March 20, 2020, by International students

International Student Ambassadors: Abdulrahman from Turkey

Abdulrahman is a Syrian student from Turkey who is studying MSc Applied Biopharmaceutical Biotechnology and Entrepreneurship

Why did you choose the University of Nottingham? 

The main reasons behind choosing the University of Nottingham are; first, the repetition of the university as it’s ranked among the best 100 universities around the globe. Second, the programme that the university offers is unique. I was accepted by 3 different universities but after comparing the modules between different programmes, I decided to choose UoN. The programme is a combination between biopharmaceutical sciences and entrepreneurship, which will help me relate science with real life products. It also contains 3 months industrial or industrial-related placement, where students can get to practice what they have learned during the course.

What is your favourite thing about the University of Nottingham? 

I don’t have one favourite thing, I have many! To begin with, the teaching staff here take a good care of their students, they always check on us to see if everything is going well and if we need any help or guidance.

Another thing I would like to mention is about the activities available here. The university offers a wide range of activities related to sport, music, social life, and many other things.

I myself enjoyed the social life here and now I have friends from at least 8 different nationalities and have been invited to spend next summer in 3 different countries.

What is the best thing about your course?

The best thing here is the quality of education as the lecturers are really good in explaining and the labs are well equipped. Also, we have 2 options to do the dissertation, to choose an industrial placement at a company of our choice and do our project there, or we can do an industrial-related project within the university as we can use its facilities.

We also have the opportunity to meet with people who work in pharmaceuticals sector as we went to a conference (Mibio 2019) which was held in Cambridge University and we will have lecturers from the industrial sector during the modules this term.

What do you do with your spare time, and what are your hobbies?

Every week I go to globe café which is held in 3 different places near the 3 campuses, it’s a good opportunity to meet people from all around the world and learn about different cultures and try different type of food and drinks. I also enjoy working out sometimes as I have gym membership and I’m also a member of frisbee club, you don’t have to be a professional to join a club! I’ve never played frisbee in my life before coming to Nottingham! and now it’s one of my favourites.

Sometimes at the weekends, my friends and I visit other cities to learn about them as Nottingham is in the middle of the midland and most cities are 3-hour away by bus

What are you planning to do next with your career?

I have many options to choose from. The first one is to continue my studying and apply for a PhD position. The second option is to start looking for vacancies and find a job in my field. The career team here helps with this process and tells how to approach companies and employers in the correct way. I also might have the chance to combine both options by doing an industrial PhD as there are many related to my field.

What would be your top tips for a new international student starting at the University of Nottingham in their first year?

Get involved!! Don’t miss the chance to participate in many activities and societies here, the experience you’ll gain during your studies is priceless.

Manage your time during your studies, you can have good social life and maintain good grades at the same time.

If you’d like to improve your skills, there’re many courses that will help you. There’re courses to learn about academic writing, to improve your English and pronunciation, and to learn how to manage your time and help you study. There’re also workshops to help you build your CV and to write a good cover letter.

Visit other cities when you get the chance to while you’re here, and of course, don’t forget to visit the famous Robin Hood at Nottingham city centre.

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