Picture credit: Kirby Lai
Contents The right way, for the right reasons. Malaysia ...................................................................114 Chin Wen Shen.................................................... 115 – 119 Chu Li Xin............................................................ 121 – 125 Claire Tan............................................................. 126 – 131 Felix Saw .............................................................. 133 – 137 Ho Yi Yit ............................................................... 138 – 141 Lim Qing Ling...................................................... 142 – 145 Leong Yi Zhen...................................................... 146 – 151 Pang Kang Shin.................................................... 153 – 157 Steven Ramesh.................................................... 159 – 163 Singapore .................................................................165 Kezia Khomasurya............................................... 166 – 169 Sri Lanka ..................................................................170 Chathushka Kiriella ............................................. 171 – 176 Taiwan ............................................................................ Yu-Ching Huang .................................................. 178 – 181 Thailand ...................................................................183 Juthatip Sutthisith............................................... 184 – 188 Panida Petchai.................................................... 189 – 193 Savita Kraisomsri ................................................. 194 – 199 Thanaphol Jindaapiraks ...................................... 201 – 205 Thanathorn Ouipanich ....................................... 209 – 211 Vietnam ...................................................................212 Chinh Tran........................................................... 213 – 217 Nicky Vu............................................................... 218 – 221 Phuong Le ........................................................... 222 – 225 Thinh Dao ........................................................... 226 – 229 Message from Writer and Designer................. 230 – 231 Thank you ....................................................................... 232 Message from: Vice Chancellor Prof Steve West.....................................................................2 & 3 Message from: International Director Asia Pacific Prof Ray Priest......................................................................4 & 5 UWE Transforms Futures .................................................6 & 7 Students’s story Bangaladesh.................................................................9 Maeesha Islam Dhusharima....................................... 10 – 14 Mahjabun Khashru Preeya ........................................... 15 – 19 Mohannad Fakhruddin Bhuiyan ................................ 21 – 25 China ..........................................................................26 Celine Chen................................................................. 27 – 31 Chuandong Li ............................................................. 33 – 37 Daniel Li ...................................................................... 39 – 43 Siyu Zhou .................................................................... 45 – 49 Yashi Wu ...................................................................... 50 – 53 Hong Kong .................................................................54 Alco So ..................................................................... 55 – 59 Jessica Wong ........................................................... 61 – 65 Kirby Lai................................................................... 67 – 71 India ...........................................................................72 Ajay Boga ................................................................. 73 – 79 Indonesia ...................................................................80 Alessandro Gontay................................................... 81 – 85 Audric Aurellio Simadi Putra................................... 87 – 90 Bryan Samsico......................................................... 92 – 96 Helmy Muhammad Yumna ................................. 98 – 102 Ryan Timothy...................................................... 104 – 108 Japan ........................................................................109 A Yuki ................................................................... 110 – 113
T wenty-Five years ago around this time of the year I arrived at UWE, Bristol as a young Dean of Health and Social Care. I arrived and was met by a warm welcoming university full of talent and pride. A place that was focused on providing the best support and opportunities for students, a place with ambition to be a global university and a passion to transform lives. I had a spring in my step and embraced the university with open arms. Since then I have seen the university grow and prosper. I’ve seen tremendous achievements in learning and teaching, research and enterprise and of course international collaboration and partnerships. Education is truly transformational and opens up possibilities for dreams and ambitions to be fulfilled. One area of tremendous growth and support has been within our international and transnational education. I have met and worked with fantastic colleagues from across the world whose passion and expertise have created new and long lasting partnerships. Our international work has allowed us to learn together, experience new cultures and thinking and has enriched all of our lives. The work across Asia Pacific has been outstanding, the students and staff we have worked with amazing and the friendships made long-lasting. I am incredibly proud of our global alumni who have made such a difference to UWE’s development. I thank each and every one of them and in particular our international network leaders who continue to reach out, support and shape our future. The personal stories are really powerful and I look forward to reading more and seeing the tremendous achievements of our alumni. Thank you. Professor Steve West CBE, DL Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Officer I am incredibly proud of our global alumni who have made such a di!erence to UWE’s development Message from: The Vice-Chancellor 2
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I nternational students from across Asia Pacific descend on UWE Bristol full of expectation as they pursue their dreams. This book is a testament to the warm welcome they received, their experiences during their time at the university and whilst in Bristol, and their inspirational stories of the lives that lie ahead. I want to pay tribute to every contributor for sharing their own personal stories and learning adventure with us, the reader. Your memories will inspire future generations of students to be part of the UWE Bristol story, a story that is unique to every individual who walks on to campus and becomes part of shaping a new destiny for themselves. Anyone who follows in the footsteps of these Asia Pacific alumni can be assured that UWE Bristol is ready to create the conditions by which it is possible to change the world. Your learning experience will help you to challenge your own and others thinking, to innovate and to be part of shaping a future for yourself whatever that may be. Learning is an exciting adventure and you will have opportunities to take responsibility, to be creative, and to enjoy a sense of adventure. Your motivation to succeed will drive you forward, and the stories in this book are great examples of students from your part of the world who have done just that. Be part of UWE Bristol and take a journey in changing your life as well as that of others. Be proud of who you are, of what you can be and of where you belong. Be confident. Ordinary people do extraordinary things. Our next edition could well contain your story and inspire others as I hope today you are inspired. Professor Ray Priest International Director: Asia Pacific Message from: The International Director: Asia Pacific 4
