April 8, 2020, by International students
International Student Ambassadors: Prateik from India
Prateik is an Indian student who is studying MSc Finance and Investment
Why did you choose the University of Nottingham?
Having graduated, from the University of Nottingham, in 2011, my notions about my goals with respect to business, finance and technology, as well as my personal beliefs and ideologies, were challenged for the better. Hence, after 6.5 years of work experience within the fields of finance and information technology, I chose to apply to the prestigious University of Nottingham, to pursue the MSc Finance and Investment course, not only to add to my finance, software and consulting skills and experience, but to do it at the institution where my development as a finance and technology professional first began.
What is your favourite thing about the University of Nottingham?
My favourite thing about the University of Nottingham is the multiculturally diverse population within this university. During my time as a student of this university, I have thoroughly enjoyed interacting with and learning about people and their home cultures. I have also had the opportunity to challenge my ideas and perceptions on work and life in general after interacting with so many different people from around the globe.
What is the best thing about your course?
The MSc Finance and Investment course provides the perfect platform for budding professionals in the field of finance. I find the structure of this course to be unique given it’s stress on, not only the compulsory modules, which provide the perfect base for anyone entering the industry, but also on diverse optional modules which focus on latest developments in finance, like behavioural finance and programming languages. The course also provides excellent opportunities for students to significantly improve their leadership and team skills by getting involved in group coursework, as well as to develop strong analytical skills by conducting individual research.
What was your first impression of the University of Nottingham?
My first impression of the University of Nottingham when I arrived here in 2008, was that I was a part of something grand. Having come from a relatively smaller high school in India, at first it was overwhelming to encounter so many people from around the globe.
However, it was also the best thing that could’ve happened to me. My first impression of the university when I arrived here in 2019 was that of remarkable technological improvements. The introduction new online platforms made it a seamless experience to get started on my course and reduced the initial ambiguity as well.
What do you do with your spare time, and what are your hobbies?
In my spare time, I usually write a lot. I love to just write about topics without any restrictions, which eventually helps me write new material for my stand-up comedy. I love performing in local comedy open-mics and getting involved with the comedy society.
As a guitarist since the age of 15, I love playing the guitar and making music. Of course, attending concerts and festivals are a huge hobby of mine as a result. Among sports, I thoroughly enjoy watching football and I love swimming at the incredible pool at the David Ross Sports Village.
What societies have you got involved with?
FinTech Society – As a hopeful entrant into this industry in future, this society is ideal to learn about such a new field.
NEFS – The Nottingham Economics and Finance Society is great to keep updated with the latest developments within the field and meet like-minded people.
RockSoc – As an avid listener of rock music and a guitarist, I have found this society to be the perfect opportunity for people with similar tastes to get involved with.
ComedySoc – As a stand-up comedian in my free time, this society is an excellent opportunity for comedy enthusiasts to get involved with the art form.
What do you like about Nottingham as a city?
Nottingham as a city has always been cosmopolitan with its diversity and vibrant with its young population. I have seen the city improve significantly in the past 9 years in terms of safety and security, making it the perfect city for students and young professionals to live in. As an avid audience member of comedy and music, I find that the city provides a very multiculturally diverse experience for those looking to explore the arts and culture. Student friendly prices makes it a very attractive opportunity for anyone looking to explore such a marvellous city in a pocket-friendly manner.
What is your experience so far of the University of Nottingham?
My experience at the University of Nottingham has been incredible in terms of meeting and working with peers from across the globe who are a part of this global university. I have, in fact, seen this experience improve leaps and bounds in comparison to 2008-2011, when I didn’t think it could’ve gotten any better. Especially the international welcome week, which back in 2008 was excellent, but in 2019, I got to meet even more people from around the world and had more opportunities to establish a diverse peer group.
What is your experience of accommodation in Nottingham?
The accommodation hasn’t changed much from 2011 till 2020. However, I have always found the accommodation on campus to be extremely comfortable for most students. Having lived on all three halls on Jubilee campus, for my 4 years at this university (undergraduate and postgraduate), I would recommend any prospective students to try and live on-campus. However, I also find that the nearby student accommodation options to be extremely modern and comfortable as well, which prospective students could safely consider alternatively. Connectivity to the city and to campuses are perfect to help students save time while commuting.
What have you learnt from being a student at the University of Nottingham?
As a student at the University of Nottingham, I have learnt the importance of being an open and understanding individual whilst working within teams. Understanding and considering everyone’s unique points of view and working together to arrive at a common consensus on the decisions to be made for various projects, is a lesson I not only learned at the university of Nottingham, but I also implemented during my career as an information technology consultant. Another extremely important lesson I learned was to be able to be comfortable giving presentations to an audience and get over my anxiety of public speaking.
What are you planning to do next with your career?
After completing my MSc Finance and Investment course and graduating as a postgraduate, I intend to work in the field of information technology and finance. I first plan to begin working with one of the larger firms in either technology risk assurance or technology consulting. Later I intend to transition into a career with the leading fintech companies and work on developing technologies that challenge and disrupt the traditional technologies and implement improvements by way of newer and more robust technologies in the field of banking and finance.
What would be your top tips for a new international student starting at the University of Nottingham in their first year?
My top tip to any new international student starting at the University of Nottingham, would be to be open to new experiences and cultures. I find that sometimes, we arrive at such a multiculturally diverse institution with some preconceived notions, which might get in the way of some of us expressing ourselves, when interacting with or mingling with people from different countries. I find that there is nothing more rewarding to our development, as global citizens, than giving in and being open to learn about other people and their cultures.
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