4 fiftyone°north Summer 2011

brunel life

One World WeekThis year’s week-long event sawBrunel students and staff struttheir stuff

Brunel to Collaboratewith Pakistanuniversity

Vice Chancellor Chris Jenkssigns memorandum

Brian Lara supportsBrunel charity auction

Cricket fan from BrunelInternational was winningbidder

The Bolt is backOlympic champion will betraining at Brunel

fiftyone° north was brought to you by Brunel International, a team at BrunelUniversity dedicated to supporting international students in their studies.

Words: Pete Greenfield Images: Sally Trussler Design: FAS Media LtdTo contact the editorial team, please email bi-newsletter@brunel.ac.uk

Why not connectwith us online:

Find us on facebook:http://www.facebook.com/brunelinternational

Follow us on Twitter:http://twitter.com/brunel_int

See us on YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/bruneluniversity

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bi-newsletter@brunel.ac.uk SUMMER 2011Brunel INTERNATIONAL

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If you have more questionsabout any aspect of studying at Brunelthen we would love to hear from you:

Application enquiries:international@brunel.ac.uk

Accommodation enquiries:accom-uxb@brunel.ac.uk

General enquiries:international.helpdesk@brunel.ac.uk

Foundation and Englishlanguage courses:iplc@brunel.ac.uk

Or check us out online atwww.brunel.ac.uk/international

contactus

One of our biggest events of the year at Brunel is One WorldWeek. This is our opportunity to celebrate the fantastic mix ofpeople, cultures, experiences and beliefs we welcome here fromaround the planet.To give you some idea, we have almost 2,000 internationalstudents from over 110 countries with us this year, along withnumerous academic staff who are amongst the very best in theirfields.One World Week gave everybody the chance to share their nationaldance, music, stories, good food and culture. It was great fun tosample all of these things and a reminder that we have a lot incommon and really do live in ‘one world’.This is something we are taking with us in expanding BrunelUniversity’s work. We are actively seeking out new partners acrossthe globe, to create new experiences and opportunities, worldwide.Inside you can read about what we are doing with partners inSouth America, Africa and Asia; about the exchange programmeswe are building; and how we are helping more internationalstudents access courses here at Brunel.We hope you enjoy reading about us. Do please visit our newwebsite at www.brunel.ac.uk or contact our International team tofind out more and to see when we’ll next be travelling in yourregion.

It is summer in London, the flowers are in full bloom andLondoners are rushing to the many parks again after a longwinter!

Our future king, Prince William, and his bride Catherine tied the knoton April 29th at the biggest Royal Wedding for years. Millions aroundthe world watched but students at Brunel were in the ideal position toenjoy the spectacle, being able to travel in to watch the processioneasily via public transport.

It was a day to remember, and just one of the many events that takeplace in London. Other highlights include May Day celebrations, theChelsea flower show and much more. But students arriving at Brunelthis September will be confident that the best is yet to come, with the2012 Olympic games starting in London next summer.

www.visitlondon.com is a good place to find out more about whatyou could be experiencing.

Fun and games on campusFairtrade fortnightAs part of international fairtrade fortnight, Brunelstudents have been raising awareness of globalinequalities in trade by using play. Games includedunfair sumo (pictured) where two students got to climbinto sumo suits and attempt to wrestle each other - butone with their legs unfairly tied together.

Long hot Spring:wedding fever hits London!

Brunel: reaching out across the world

2nd year Law students, Manvir Kaur Chana and Leca-Ria Pandhi do battlein a one-sided unfair sumo contest

Vice Chancellor Chris Jenks signs memorandum with Prof. Dr. A.Q.K.Rajput,Vice-Chancellor, Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro

Mehran University of Engineering and Technology and Brunel University havesigned a Memorandum ofUnderstanding to explore areas ofmutual interest. In particular, it ishoped to build on previous jointresearch championed by the Institutefor the Environment, and MUET arekeen to develop links within Brunel’sSchool of Engineering at both Mastersand Research level.

Brunel to Collaboratewith Pakistan University

This year’s week-long event saw Brunel students and staff strut theirstuff with a fashion show featuring genuine Carnival costumes kindlydonated by the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago.