Your memories will inspire future generations of students to be part of the UWE Bristol story, a story that is unique to every individual who walks on to campus and becomes part of shaping a new destiny for themselves 5
Powering the future workforce, supporting local economic prosperity, shaping the health and sustainability of our communities and creating solutions to global challenges. UWE Bristol transforms futures Ambitious Collaborative Inclusive Innovative Enterprising We are:
We are not afraid to shape, challenge and tackle the big issues, to take the initiative and pave the way. Ambitious
BANGALADESH 9
Bangladesh That was the first time that I got to practice advocacy, which is one of key responsibilities of a lawyer. Maeesha Dhusharima Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) 2015-2016 “ “ 10
11 I met Mohannad while we were both in the same class studying the LLB in Dhaka. It was our second year, and the teacher asked the class to submit their email addresses. Mohannad was helping her, and came to me to get my address, then looked me up on social media and struck up a conversation. The attraction was mutual from the very beginning, and after a few months we became a couple. After completing the LLB I was ready to choose a school to study the BPTC at. There were a couple reasons why I chose UWE for this. The first was that at the time there were only nine providers of the course in all of England and Wales, and UWE always came up as the top choice for students from Bangladesh. The other reason, of course, was that I’d become quite familiar with UWE through hearing Mohannad relate his firsthand experiences there. He had told me many positive things about the studying and teaching culture at UWE, as well as campus life in general. I ended up choosing three different bar providers with UWE as my first choice, from which I luckily got an offer following an interview with James Lloyd as part of my application process. I got that offer in 2014, but for some reason my IELTS results were delayed, so I didn’t receive them in time to join the course for the 2014 2015 school year, deferring it to the following year instead and completing my master’s in Bangladesh in the intervening time. As 2015 rolled around, the time arrived at last for me to fly to the UK and embark on the BPTC. Though I had been abroad before, the journey marked the first time I was traveling to a foreign country alone — and for such a long period of time so it was a challenging step for me to leave my family behind to start such an intensive course in faraway Bristol. As I had missed out on the 2014-2015 school year, most of my friends and former classmates from the LLB had already completed the BPTC by that time, so I was starting with a cohort that were not precisely my peers in terms of age. One of my childhood friends, Elina Ahmed, who had been living in the UK for the past 15 years or so, picked me up at Heathrow airport and took me to her home in London, where her mother cooked us Bangladeshi food. It helped me ease into this new experience abroad by providing a sense of home. She made sure to take me to visit all the ‘touristy places’ in London, starting with Westminster Abbey, and onto the Natural History Museum and Covent Garden. Within a couple of days I needed to leave for Bristol to catch the start of the course, which was imminent, and boarded a bus that took me directly to UWE. At that point I really was alone for the first time, though technology still helped alleviate that: as soon as I disembarked in Bristol I phoned Mohannad so he could direct me on where to go next. I reached Frenchay campus and made it to my room, ready to set down my belongings and make myself at home. After the initial feeling of disorder and confusion that comes from quickly settling into a new environment, everything fell into place and was fine. Though Mohannad had found positive aspects in living off-campus, he’d still recommended for me not to go that route, so I think by staying at Frenchay I may have had a better experience in that regard. It turned out there were two other students there from Bangladesh that I’d known previously, so I was able to lean on them during bad days and get together to cook food from time to time. Another plus was being able to meet up with other on-campus students from the course and do group study together in the library, including all-night sessions on occasion. I made some other international friends as well, including a number of very kind Malaysians who were my flatmates. They couldn’t always understand just how intense the BPTC was for me, but they were sweethearts and would excuse me when I didn’t have time to help clean our shared space, knowing that I needed to be in my room studying all day quite often. They’d just check in with me from time to time to make sure I was alive! I ended up choosing three di!erent bar providers with UWE as my first choice, from which I luckily got an o!er following an interview with James Lloyd.
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13 The BPTC was 200% challenging for me. For each day that I attended a small group session, I felt like I was going to an exam. I maintained that feeling for the next nine months. With the course being largely self-taught, I would research and prepare my answers to the provided questions before every class so that I could offer them when called upon and participate in the discussion. I knew that if I couldn’t provide a fitting response to questions that were posed (indicating that I was not keeping up with the reading and work) I would be marked absent for the class, and if that happened too many times I could potentially be removed from the course. That was a large, ever-present impetus for us to stay on top of every subject we were studying. What I personally found the most stressful, as critical as it was for our training, were the performance-based aspects wherein we had to role-play as claimants, defence lawyers and so on. That was the first time that I got to practice advocacy, which is one of key responsibilities of a lawyer; I knew it was what I needed to learn and practice as someone who aspired to be in this profession, and so that’s what the course was teaching me to do. I had no training or introduction in this skill upon starting the course, but the tutors were amazing and guided me and the other students through it from the very first day. It was a fantastic experience. I did get some travelling in as well. As Mohannad came to the UK for his call to the bar shortly after I’d started my studies, he took me on a tour around Bristol, as well as to Bath and London. That day in London, right after his call to the bar, was when he asked me to marry him. He suggested we go to Tower Bridge that evening, and I remember we were rushing because we needed to catch a bus back to Bristol that night so I could make it to my classes the following morning. I changed from my
