Student Engagement Stories
Published: 17 June 2022
An online social event to chat about life in Chengdu and Glasgow, an interactive quiz on Scottish culture, and a chance to learn first-hand about the 2+2 experience!
Online social event with interactive quiz on Scottish culture
At the end of April, student liaison interns from the School of Engineering at UoG and student councillors from Glasgow College, UESTC arranged an online social event for students in Chengdu. The event gave students the chance to learn more about Scottish culture and the vast history of the University of Glasgow.
The UESTC students shared insights into their experiences at Glasgow College, UESTC and the student liaison interns discussed their personal views of both life in Glasgow and study at the School of Engineering at UoG. The UESTC students were very interested in life at Glasgow. Everyone enjoyed the conversation.
The students then took part in a quiz encapsulating Scottish history, entertainment, tourist attractions and even slang! The quiz taught them about some of the similarities (and differences) between Chinese and Scottish culture, with a particular talking point being the tradition of eating haggis on Burns night.
As it was so well received, we will plan more interactive events online in the future. Other Scottish topics to kindle the students' interest could include Scottish music, the Highland Games, and our many myths and legends.
The 2+2 experience and trying Irn Bru!
Earlier this month, 2+2 student Jianzhou Yu came to an informal lunch with School of Engineering student liason interns Matthew Murphy and Temisan Atsegoh, and shared his experiences of life in Glasgow. Jianzhou joined the 2+2 programme in 2020 where he completed year 3 and 4 of his BEng Electronics and Electrical Engineering with Communications degree at the University of Glasgow and will graduate here this month. He said life in Glasgow feels very similar to Chengdu, with a slower pace of life which was very familiar to him.
They shared a buffet lunch and Jianzhou especially enjoyed the Scottish shortbread biscuits. Encouraged by the interns, he tried his first drink of Irn Bru - a bright orange soft drink beloved in Scotland and he recommends for all students to try it out when they come to Glasgow! They shared stories of their experience of studying during a pandemic, talked about common interests and Matthew and Temisan enjoyed hearing Chinese folk music for the first time, when Jianzhou shared this with them.
He will move to the USA to study a masters at Northwest University in Boston in fall of 2022. He feels his experience of living in an English speaking country and studying an English degree has helped him to prepare for his onward study. He also feels it will open more career opportunities when he returns to China for work after his masters study.
We wish Jianzhou all the best with his onward study and future career aspirations.
First published: 17 June 2022