April 13, 2020, by International students

International Student Ambassadors: Chuma from Nigeria

Chuma is a Nigerian student who is studying MSc Sustainable Energy and Entrepreneurship

Why did you choose the University of Nottingham?

I chose UON because it is a Russell group university and it is awarded gold for its Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). The university also offers a great networking environment, because it has a culturally diverse student body with over 150 countries represented. I also chose the University of Nottingham because, of all the universities here in the UK, it was the only school that offered the course combination I preferred.

What is your favourite thing about the University of Nottingham?

The university offers students a great learning environment. The campuses are environmentally friendly and have been ranked by the Greenmetric ranking of world universities 2019 as number four in the world. It will also interest you to know that the university also performs excellently in sports. It was the second among universities in the UK with the most number of medals won during the 2012 Olympics.

What is the best thing about your course?

Amongst all the universities in the UK, you will hardly find a course combination like sustainable energy and entrepreneurship. The course is even more interesting than I thought it would be. As the name implies, it is both engineering and business, which for me is the perfect combination, and aligns perfectly with my future goals. For my business modules, the university often invites business experts to share their own experiences with the class.

What was your first impression of the University of Nottingham?

I remember telling myself when I first got here that, “the university is far more beautiful than as advertised.” It has really beautiful campuses with wonderful scenery. My personal favourite is the Highfields lake at the University park campus.

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

There are several opportunities to volunteer along with other students. It’s a great chance to beef up your CV and I have spent most of my time doing this. So far I have volunteered for the Oxjam Beeston music festival and FareShare food collection programme.

What do you like about Nottingham as a city?

Nottingham is indeed a lovely city with a very interesting history and lots of fun places to visit. It is the place of Robinhood, and all over the city there is a strong connection with their history. There are several monuments around town which are named after historical figures.

What is your experience so far of the University of Nottingham?

I have had the most amazing experience here in the University of Nottingham. The welcome week organised for the incoming students helped me adjust quickly to my new environment. An accommodation was provided for all international students, so that they had a place to stay while sorting out their permanent accommodation and doing their in-person registration. Also, there were coaches organised to pick new international students arriving at the Heathrow airport. Honestly, right from the time I arrived till now, the university has made me feel so welcomed and motivated to succeed in my academics.

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

There are over 200 student associations in the university, and I advise the new international students to take advantage of these groups as a means of socialising and growing their networks.

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