stilettos into comfortable sneakers so I could run to the bridge with him, and when we reached the middle of it, he pulled out a ring and proposed to me right there. I said yes, of course. Right after the BPTC ended, the ADR Group in the UK provided us one-week training on mediation, which was provided to UWE BPTC graduates free of cost, and upon completion granted us accreditation as civil and commercial mediators. Toward the end of the course, I visited St. Ives with some of my BPTC peers, and not long after my Whilst I’d been doing my master’s in Dhaka prior to beginning the BPTC, I’d been working part-time at the law firm Grays Chambers. Settling in at home again, I resumed my previous work at the firm and for the several years that followed — up until recently Mohannad and I both practiced there. At the moment, Mohannad is working at ShopUp as a Legal Specialist, and I am working at Brac University as a Senior Manager, Legal. As barristers of England and Wales, we also enrolled on the Australian bar through their distance learning program, and thus became lawyers of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia. Therefore, we are now lawyers of three different jurisdictions in total. I’ve also recently enrolled with the Bangladesh Bar Council, continuing to further my career path. As someone who possesses a great degree of ambition, I truly united with the ideal partner in both my life and career. As both proud UWE BPTC alumni and a true power couple, the world is our oyster. Right a"er the BPTC ended, the ADR Group in the UK provided us one-week training on mediation, which was provided to UWE BPTC graduates free of cost. parents came over from Bangladesh and my younger sister from Australia, to visit the UK. My parents and sister loved UWE Bristol’s campus, and were glad to have seen the university in person. Shortly after their visit, we went to Edinburgh in Scotland and checked out the main tourist spots in London. Later, when we visited the UK again for my call-to-the-bar and graduation ceremony, we checked out Brighton on England’s south coast. My graduation and call to the bar were back-to-back events; immediately following them, we returned to Bangladesh. 14
Bangladesh Everyone I meet who is interested in studying the BPTC, including my friends, has received a recommendation from me to do it at UWE. Mahjabun Khashru Preeya Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), 2019 15
E ven when I was younger I was an outspoken person, and always the captain of the class at school. During my A-levels it came time for me to think about a major for university, and I considered about how I should focus on going into a profession that best suited my natural abilities. Knowing that I had a penchant being vocal and interacting with people, as well as a strong desire to express my opinions and ensure that I had a voice, I thought about where these qualities could be best applied. Having considered different avenues, I realized that being a lawyer would not only allow me to have my own voice, but also to have a substantial degree of independence in my work. That was where I turned my eyes to law and decided to give it a go for a year and see how I fared with it. That first year studying law made it clear to me that it was the perfect platform on which to build my career. I was attending the London College of Legal Studies (South), in the University of London External Programme LLB. After the first year, our 300-student cohort had been whittled down to only 100, with students failing or dropping out, while I, on the other hand, continued to fall in love with it more and more. Studying the theories, different aspects of law, and learning how essential it is in our society were all things I enjoyed greatly. During my A-levels we had never been explicitly taught anything about law, so I was going into it as a blank slate, learning everything from the ground up. Even now, years later, I still feel like there’s so much more I need to know; I think one mistake new law students make is that they get discouraged when they do poorly at one subject, not understanding there are so many aspects and modules that they may excel at and find their calling in. While in my third year of studying the LLB at LCLS (South), I realized that the campus was quite compact and that for the bar I wanted to be on a complete campus at a full-on university, which would also have a good ranking, large student body, and an excellent faculty. I absolutely fell in love with UWE’s campus when I was introduced to it: the wonderful Law building, the library facilities (which include our own floor for Law), and the thriving student union. I realized that in London I wouldn’t be able to find a campus like that, and I realized at the same time how vibrant Bristol was. I was completely sold on the university after meeting James Lloyd, Senior Lecturer on the UWE BPTC and LLB, and Mohshiur Rahman Auvee, Barrister-atLaw and Bangladesh country manager with the UWE Asia Pacific team. Even before applying for the Bar, I knew that UWE was going to be my first choice. My parents were really supportive of my decision to go study in Bristol. My father had always been of the opinion that it would be good for me to live abroad for at least a couple of years so that I’d learn independence and understand more about life. He was certainly right, because as an international student I learned a lot about myself and how people can manage their lives alone. I’d always been privileged to live under my parents’ roof during my undergrad, but both living abroad and on my own were beneficial to my personal development. At the time, in getting ready for the endeavour, I was 80% excited and 20% nervous, as I was looking forward to having my own studio room whilst being anxious about embarking on the immensely crucial BPTC itself. All told, I was still the most excited out of all my friends and was counting down the days to my flight to the UK and the beginning of the course. Had I been doing an undergrad, I would have loved to have roommates at UWE, but with the demands of the BPTC I knew that I wanted my own space. There were 23 other flats in my building and at least 50% of the students were on the BPTC with me. We had a common area downstairs where we often met to share a meal, discussing the course and our ongoing projects. I absolutely fell in love with UWE’s campus when I was introduced to it: the wonderful Law building, the library facilities (which include our own floor for Law), and the thriving student union. Once the course began I quickly realized that it was going to be much more hectic than my undergrad in terms of the number of classes we had, but after just one or two weeks I understood how absolutely essential the packed schedule was for this kind of programme. I had a lot of friends attending other universities who had a smaller number of classes, but I could see that this didn’t benefit them in the end; having a lot of classes helped me to solve my problems more easily by making it possible for me to go directly to my teachers, rather than needing to turn to email to get in touch with them. I’d also really like to emphasize that UWE has the best structure in terms of internal exams on a BPTC course, giving us adequate time to gather knowledge and find solutions to our problems before sitting the exams from January, as opposed to other law schools which would hold two to three exams by the end of December. 16
