Interior architecture design students from New Zealand spend an eventful semester at NTU

Lillian Elliot and Claire O’Connell, third year students from Massey University in New Zealand, embarked on an exciting exchange opportunity to NTU this academic year on our BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design course.

L to R: Claire O'Connell and Lillian Elliot

Lillian Elliot and Claire O’Connell, third year students from Massey University in New Zealand, embarked on an exciting exchange opportunity to Nottingham Trent University (NTU) this academic year on our BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design course.

Massey University is one in over 25 international partners for the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment, and is New Zealand's largest residential university, spread over three cities.

Lillian and Claire, current students on the BA (Hons) Spatial Design course at the Wellington campus, settled in quickly and easily to life at NTU, expressing how much their classmates and staff made them feel welcome.

Claire told us: “Overall, it’s an amazing course, one of the best in the UK! I was really interested in seeing the different approaches to teaching and learning compared to my course in New Zealand. I’ve gained new knowledge and skills that will be highly beneficial towards my final year of university, and for the rest of my career.”

Lillian added: “I would say this is the best opportunity that I have taken, and that I’ve grown to be more open and understanding towards others and their perspectives. Because I was placed in an unfamiliar environment, I learned to adapt to new situations, which is an invaluable tool in the future.”

The pair also had the opportunity to visit Rotterdam, also known as the city of architecture, for a class trip. “It was amazing to travel overseas to the world’s city of architecture whilst also being able to sightsee and make memories with friends from my class.

“I have never travelled to this side of the world before, and I felt like it would be an amazing opportunity to experience the UK for its huge cities, beautiful countryside and history. Being a gateway to Europe was also a perfect opportunity to do some more travelling,” Claire said.

According to the Gone International: Mobility Works 2017 report, which analyses data from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey, graduates who were mobile during their degree were less likely to be unemployed (3.7% compared to 4.9%), and more likely to earn 5% more than their non-mobile peers.

Lillian remarked: “I can’t express enough how much I have gained from studying abroad. The social skills of adapting, and the skills I have gained through NTU and its education system will not only help me now, but also in my future as I intend to work overseas after I graduate.”

Notes for editors

Press enquiries please contact Chris Birkle, Public Relations Manager, on telephone +44 (0)115 848 2310, or via email; or Dave Rogers, Public Relations Manager, on telephone +44 (0)115 848 8782, or via email.

Postgraduate Design Exhibition 2017: This exhibition celebrates the work of our postgraduate design students, offering a unique opportunity to view the outcomes from our diverse range of MA and MSc Design courses, showcasing our students pursuit of innovation – highlighting their understanding within the context of design.
Public dates: Friday 29 September – Wednesday 4 October (see the website for opening times)
Location: Room 001 and 002, Arkwright Building, NTU City Campus
Nottingham Trent University was named Modern University of the Year in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018. The award recognises NTU for its strong student satisfaction, quality of teaching, overall student experience and engagement with employers.
Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is one of the largest UK universities with nearly 28,000 students and more than 3,500 staff across four campuses, contributing £496m to the UK economy every year. It is one of the most environmentally-friendly universities, containing some of the country’s most inspiring and efficient award-winning buildings.
The University is passionate about creating opportunities and its extensive outreach programme is designed to enable NTU to be a vehicle for social mobility. The University is the sixth biggest recruiter of students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the country and 95.6% of its graduates go on to employment or further education within six months of leaving.
NTU is home to world-class research, winning The Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2015 - the highest national honour for a UK university. The prize recognised pioneering projects to improve the detection of weapons and explosives in luggage, enable safer production of powdered infant formula and combat food fraud.
With an international student population of approximately 2,600 from around 100 countries, the University prides itself on its global outlook and seeks to attract talented students and staff from across the world