAFETY: Describe any health or safety concerns (e.g., quality of medical facilities, unsafe districts, theft, etc.) associated with your study. None 6. CULTURAL ASPECTS: a. How did you integrate into the host country culture and meet members of the community? (e.g., mentors, clubs, sports, extracurricular activities, pubs, etc.) The friends I felt closest to were the ones I met at orientation. I think the exchange student orientation did a great job of grouping us with people from all over the world and providing enjoyable activities where we got to know each other really well. I made even more friends based on where I was living. I managed to get an accommodation on campus and become really close with others on my floor because we shared the kitchen and interacted on a day to day basis. b. Describe cultural differences and challenges you encountered and how you addressed them. (e.g., gender issues, social etiquette, stereotypes, etc.) What surprised me the most about being at DTU was the fact that I felt very welcomed and accepted. The university has a large number of exchange students so I wasn t the only one there that was different. I learned so much about the Danish culture but also other cultures from around the world. Everyone treated each other as equals and there seemed to be a mutual respect between people.
7. FINANCIAL: a. Describe how the Scan Design Foundation Fellowship assisted you / made a difference in your decision to study abroad. Going abroad is definitely expensive which is why I want to thank Scan Design for making this life changing experience a possibility for me. In addition, it connected me with people from Denmark so I didn t feel lonely when I arrived. I m thankful for the trips sponsored by Scan Design. b. What is the best way to access/transfer money? Personally, my bank didn t charge me international fees so I kept my American bank account. I do however know that a lot of people managed to open a Danish bank account as a cheaper option. c. How much spending money do you recommend per month? Please include rent, food, transportation, etc. I would suggest about $500-$600 spending money per month. Thankfully my rent was cheaper than in Madison but the cost of food and transportation is very high in Denmark. I had to learn how to food because buying groceries for the week was much cheaper than going out to dinner. Getting a transportation pass is a cheaper way of travelling, it is still expensive but at least the price is reduced with the card. d. Comment on the relative "cost of living" between your home University and the host University. The cost of living in Denmark and Madison felt very similar. Denmark is an expensive country so I had to learn how to really budget my spending. In comparison, Madison is a very expensive city to live in so it wasn t a complete culture shock when I arrived in Denmark. 8. EXCHANGE/SCAN DESIGN FELLOWSHIP COORDINATORS AND ADMINISTRATION: Coordinator team Comment on the assistance by the Scan Design Fellowship coordinators and administration before your departure, upon arrival, and during your stay. What worked and what could be improved or changed? It was nice to meet some of the coordinators before departing for Denmark. They gave us advice on life in Denmark which I found to be very honest and helpful. Upon arrival I didn t hear much from them besides one event but maybe it would ve been nice to do more things together before classes got heavier. During my stay the coordinators offered several activities to do together which was very nice and created lots of memories. Activities Comment on the number and type of activities arranged by the coordinators. What worked and what would you like replaced with some other activity. I enjoyed the activites arranged by the coordinators. My favorites were when we learned how to cook at a restaurant and our trip to Aarhus. Those were special because it didn t seem like something I would be able to do/afford on my own so I m honored that Scan Design sponsored those. Suggestions for activities we should add to the program Touring Copenhagen upon arrival would ve been helpful.
9. PROGRAM/STUDENT TYPE: Describe the type of student for whom this exchange is best suited and what advice would you give to future students. This exchange program is suited for any student willing to have an open mind to a new cultural experience. Denmark is a very calm and safe country that has so much to offer. The people respect each other, are reserved, but are also genuinely curious about others. Students at the exchange will learn new perspectives on life and the world which is something that should be cherished. 10. OVERALL EXPERIENCE: a. How would you rate the quality of the overall experience? My experience in Denmark was easily a 10/10. I feel that I grew as a person and I met amazing people along the way. To this day I am still in contact with people I ve met while in Denmark. I ve made lasting memories and I can t wait to go back. b. How realistic were your academic and personal expectations and how did the Scan Design Fellowship Program make a difference? My academic and personal expectations were realistic but I feel as if Scan Design made a huge difference. They provided me with a community while abroad and coordinated activities and trips that were extremely memorable. The program made me feel welcomed and safe. c. What did you consider to be the greatest benefit and challenge of studying abroad? The greatest benefit about being abroad is the level of independency you gain as a person. I couldn t rely on my family to help me with my problems. I had to take care of new responsibilities all on my own and with a whole new system. The challenge of being abroad is definitely budgeting. Being in Europe is very expensive. You ll want to travel everywhere and eat out a lot but the reality of it is that you have to keep track of your expenses very carefully. FEEL FREE TO ADD OTHER COMMENTS YOU MAY HAVE.