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In terms of the amazing teachers at UWE, I cannot stress enough how helpful they were. They were not only nice, but also supportive in terms of our studies and in terms of our mental health. My personal tutor was Liz Cunningham, and even though she is very strict in class and many of us were a bit scared of her at first, after meeting her one on one I could feel her motherly instinct toward her students and what an outstanding person she is. For me as an international student who was living abroad for the first time, she helped me in equal measure with my studies and mental stability. Anyone who feels afraid of her absolutely needs to speak with her to feel how motherly and lovely she really is. I absolutely loved practicing advocacy on the course. Out of the 12 modules, I had five advocacies, and I received marks of 75 or above for four of them. I enjoyed the spontaneity of being on your feet and speaking with witnesses. UWE brings in actual actors to play the part of witnesses while we partake in our role as lawyers. Most law schools don’t do that, so we were receiving ongoing practical experience with crossexamination, questioning, the discrediting of witnesses and more. Even in the first introductory session on the course, we met all the actors personally and they gave us a demo of how the year would run, which broke the ice and helped us get comfortable with what we were in for in terms of advocacy. All of it takes place in UWE’s mock courtroom, which serves to give us the feeling of being in a real court and authentically advocating for our clients. Outside of the course, I can never forget how much fun I had living in Bristol. If I’m ever given the choice to live somewhere in the UK, I’ll choose Bristol for sure. It’s great for students, it’s great for food, and Bristolians themselves are so friendly. I remember I was walking through the City Centre once while having a meltdown, visibly upset over all my stress and trepidation toward an upcoming exam. I was outside a shop, and the owner came out and sat next to me for a good five minutes before starting to speak to me, comforting me with assurances that I’d get past everything that I was struggling with. That made me fall in love with the city even more, because I realized that it was the people living in Bristol that make it so beautiful, and I can say that with confidence given all the amazing individuals I’ve met there. To any international students who are feeling scared about going to a new environment because they don’t what the people there will be like or how cooperative they’ll be with foreigners, I can say that Bristol should be their first choice. I never faced any negativity whatsoever there. I had some unforgettable experiences during my year in the UK. One always fresh in my mind was a big road trip I took with five friends during the Christmas holidays, traveling from Bristol to Cardiff to Manchester to Edinburgh and then back to Bristol. It was amazing. Another was our endof-year dinner hosted by UWE, after which we went to a nearby pub together where we danced and had a blast letting loose with our teachers, feeling by the end that we’d known them for many more years than just the duration of the BPTC. After completing the course, I stayed on in Bristol, unable to bring myself to leave in the beautiful summer and thus opting not to relocate to London as I’d once intended. Besides the lovely weather, the food scene in Bristol is fantastic, and one of the things that made living there so great, with one of my favourite restaurants to frequent being Chilli Daddy, which serves delicious Szechuan fare. I’m also a fan of all the different cooked meats you can get at Marks & Spencer, and I can’t neglect to mention the regular farmers market that was held near the UWE information point; I’d always pick up two or three pounds of fresh vegetables, all for under one GBP. At the end of that year I moved back home to Bangladesh, and though I left Bristol, Bristol certainly didn’t leave me. I still attend all the UWE events that happen in Dhaka so that I can remain connected with the university, and meet up with Auvee and International Recruitment Advisor Tausif Ahmed, both of whom I’m very close with. The pandemic hit once I was back in Bangladesh, so I couldn’t return to Bristol for my graduation ceremony — though I anticipate being able to go back next year to do it then. I took a two-month break after returning, adapting once again to the humid local weather, and after the hiatus I began working. I took a job as an education consultant, looking after students who were applying for UK visas, including those heading to UWE and several other UK universities. My long-term direction is to go into company law, which I feel is my forte and which I also believe has a lot of potential in Bangladesh. With my father being a businessman, and coming from a family involved with an intricate network of businesses, I’d like to be involved in that field, understanding more about how law can shape companies, their management structure and styles, and more. The sky is the limit for my future, and I can envision myself several years from now in a law chamber or with a multinational company, and barring those I can even see myself opening my own institution where I could provide classes. Everyone I meet who is interested in studying the BPTC, including my friends, has received a recommendation from me to do it at UWE. I emphasize, for instance, how helpful the Frenchay Campus Library is, open 24 hours and full of classmates to connect with for support, and how the staff are excellent too — one of the security guards at the library even brought me water once when I was falling asleep at the library studying for exams, encouraging me to keep going. To sum it all up, though, I always tell prospective students that the teachers are great, the campus is great, and the city itself is great. Normally you’ll never find all these stellar qualities in a single university, but incredibly it all exists at UWE, and so amongst all the bar schools out there they should absolutely make it their choice for the best experience possible. 19
We have strong connections locally and globally. We help people and organisations be the best they can, building trust throughout our university community and beyond. Collaborative Creating global opportunities UWE Bristol enjoys an excellent international reputation with a thriving international community of students from over 140 countries worldwide
Bangladesh What really caught my attention about UWE was when a representative from the university, James Lloyd, made a presentation at my law school as part of his visit to Bangladesh. Mohannad Fakhruddin Bhuiyan Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) 2013 - 2014 21
I had a strong interest in debating during my school years. I found that I was skilled at this and thought that the profession this skill would naturally translate to was that of a lawyer, since as a lawyer one needs to find and express logic, construct convincing arguments and so forth. My father aspired for me to be a lawyer as well, specifically a barrister, which is an especially prestigious title to hold in the legal community of Bangladesh. I started studying for my LLB at the London College of Legal Studies (SOUTH) in Bangladesh, and there I met my future wife, Maeesha, who was also on the course — though it would be a few years and plenty more studies for both of us before we tied the knot. I applied to a number of UK institutions when I was ready to go for the bar, including, of course, UWE. What really caught my attention about UWE was when a representative from the university, James Lloyd, made a presentation at my law school as part of his visit to Bangladesh. He imparted a good deal of information to us about UWE, bolstering the favourable impression of the university which I had developed from some of my teachers at LCLS (SOUTH), who were UWE alumni themselves. Mr Lloyd and I proceeded to have a one-onone interview, among the series of them he was doing to gauge the calibre of students that LCLS had to offer. After completing 30- 40 interviews of this nature, they ranked the students by a measure of how well they would conceivably fare at UWE, and I learned that I’d been placed near the top of the list. My tutors also intuited that I’d do very well there, communicating this clearly to me, so all told I put down UWE as my number one choice for continuing my education. Luckily, I was accepted, and in 2013 I acquired my visa and was off to the UK. Travelling to the UK marked my first solo 22
