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France: A Term Abroad

Gufran Elhrari, Politics and International Relations student, spent a term abroad at Sciences-Po Toulouse university in France during the final year of her BA. Read about her experience including tips for other students wanting to go to Toulouse.

Toulouse is a lively city filled with history, restaurants, and amazing people; staying there for a couple of months was amazing. My highlight was meeting new people and being able to experience something I haven’t before. I have never studied abroad; therefore, this experience was incredibly special to me. Moreover, with Toulouse being in the South, it was possible to explore other cities near the coast. Some friends and I were able to visit other cities, including Marseille and Montpelier, which were incredibly beautiful and worth a visit. The university also offers student trips under Mondus, a student-led programme where we visited Carcassonne and enjoyed the beauty of old architecture, the beautiful castle, and the church. It was worth it.

Throughout my study abroad, I created a daily routine for myself that was different from being at home. I was living right in the city’s heart; therefore, I walked everywhere rather than taking public transport. Toulouse is huge. However, the centre is small and easy to navigate if you get lost in the small but beautiful streets. In London, I live with my family; therefore, trying to create a routine while being alone was challenging. I would also make my own meals and study at home. However, Toulouse has some of the most excellent cafes with the most delicious pastries and desserts; therefore, most of my studies were spent in cafes.

Placement at an Archeological Site in Greece

Graham Shackell, TaP student, received funding towards a summer placement at an archeological site in Greece. Read more below.

My Go abroad experience was a placement with National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan) at their archaeological site school at Toumba Serron, Greece. I was able to secure the placement by approaching the site director directly. Highlights of the placement include delivering a seminar/lecture on the archaeology and anthropology of performance to the site’s students, finds specialists, supervisors and directors of the project. Researching (ethnography), directing, devising, writing and performing the final performance at the end of the archaeological season was another highlight. The performance was both a dissemination of the archaeological data revealed in that season, an exposition of the daily life of the archaeological team, and an exploration via a ritual performance of the importance of water both to the local current inhabitants and of the inhabitants of the nearby neolithic site which was the subject of the excavation. As part of the research, I was also able to excavate, including a potentially highly important neolithic burial – the first of its kind in Northern Greece.

Term Abroad at Gothenburg University

Read Imogen’s experience studying abroad for a term at the University of Gothenburg – one of the MCCS department partners. Includes very helpful tips at the end!

I studied at Gothenburg University in Sweden between March and June 2023. Gothenburg is the second biggest city in Sweden and the only one with its own English name (Göteborg in Swedish)! I am studying BA Journalism at Goldsmiths but studied sociology modules in Gothenburg, which focused on social movements & activism, complementing my home studies well.

This placement was full of incredible experiences but a few that stand out include visiting the 100-year-old Lisberg theme park, lake swimming, a boat tour of the city, pub quizzes with my flatmates and concerts at the city’s 400-year anniversary festival. I also got to experience lots of ‘fika’, a Swedish tradition where people meet friends for a hot drink, something sweet and a big chat. Usually this ‘something sweet’ is a giant cinnamon bun, which can sometimes be the size of a dinner plate!

Summer Study in Korea

Zahraa Basta, a MA Luxury Brand Management student, studied at Yonsei University in Korea over the summer funded by the Turing Scheme.

I sourced the placement myself. I knew I was interested to study in Yonsei University of Korea and keen to learn more about Korean culture with a hands on experience so already had a good starting point when considering applying for Go Abroad funding.

I had a great experience overall. People might think that living in Korea, we will face backlash if we don’t know Korean Language well but I did not face any of those issues. Rather, people were very helpful. The food and the friends I made very definitely a highlight along with all the knowledge I gained from doing the courses in the University.

My daily routine was filled with going to classes and exploring cafes and restaurants in my free time. As well as going to new places that thought me more about my course.

Research Fellowship (Psychology)

Aleksandra Orlova, a Masters student of Psychology spent her summer working and researching as a research fellow at a lab at the University of Vienna in Austria.

Myself and my co-supervisor and mentor, MacKenzie Trupp

During this summer, I had the fantastic opportunity to spend a month working as a research fellow at one of the leading labs in the field of Neuroaesthetics, specifically the Empirical Visual Aesthetics and ART*IS Lab at the University of Vienna’s Psychology Department.
My primary objective during this visit was to plan and collect data for my master’s thesis research project, all the while learning from and collaborating with researchers at the Lab. However, during this period, I also had the chance to participate in various other experiences and events taking place at the University of Vienna.

In addition to collecting data for my research, I had the privilege of assisting in a large-scale study conducted at the renowned Albertina museum. The study aimed to explore the psychological benefits of art viewing and the lasting impact it has after a museum visit. We designed an automated messaging system for survey completion and guided participants through the study at the Albertina Museum. As someone with a background in Art History, conducting scientific research amidst some of the greatest works of art was an incredibly exciting experience.

A group photo with the director (Matthew Pelowski) and some of the members of ART*IS lab

Volunteering in Kolkata, India

Cerys Jones, an undergraduate Media student, volunteered with the Missionaries of Charity in India for a little over a month. Read below part one of two sharing her account.

I am grateful for the incredible opportunity to have volunteered for six weeks during the summer in the unique city of Kolkata. One of India’s largest cities, this bustling, chaotic and magical metropolis is located in the state of West Bengal.

I came here to volunteer with the Missionaries of Charity organisation, a social care charity and religious order founded by Mother Teresa in 1950. Since then, this order’s nuns, staff and volunteers have been serving the city’s poorest and most vulnerable inhabitants, ranging from widows and orphans to those suffering from incurable disease and social exclusion, for example leprosy and HIV/ Aids patients. This organisation works tirelessly to improve living conditions for people in Kolkata, and has grown into an international movement seeking social justice and caring for the poorest of the poor. The Missionaries of Charity run homes in over 133 countries, but its first home was founded here in Kolkata by Mother Teresa.

picture of the front of a small truck-style vehicle with 'missionaries of charity' and a picture of Mother Teresa painted on the front

Artist Residency in Portugal

Floriana Mitchell, Anthropology student, spent a two months with Pada Studios in Portugal funded by the Turing Scheme.

The first step in finding my placement included reflecting on what kind of experience I wanted to have and what skills I would like to achieve. Thus, I decided to find an independent non-profit art space to experience how an independent art organisation is run whilst building connections with like-minded people in an international setting. I found an artist-run International Art Residency programme in Portugal through this site. I applied, completed the interview, and got an offer to spend a few months with them as an Art Residency Assistant.

During this period, I met many artists and creatives from all over the world. I got to know their art practices and processes of thinking, which was incredibly fulfilling, besides the benefit of reflecting on my own art practice and future perspectives. My job involved

a woman with her back to the camera looking out at a site on a sunny day different aspects of the programme including working with artists and assisting with opening receptions, as well as administrative duties. I also welcomed and interacted with the public, helped with exhibitions and photo documentation, and even researching funding. This experience gave me a comprehensive and detailed perception of how the space is managed and the residency is organised.