This was followed by a global carnival which saw students of variousnationalities show off their national costumes. The judges from theUniversity and Student union were very impressed and had a hard jobpicking the winner, but eventually awarded the prize to three luckyNepalese students.

A love of food unites most people and as always the international foodfair was one of the highlights of the week.

One World WeekNew success storyfor LibraryBrunel’s library service has been nominated forthe Times Higher Education Leadership andManagement Awards 2011, in the OutstandingLibrary Team category.

The nomination celebrates the way the team hasresponded to student suggestions, by moving to 24hour weekday opening, changing the layout andconnecting with customers via Twitter, Facebookand SMS.Student Union President Priya Pallan said: “Theteam has looked at ways to positively impact onstudents during stressful periods, by creating restareas and offering exam counselling. The warmattitude of the team creates the perfect environmentto study and learn.”

Hawks on patrolHawks are magnificent birds and now you can seethem flying around the Brunel campus for a fewhours each week.Our Support Services people have invited them inwith their handlers to help scare away the largenumber of pigeons that live here.It is unlikely that pigeons will be killed by the hawksas they tend to fly away very quickly and not comeback.Students and staff here love watching the hawks andthe good news is we are attracting other birds of preyas full-time residents by building new habitats.

Brunel student takes internship in ChinaA job advertisement in Brunel’s Placement & Career Centre provided Steve Gutteridge’s ticket to twoyears’work experience in Hangzhou, China.

The Industrial Design & Technology student was hired as an intern by anAmerican energy management firm, Illumitron International, to work in itsChina-based design operation.

Steve decided to extend his time with the firm to a second year, during which hewas able to develop his skills further and also supervise and train further internsfrom Brunel, who arrived in his second year.

For more details about the Industrial Design & Technology degree course go tohttp://www.brunel.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/HWR2

Add another countryto your studiesHere at Brunel we are very enthusiastic aboutexchange programmes for our students. Takingpart will broaden yourstudies, impressemployers and help youlearn another language.

As well as taking part in exchange programmes suchas ERASMUS and Study Abroad, we have close tieswith several US Universities. For further details ofthe programmes, including eligibility, go towww.brunel.ac.uk/international/exchanges-and-study-abroad

One of our American students, Sericea Stallings Smith, was invited to the2011 Lord Mayor’s International Student Reception in central London.The picture shows Sericea on the balcony of the City Hall overlookingTower Bridge. “The reception was held at the City Hall in central Londonon Friday 20th May, and it was a wonderful experience!”

Student at City Hall

Summer 2011 fiftyone°north 32 fiftyone°north Summer 2011

Placement &CareersCentre winsawardwww.ratemyplacement.co.uk hasrecognised our Placement &Careers Centre again through itsNational Placement & InternshipAwards.Having won 'Best placement service'in 2010, the team scooped the'University with a forward-thinkingattitude to work-based learning'award 2011. This was for the help itprovides to students with placements,part-time work and career planning.

Brunel is very pleased to announcethat the South Korean Olympicteam will be using the university asits training camp.The official agreement was signedon April 6th by Korean OlympicCommittee President Mr Park Yong-sung and Brunel University Vice-Chancellor Professor Chris Jenks atthe London Marriott County Hall. Itputs Brunel’s world-class sportsfacilities at the full disposal of theKorean athletes.Students studying atBrunel at 2012 will be well placed tosee this historic event and mighteven see some gold medal winnersclose.

Fund raising forComic Relief andJapanBrunel’s staff and students have been busy raisingmoney, both for the annual ‘Red Nose Day’campaign, and for the devastating earthquake inJapan. During Red Nose Day staff sold sweets andhome made cakes, dressed in red and played avariety of games, raising £120.

Japanese students and members of the Six Degreesinternational society led fundraising efforts for theEarthquake. Along with buying homemade muffins,moon cakes and Green tea, students were able to havea go at making their own origami crane, and take partin a sponsored walk around campus. Thanks to thegenerosity of students and staff over £600 was raisedfor the Red Cross Relief Effort.