journey abroad, so it was admittedly a daunting experience. Thoughts were running through my head about whether I’d be able to go through the motions of travel necessary to even reach the university. More importantly, there I was on the way to Bristol and I hadn’t even worked out any plans for accommodation! It seemed beyond my budget to feasibly live on campus, so I’d decided prior to departure to seek out lodging elsewhere in the city after arrival. Easier said than done, of course, and by the time I was on the plane, en route from Dhaka to London, I was stressing out about where I’d even be living. Flying into the country didn’t put me any more at ease. As the plane approached Heathrow, descending through a thick veil of clouds, I observed the dark spectre of predawn London spread out across the land. The sight filled me with an unexpected gloom; my film-derived images of the city’s beautiful architecture awash in sunlight, of smiling people strolling along the Thames, seemed to dissolve before the slumbering vastness below. Such a grim perception would later be dispelled during my time exploring the city, but at that moment the sight only inspired unease in me. A distant relative, who lives in London, was waiting for me at the airport, and he graciously hosted me for the night. The next day I met up at the station with a friend who was also starting at UWE. We travelled to Bristol together and, as we were both planning to live off-campus, we were prepared to begin a search for accommodation. He, however, was with his father, and they had arranged to stay at a hotel for that first night, whereas I was still going it alone in that regard — so needless to stay, I was a bit worried about what my situation would be by sundown. As soon as we reached campus, I came into some luck. I had gone straight to the bookstore and was standing in front of it with all my luggage, just waiting for something to happen, even though I wasn’t sure what — and then my saviour appeared: Mr Mohshiur Rahman Auvee, Barrister-at-Law and UWE’s Country Manager for Bangladesh. He came out through the double doors, recognized me, and addressed me by my nickname, Romio, asking me how I was doing. I told him about my situation and he assured me I had nothing to worry about, inviting me to stay at his place until I could get my accommodation sorted. He really saved the day. I stayed with Mr Auvee for a couple days, and soon arranged to stay in the attic room of a flat in Easton. Originally, I was told that more rooms would open up shortly and that I could move into one of them, but even when they did I still opted to stay in my modest dwelling. I’d taken a shining to the abundance of natural light that came through the room’s window, and the view through it was marvelous; I could see a great swath of the city, all the way to Cabot Circus. I started orientation and settled into my studies. I had to cope with quite a learning curve at first, not least because the sheer volume of content and work we had to tackle was daunting. There was a lot to cover. I must The level of self-study resulted in what you might call a form of culture shock — in addition to that which arose from being on the course with people from so many di!erent backgrounds and perspectives. say, I also found the teachers quite scary initially — but came to love them. Some of my favorites, whose names come to mind immediately, were Maylene Jalleh, Jo Stringer, Liz Cunningham, Delyth James, and of course James Lloyd, who I’d first met back in Bangladesh when he presented at my school. It took me some time to get accustomed to the way of studying in the UK, as it differed significantly from that in Bangladesh. The level of self-study resulted in what you might call a form of culture shock — in addition to that which arose from being on the course with people from so many different backgrounds and perspectives. With regard to the former point, we had a syllabus and assigned reading on the BPTC, and it was up to us to read and absorb the material before arriving in class, where the teachers would ask us questions and expect answers that we developed from our understanding of the materials we’d been provided. I had no prior experience with this system of study, but I did learn to cope with it in time. Once, I skipped Delyth James’s lesson 23
because I hadn’t prepared myself for it at all. I knew she had seen me on campus earlier in the day, but nevertheless I pleaded with my classmate to tell her that I was feeling ill and couldn’t attend her lesson. I emailed my work in later and apologized, but I felt so guilty about it that I made sure never to miss another one after that. It just goes to show the importance of taking responsibility for your studies and to come to classes adequately prepared for discussion. By not living on campus, I did feel that I was isolated away from where a lot of student socializing was happening. It seemed like there was always a lot going on over there, which at points I regretted missing out on. However, ever in the back of my mind were the tuition fees that I’d paid for my course, which would all be for naught if I were to fail, so I think living off-campus posed a benefit to me in that I could dedicate myself to my studies in solitude without the temptation of going out on the town too often with other students. I think perhaps I could have struck more of a happy medium by studying a tad less and going out for fun a bit more, enjoying that side of the student experience, but with that said I did attend I brought some special prints of my mother’s artwork with me and gi"ed them to my teachers from the course so that they’d remember me into the future. of a year end dinner with all the students and teachers, and then proceeded to an after party together at The Elbow Room. That was a completely new experience for me as well, since back home there is a level of segregation between students and teachers when it comes to activities beyond academic matters. Here we were actually out for a drink with the teachers, in an atmosphere of celebration and casual socializing, and it was such a fun night. After finishing the course, I didn’t attend a graduation ceremony or take my call to the bar. What I did instead was return to Bangladesh and secured my job here. I went for my call in the UK a year later though, though, as Maeesha was studying the BPTC at that time and I was able to visit her in Bristol. I brought some special prints of my mother’s artwork with me and gifted them to my teachers from the course so that they’d remember me into the future. Jo Stringer even sent me a photo when she hung the print up over her fireplace. As I mentioned, I also didn’t attend the graduation ceremony when I completed the course in 2014, so when Maeesha — who I had married in the intervening period — finished the BPTC, I contacted Delyth James to inquire about whether it would be possible for me to have my graduation alongside her at the ceremony that year. She was such a sweetheart, reaching out to the administration to request that I be accommodated in this way, and the answer came back in the affirmative. Thus, Maeesha and I were able to graduate together in Bristol, and we have photos of us together in our gowns in front of the cathedral to always remember that day by. Coming home to Bangladesh I joined the institution where I studied my LLB as a tutor, teaching law. I also joined a chamber on a part-time basis, then eventually went part-time with my teaching instead and began working at my practice full-time. I did that until December of 2020 and then joined a large company as an in-house counsel. It’s funny, but regardless of all the challenges to overcome and hard work to be done throughout the course, culminating in my exams, I remember laying on my bed a couple days after finishing it and thinking that my life had no purpose now. All that time I had been so busy studying, and invested so much energy, that now I was actually missing it. I don’t have to go to class anymore, I thought. So what am I going to do? I’m sure that many people who have dedicated themselves to achieving a goal have felt something similar once they’ve achieved it. That was something I never imagined I would experience, but I think it’s good that I did. We soon had a grand send-off, in the form parties and have my occasional fun. Going out clubbing was a really new and memorable experience for me, because back then such dance clubs were nonexistent in Bangladesh and even today there they are mostly limited to some 5-star hotels in Dhaka. The first time I went to 02 Academy Bristol, I was awed at just how many young people there were and how much bustle and excitement was going on, since Bristol, in general, is a fairly quiet place. 24
