Meet our summer school students

I am studying Marketing, but I really like things related to ecological fields and since I intend to expand my studies towards the environmental sciences, I found this opportunity ideal. I first saw about the summer school from a post on my university’s Instagram account, which featured various exchange programmes you could do. So, I decided to give it a try because I found it interesting and affordable.

What excited me most about my course was the combination of theoretical and practical knowledge we had. One day we were learning about something new and the next we were on a journey to experience the lesson in real life! Having both of those experiences which really compliments each other can make the perception of the whole course much better and easily comprehensible.

I participated in various social activities, but my favourite was the Robin Hood tour of the city, because I love learning and exploring new cities, especially with such a good guide we had. I also can’t rule out the trip to York, as it gave me the chance to change my perspective and learn something new.

Nottingham is a really safe city, where you can walk everywhere. This allowed me to enjoy a night out with my friends or even discover the city on my own.

I would really recommend future students to do it and come here, you will love it! Also, make sure you do good research on the NTU’s Global Summer School webpage, as you can find a lot of useful information and all the courses, they have available so you can choose the one you like the most.

I first found out about the summer school through an email sent to me by my school. Since I was already looking for different summer school programs in order to fill in some electives, I figured out that this was a fantastic opportunity to go and learn about another culture that Canada's very much intertwined with, while also getting credits towards my overall degree.

During my research NTU stood out, because it is a very modern university in a country like the UK that has a very rich history. All the facilities were very modern and the ability to move around the city has been parallel to none.

I loved how many field trips we took. We had a lesson either the day before or in the morning and then we would go out to visit places like Kedleston Hall, Sherwood Forest, Wollaton Hall or the Contemporary Arts museum. This allowed me to really explore the city and get in touch with either its history or its art, which I wouldn't otherwise have had if I had been doing a summer school course back home.

Through my course I was also able to learn more about ecological justice, like climate change. I already knew how serious the issue was, but moving forward on the justice piece, holding companies accountable, things I can do in my in my daily life or things I can expect from my MPs or influence my vote because they have policies that work towards a more sustainable future, will definitely be something useful to take back home with me.

My favourite social activity by far was visiting the National Justice Museum. I thought that was the coolest thing ever! I liked that I was able to watch the old court case and volunteer to take part in it and be part of the crowd. The actors there really brought out the passion in the energy, while also being able to talk about these really hard and difficult topics.

The social activities also helped me to meet other people and make new friends both in and out of my course. We're all here for a very similar mindset, to learn and advance in our education and careers, so this shared goal makes it really easy to connect and get to know other people.

One thing I liked about Nottingham is the pubs. It was interesting because at least in Canada we have our bars or two, but here in the city centre, especially, there are so many pubs and so many people who are just out and talking, so it's a very interconnected place. It was something that was very surprising to me, having these great meeting places and just the warmth of people feeling ready to conversation with me.

If you are thinking of coming to the Global Summer School, I would say go into this with an open mind. There's a lot to learn outside of the course, in which the professors have done a phenomenal job of teaching the themes and content. But also, from each other. I've learned just as much from my classmates and the people that I've met here, as I have from the professors in the classes they have taught.

I first learned about the summer school through my professor. Since I am part of the business and financial collegiate, I heard about it through them and was encouraged to do it. So, I wanted to jump on the opportunity as it sounded exciting.

Working with AI was for sure one of the highlights of my course. Also, learning different trends and techniques around sketching was a challenge, but I just love pushing myself by doing something outside the box.

It’s hard to choose a favourite social activity because I enjoyed them all and I think I’ll be a bit sad when I leave here because I’ve made so many friends from all different countries and parts of the world.

Nottingham is a peaceful and relaxing city that has a different energy from a busy one like London.

What’s my advice for future students? Just do it, because it's a wonderful experience and you won’t regret it at all. Remove any barriers and be open-minded, because it's quite an exciting experience. I'm grateful to NTU and everyone involved in this for this opportunity. You’re going to learn so much!