Sunday Times ratesdesign highly at BrunelThe Sunday Times University Guide has ranked Brunel first fordesign courses in its latest, prestigious survey.We are already well-known in this area. Every year 'Made In Brunel'exhibits our students' brightest technological, sustainable, humanisticand virtual ideas, including many developed with industry partners.This year's exhibition will take place in June at Bargehouse in London.Visit www.madeinbrunel.com to find out more about the people,projects and companies involved.

Meet ouralumniThe careers team at Brunel Universityhas created a new site where you canwatch, listen to and read about formerBrunel students from around theworld. Find out what they thought oftheir time here and how theUniversity prepared them for theircareers. Read their advice on findingyour perfect job. Then see whatthey're doing now. It's all atwww.brunel.workglobal.org

Explore ournew websiteNow you can get an even betterpicture of study and life at BrunelUniversity, thanks to our completelynew website. Over a year in theplanning, it is easier to use and packin lots of useful features includingplenty of multimedia.

Law School launchessummer refresher andtaster coursesBrunel Law School will be running a series of one-week courses thissummer, as part of its Summer LawAcademy. Featured subjectsinclude International Human Rights, International Criminal Law,EU Law, Intellectual Property Law, International Financial &Economic Law and International Trade Law.Head of Marketing, Charli Taylor, says: “the courses will have a strongfocus on research and best practice. They are perfect for NGOs, lawpractitioners or law teachers wishing to update their knowledge, aswell as for Graduates who want a Law taster before taking a PGcourse.”The Summer Academy starts on June 27th and delegates can choose asingle course or any combination. Accomodation is available oncampus from £43 per night. For full details go towww.brunel.ac.uk/law

Meet Calli AmirasCalli Amiras is a specialistinternational careers advisor andanother great reason to study atBrunel...

What does your team do?We're a large team based in the Placement& Careers Centre, where we help studentsin all years of study prepare foremployment. The days are busy. Weprovide careers modules, workshops andone-to one careers advice, as well as help with CV preparation,application forms, interview skills and psychometric testing. We workvery closely with local and international employers to publicisevacancies and have regular careers and recruitment fairs.

What's the best bit of your job at the moment?My latest project! It involves contacting international alumni workingabroad from India, China Saudi Arabia , Grenada etc via Skype to talkabout their work experiences and get tips on finding work in theirhome country or the UK.I've collected all this information and recorded their Skype videointerviews on a new website http://brunel.workglobal.org. It's been afun project which I think will be very useful to our current students.

Do you travel a lot and if so, where to?I've travelled widely in Canada, America,(mostly east coast), Europe(especially Mediterranean countries), Middle east(Qatar) Africa andrecently India exploring work opportunities for returning graduates. Ihave also been fortunate enough to visit China 3 times, mostly as atourist.

Favourite band, food, way to spend your time?I love Vietnamese street food for its freshness but I also like really hotfood eg Szechuan Chinese food, Malaysian and Thai curries. I alsolove really simple good Greek olives, red juicy tomatoes feta cheeseand a little spinach pie.

My music tastes are quite eclectic. I can go from Black Eyed Peas toLa Traviata but I also enjoy Latin American and a little Greekparticularly Michalis Tzouganakis who plays the lyre like a GreekGod.

Where do you live?I live in Buckinghamshire. Green and villagey yet close to London

To read our full interview with Calli go towww.brunel.ac.uk/international

Nigerian Universityleaders trained byBrunel BusinessSchoolIn February 2011 Brunel Vice Chancellor ProfessorChris Jenks and senior members of Brunel BusinessSchool ran an executive development programme inNigeria for leaders of the country's universities.“Enhancing the Quality of Teaching, Research andAdministration in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions”covered a range of topics including Corporate Identity,Building a Research Culture, Leading StrategicChange and Leadership Styles.Delegates were introduced to the Business School'slatest research and were also able to question a panelof Brunel University administrators about thepracticalities of administering the university.A follow up executive development programme willtake place in June.

English Language Testingat BrunelFollowing recent changes made by the government, our BrunELT(Brunel English Language Test) is still valid for all students who areplanning to come to Brunel for Undergraduate, Pre-Master’s andPostgraduate Courses.