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China Myself and some friends even received UWE scholarships, enabling us to go to Bristol early for an immensely helpful pre-sessional English language course. Celine Chen BA Business and Management, 2014 27
My parents had a business from the time I was a child, so I developed an interest in business from an early age. I felt that it was the right direction for me after graduating high school, and proceeded to major in Business and Management at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies. While studying, I decided that after finishing my undergrad I would do a master’s degree. It was at that time that UWE formed a partnership with my university, and when I went to speak with my tutor about my plans, she suggested that I got to UWE to study for the last year of my Business and Management, thereby setting me up well for studying for a future master’s in the UK. I thought this sounded like a great idea, so I began to look into the process for getting to UWE. When I told my family about my idea of going to Bristol to study, my parents said, “Why not!” They were very supportive, and my mother in particular encouraged me to make my own choices, including whether to go abroad or not. I had travelled to a number of countries in Asia, but never to the UK, and embarking on a journey there would mark the furthest I’d ever gone from home. Getting accepted wasn’t easy for me, to be honest, because at that time my English ability wasn’t what it is now. I got in, though, and myself and some friends even received UWE scholarships, enabling us to go to Bristol early for an immensely helpful presessional English language course. I ended up meeting people from many different countries on the course, including Malaysia, Vietnam and others. It was a lovely time. I was living in a dormitory during its duration, and then moved into a shared house with others in my programme — including the man who would become my husband, Daniel Li. The Business and Management programme was difficult for me at first. One reason was because I wasn’t accustomed to critical thinking in my studies, as it was something that my tutors had never encouraged us to do. Despite it being a challenge to get used to, I think it was useful skill to acquire. Being able to actively question my tutor and my classmates is something that would have been unimaginable to me in China, despite how helpful that ability has been not only for my time at UWE, but in my life afterward as well. The other challenge I faced was the language barrier, as I was still an English learner. As with critical thinking and questioning others, my English got better and better over time, and my improvements have continued to serve me well in the years since graduating. Years after meeting (Daniel) on my first day in UWE accommodation, he and I were married, with friends from my UWE course attending the wedding ceremony. 28
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business for six years and I love it. When you run your own business you can construct your work schedule as you please, and you never need to do presentations for your boss because you are the boss. I even receive more pay than I would otherwise, because sales I make become direct profit. Just as important as the business itself is the partner with whom I operate everything: my husband Daniel. Years after meeting him on my first day in UWE accommodation, he and I were married, with friends from my UWE course attending the wedding ceremony. These days we live and work together in his hometown of Dongguan. If one has the time and money available to them, I strongly recommend for them to go abroad to study. You can meet different people and discover that the world is different from the one you read about in books. You’ll learn about how diverse people from different countries are, and you can make friends that will help you to understand how wide and colourful the human experience really is. The new perspectives I’ve gained have really benefitted me, just as I’m sure they will benefit anyone who takes such a journey for their education. Both the tutorials and workshops were challenging for me as well. In China we essentially listen to what the teacher says, write it down and memorize it, then take the exam. Conversely, the tutors at UWE would have us work together and create presentations, necessitating lots of communication. I think for a lot of Asian students that can be difficult. I enjoyed this work, despite the cultural hurdles to overcome, and it raised my confidence so that I’ve been able to conduct much better at presentations in my professional work life than I would have been capable of otherwise. The city of Bristol itself contributed to the pleasures of being a student at UWE. First of all, the people are helpful and kind. I made great friends with many of the locals, who I met through the Bristol Chinese Community Church. We conducted activities together like soup runs, where we went out to provide food to the less fortunate in the streets, and celebrated traditional festivals like the Chinese Spring and Autumn festivals, as well as Christmas. I was so close with my friends there that I even travelled back to Bristol from China to attend the wedding ceremony for two of them, making that trip with Daniel, who was my boyfriend by that time. Incidentally, I didn’t catch the flowers when the bride threw them, which might be why it took a few more years for us to be married! In my free time I enjoyed travelling, both in the UK and abroad to elsewhere in Europe such as Spain, France, and others. My favourite destination was probably Santorini, Italy, which I visited with Daniel and another friend. Back in Bristol, my favourite place to spend time was the aforementioned church, where I have so many good memories. My parents came to Bristol to join my graduation ceremony, making sure to fit in lots of time to travel around the UK as well, with that being their first time to visit the country. I flew back to China together with them, where I was subsequently hired by a financial investment company. While I didn’t have to use much English in that job, my newly acquired critical thinking and presentation skills benefitted me a lot, as well as the knowledge and experience with data analysis I’d gained during the course. After two years with the financial investment company, I was experiencing burnout, finding it too stressful. I’ve always liked jewelry, so I took a gap year to study all about it, then started my own jewelry business. I’ve now been operating my As with critical thinking and questioning others, my English got better and better over time, and my improvements have continued to serve me well in the years since graduating. 31
We make UWE Bristol a supportive and inspiring place to learn and work – somewhere where diversity of experience and perspective is encouraged, and learning and research is shared and accessible. Inclusive We will also work to increase the diversity of our workforce through innovative and targeted interventions, recognising this is crucial to attract and retain talent.
China Outside of class, one thing that helped me make more friends was joining the fencing club at UWE. Chuandong Li Business Management with Accounting and Finance, 2021 33
I was first inspired to go abroad to study by one of my father’s friends, who had gotten a master’s degree at Lancaster University in the UK, and who is now one of the partners of a major accounting firm. I felt that by following in his footsteps to study in the UK I could broaden my horizons and achieve a great degree. I also aspired to talk with people from other countries and come to understand how they think and how they act when confronted with different issues, so that I could learn how to cooperate with them. I thought this would be a valuable ability for my future working life. There was a program at my university (Guangdong Pharmaceutical University) that enabled us to study first in China and then complete our degree at UWE. Once I started classes there, I saw many students who had attended UWE and reported a very nice experience, so I decided that I’d like to try doing so as well. The application process was easy for me, as I received lots of assistance with it, and before I knew it I was on the way to the UK for two years of study. The biggest challenge for me was with my English listening ability. If my memory serves me correctly, in my very first lesson at UWE the module leader was speaking so fast that I was left in shock! In fact, it was a bit nervewracking to be in the UK and hear English being spoken so quickly in general. This actually helped me a lot, though, as gradually I got used to people speaking at this natural speed and continually progressed in my ability to understand them. What’s more, many of the local students and assistants were so willing to help us international students, leaving me with a warm feeling toward UWE life. Through the university we were even offered English lessons and assistance with tasks like registration. Overall, my ability certainly improved throughout my time there. I got along with my classmates, though my conversational ability was still coming along so I didn’t become as familiar with them as I might have otherwise. I always did my best to speak English with the British students and those from European countries, though I tended to chat in our own language with my Thanks to some of the modules on my course requiring me to work with new classmates, I learned how to cooperate with others and work together well, so that we can all get along and accomplish things together. Chinese classmates, some of whom I lived in student accommodation with. Outside of class, one thing that helped me make more friends was joining the fencing club at UWE. The people there were very easy to get along with. I found they would always slow their speaking speed with me so that we could converse, but would speed up again when speaking to each other, so I had the most conversational success when talking with them one on one. The club marked my first time to try fencing and it was amazing. Unfortunately, I couldn’t continue the sport once I returned to Guangdong as I took on a packed schedule after graduation, but I have fond memories of how interesting it is and the excitement of competing. My teachers were really nice and patient, always willing to answer our questions. They made me feel more and more comfortable to be studying in the UK. For my dissertation I wasn’t allowed to use secondary data, rather having to collect new data myself, which presented an ample challenge. I interviewed my friend’s father, who runs a company, and asked him about cash flow information as 34
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part of my data collection. My lecturer was helpful and kind throughout the process, guiding me a lot, and gave me a good mark for my dissertation in the end. The environment is good in Bristol, with clean air and a nice climate, though being from Guangdong the winter was much colder than I was used to. I enjoyed going about on foot there, as well as traveling to different places of interest on the weekend. I always wanted to see the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, but unfortunately it was cancelled due to Covid during my two years there. I hope to travel back to Bristol one day to finally see it. Though I didn’t gravitate much to partying, I remember there was a barbershop behind the university where I’d go to get a trim and have some beers afterward; the floor above the barber’s was a bar, so after my haircut I’d just head up to enjoy some drinks! My plan had always been to return to China after my studies and begin working. Upon returning to Guangdong, I submitted my CV and completed an online application for a position at one of the Big Four accounting firms. I passed the initial application and was granted an interview, following which I was pleased to be given a conditional offer as an auditor, pending my completion of the postgrad that I’m currently studying online. During the interview I was asked to use English, so if I had not studied at UWE and improved my speaking ability it would have been impossible for me to present myself in such a manner. The accounting firm operates internationally, so English is a critical skill to possess for many positions. I hope to stay with the firm in the future and see it continue to expand become more renowned. One of the most important things an international student in Bristol can do is step out of their comfort zone. It’s important to not just stay closed up in one’s accommodation all the time, but rather to go out and talk to locals, travel around, and learn how to listen to others, all of which will improve a student’s understanding of spoken English and help them make friends. Besides my improved English ability, thanks to some of the modules on my course requiring me to work with new classmates, I learned how to cooperate with others and work together well, so that we can all get along and accomplish things as a team. I’m very happy I made the decision to study at UWE. Many of the local students and assistants were so willing to help us international students, leaving me with a warm feeling toward UWE life. 36
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We create new opportunities for the people who work and study with us. We embrace di!erent ideas and pioneer new and sustainable ways of doing things. Innovative New and inclusive ways of learning will be supported by innovative learning resources, technologies and rich sources of digital information.
China Looking back, the course gave me much of the knowledge I needed to be able to start and operate my own business Daniel Li BA Business and Management, 2015 39
When I was in high school I already knew that I wanted to study abroad one day, so I decided that as a first step I would major in English at university. Even before that, I needed to pass the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), or Gaokao, which is China’s equivalent of the British A-levels tests. My perseverance paid off and my results were okay, which led to me being accepted into Guangzhou City University of Technology. As I embarked on my course, however, I came to feel that my particular major was not the right choice, as I ended up studying English literature rather than English conversation. In my first year at the university, I maintained my resolve to go abroad for study. When I told my family about my plans, they highly encouraged me to go for it. My family runs a business that has partners from European countries, and they felt that by studying in the UK I’d be able to improve my outlook and understanding of foreign peoples, as well as gain valuable experience. Since my university had a partnership with UWE Bristol, I decided that was where I would strive to go. I spent two years preparing for my application to UWE, so when it came time to do so I met the requirements and completed the process without difficulty. My flight to the UK in 2013 was a lot of fun. It was the furthest I’d ever flown, and the UK was to be the first English-speaking country I’d ever gone to. Everything was new to me when I got off the plane, with fresh sights, a different culture and the English language all around me. I took the bus UWE arranged for us from Heathrow and arrived in Bristol that same day to begin my two years of study. UWE was a help in arranging the accommodation so that it was ready for me to move in when I arrived. I settled into my new housing with a group of other Chinese students, one of whom was Celine Chen — though I didn’t know her yet at that time. Celine and I got to know each other gradually from that point on, and little did I know that she would one day be my wife! Everything about life in Bristol was happy and enjoyable. It’s a beautiful city, and I made a lot of friends there who I enjoyed spending time and visiting different locations with. I also had a part-time job at Bristol’s famous Mayflower Chinese Restaurant, which I chose because there were lots of local and foreign customers there, giving me a chance to interact with a wide array of people. Getting the job was a breeze, as I really just showed up to apply and they liked me enough to hire me. On the social side of things, I wasn’t much into the nightlife, though I did go out on the town a few times. The nightlife was really different from China, as back home going out at night is usually centered around eating something with others, but in Bristol it typically involves going out to the club or pubs. That’s not to say I didn’t have great times going out with friends elsewhere in Bristol, visiting beautiful places like Clifton Suspension Bridge and others. As I’m a Christian, I also joined the Bristol Chinese Christian Church, through which I did all kinds of lovely activities with the other members, like soup runs and festivals throughout the year. My classes started early in the day, so I had to adjust to being an early riser. I did feel that some of my younger local classmates didn’t want to chat or hold discussions with me, which was difficult for me at first, but the students who were senior to me were really friendly and I enjoyed forming nice relationships with them. I also made good friends with a number of other international students, hailing from Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Greece and Vietnam. The course content itself wasn’t too difficult for me, and when I needed help I found I could always rely on my friends or the tutors. By the end of my second year, even some of those My family runs a business that has partners from European countries, and they felt that by studying in the UK I’d be able to improve my outlook and understanding of foreign peoples, as well as gain valuable experience. 40
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classmates that had originally ignored me helped me out when I needed it. Academically, the biggest challenge was the final exam. It was very different in style from what I was familiar with. In China our exams are typically multiple choice or require short answers, but at UWE we were often expected to write short essays in order to answer. I was successful, though, and completed the Business and Management degree in 2015. I returned to China immediately and thus didn’t get a chance to attend my graduation ceremony. It was a pity, but I did speak to my tutors online about it and my friends sent me photos of the event. I was glad, however, to return to Bristol a year later with Celine to attend the wedding ceremony of some of our friends from the church. Once back home, I took a short design course which would further allow me to help out with my family’s business, but in the end I decided that I’d prefer to join Celine in starting our own business rather than work for my family’s. Celine and I had stayed in steady contact after returning to Guangdong and during that time I had visited her in her hometown of Shantou twice a month. We got married in 2019 and she moved to my hometown of Dongguan, where we operate a jewelry business out of our own office — a true Business and Management power couple! I certainly enjoy being my own boss, but it’s very different in nature than working for others in a company and can’t really be accurately compared. Doing this has allowed me to be independent and not require the support of my parents for my professional life. Looking back, the course gave me much of the knowledge I needed to be able to start and operate my own business. It’s a testament to how knowledge can change your life. One of the best examples would be data analysis skills, as we need to be able to source information online or acquire it from our competitors and newer emerging companies, then interpret it correctly to remain competitive in the market. The critical thinking skills I gained have also been invaluable. Though it was difficult for me to exercise this faculty in my first year at UWE as a Chinese student, I learned how to improve myself at it and reaped the benefits of it in both work and personal life. I’m glad that no apprehensions held me back from going to Bristol and gaining the education and experiences that I have. The course content itself wasn’t too di!cult for me, and when I needed help I found I could always rely on my friends or the tutors. 43
We instil a thirst for new knowledge, its creation and application, empowering our students and sta! to demonstrate a creative questioning approach, a ‘can-do’ confidence, and the ability to navigate uncertainty. Enterprising As part of UWE Bristol’s enterprise strategy, all students are given the opportunity to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions through Student Ventures. Physical space for this activity is just one of the numerous provisions available
China My eventual decision to follow the recommendation of choosing International Human Resource Management did indeed support me in my career development. Siyu Zhou MSc International Human Resource Management, 2015 45
My major for my bachelor’s degree wasn’t actually in Human Resource Management, but rather English. What I took part in during those years, though, influenced the path I would take for my master’s. I was involved in a lot of student activities with the student union, discovering that I was really interested in communication with students and others at the university. I enjoyed organizing events and liked getting to know people, seeing what they needed and trying to figure out their wants. Embracing my interest in this area, I decided that Human Resource Management would be an ideal direction for me. I felt it was a natural fit, too, given that I was completing a degree in English, that my post-graduate study would take me to England. Thanks to a partnership between my university (Guangdong University of Foreign Studies) and UWE Bristol, I was aware of the possibility to study at the latter. At one point representatives came to our campus to promote the university, and I became aware that the Chief Executive of Hong Kong at the time, Dr Leung Chun-ying, was a UWE alumnus, which impressed me and made me feel it would be a good choice for my next step. That decision initially opened some challenges for me. For starters, it made me the first person in my family to ever choose to go abroad for study, so I didn’t have anyone who could directly share their experience with me. They were also a bit shocked, since they’d expected me to become a teacher or try to work for the government after finishing my undergrad. They fully supported my decision, though, with my parents noting that if I wanted to study abroad then I should do it then while I was still young. At the same time, I needed to take the IELTS exam, so I studied hard in order to achieve the scores I needed. I also composed my personal statement to introduce myself, and did a video interview with a UWE professor. The process in full took about three months, but I think it was good for me because it was a helpful form of preparation for my coming studies, including how I raised my English level in that time. In addition, I took part in and won a competition for a scholarship, which allowed me to go to the UK early for free English language training. I had never been outside of China at that point, so I naturally felt nervous. Fortunately, I didn’t have to fly to the UK alone. My agency connected me with a student from a different university who was about to travel to Bristol to start her course at UWE as well, so we got in touch and took the same flight. I took the reins and got my first practice with independence abroad by booking both our tickets to Bristol once we arrived in London. I thought it was fantastic that I was abroad for the first time and managing to take care of this step for the two of us. We had a prearranged flat prepared for us already, which we were able to find on our first day with the help of the UWE Information Point. We were also in touch with some other Chinese students who helped us along with advice on what we needed to prepare, including what clothes we needed to have due to the different climate there. I had seen lots of photos of Bristol and read up on it a lot in the preceding months, but now I was finally able to explore it for myself. I discovered that the people there were very friendly, and now, as I look back all these years later, I really consider how nice a place Bristol is to live. Since I grew up in Shenzen, a harbour city, I was attracted to Bristol’s Harbourside very much. The city is really cozy in general, and if I can visit the UK again I look forward to returning there. When I think back to my classes, the most impressive aspect was my professor, Mike. When I first went to UWE my intended major was Human Resource Management, but Mike asked me if I wanted to work in the UK in the future, to which I responded that I planned to return to China after graduation. He recommended me to choose International Human Resource Management instead, explaining that the class content and training would be suited for my career development. I didn’t know how to make the decision, as this would be a major change, but I talked to Mike several more times and he told me that any decision that I made I became aware that the Chief Executive of Hong Kong at the time, Dr Leung Chun-ying, was a UWE alumnus, which impressed me and made me feel it would be a good choice for my next step. 46
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