Students wishing to take one of our Foundation or English Languagecourses will now need to have taken one of the UKBA’s Secure tests andpassed at the required level. For more details on the secure tests, pleasevisit the UKBAwebsite.

Brunel partnerswith ColumbianUniversities onPhDsIf you are a talented Columbian student, coming tostudy your PhD at Brunel just got easier.The University has started a collaboration withDepartmento Administrivo De Ciencia, Tecnologia eInnovacion (Colsciencias) to develop highereducation, research and knowledge transferopportunities between Columbia and the UK.This includes a 3-year joint PhD scholarshipprogramme for Columbian students. Tuition fees willbe covered and Colsciencias will provide a livingallowance.Apply for your course directly to Brunel via thewebsite. You will need to meet our normal entryrequirements, including English language skills.

Research Student posterconferenceResearch poster contest focuses mindsCan you describe the aims and benefits of your postgraduate researchproject in a few carefully chosen words? This is the challenge laid downby our annual ResearchStudent Poster Conferencecompetition.The posters have to clearlypromote the researchproject and on day two ofthe contest entrants have todiscuss and defend theirposters in front of a panel of judges. It is a great way of sharpening theway you think about your project!This year's winner was Najmunisa Karbani from the School of HealthSciences and Social Care.You will find photos of the conference atwww.facebook.com/brunelgraduateschool

Olympic champion 100 metres Usain Bolthas told us he will be training at Brunel againin 2011 during the European Athleticsseason. He was a very popular visitor whenhe based himself here last year.

The Bolt is Back

Brian Lara supports Brunelcharity auctionThis year's Brunel OneWorld charity was OneWater and to raisefunds we auctioned a miniature cricket bat signed by Brian Lara. Itwas kindly donated by the embassy of Trinidad & Tobago.Big Cricket fan, Andrew Thomas from Brunel International was thewinning bidder.Find out more about our chosen charity athttp://www.onedifference.org/food-drink/water

Olympic update

Meet our online ambassadorWe’re delighted to introduce you to Thi Thuy Duong Nguyen ouronline ambassador from Vietnam. You’ll find her postinginformation, answering questions and sharing her own experiences atBrunel on Facebook, Twitter and Zingme.Duong studied MSc Corporate Brand Management at Brunel Universityand will be graduating this summer. She will also be able to answer yourenquiries on our pathway and undergraduate courses, as Duong attendedthe LIBT Foundation in Business and graduated from BSc (Hons)Business & Management (Marketing) at Brunel in 2008. For those ofyou interested in working while studying, Duong also worked part-timeon campus at the university grocery store Costcutter, and would be happyto share her experience of her studies with work.Duong is delighted to be taking on this role and looks forward to all yourenquiries on Facebook, Twitter and Zingme.

English Course ispathway to successName: ZaruhiNationality: RussianCurrent course:MScModelling andManagement of RiskHow long was your pre-sessional course lastsummer?I was on the 8 week course.

Do you feel IPLC gave you a good base to go on toyour degree course?Yes, definitely. I have improved my academicwriting skills in terms of essay structuring, use ofright language and vocabulary and literaturereview, which helped me a lot in my courseworkand will help in doing my dissertation work. Interms of introducing me to the University lifestyle,the IPLC orientation week was very helpful.

What did you like most about studying at IPLC?I liked the social events organised by IPLC most ofall. They helped me to make friends, to relax andsocialise beyond the classroom, to explore newplaces in the UK, to meet new internationalstudents and get to know their cultures andcustoms. I have enjoyed studying at IPLC.

Did you make a group of friends while studying atIPLC and do you still keep in touch now you’re onyour main degree courses?Yes, I meet my old IPLC classmates and otherfriends quite often, both on-campus and off-campus. I had no problems making friends on mydegree course, because I had already had thatexperience at IPLC.

What was your favourite social event at IPLC?Definitely going to Brighton!

What have you achieved since being at Brunel?I have become a member of the Economics andFinance Society, I have made lots of friends, I haveexplored lots of new and interesting things andplaces and I have acquired lots of professionalknowledge and skills, which will help me in myfuture career.

Where do you see your studies leading you, what jobdo you hope to get in the future?My aim is to continue my career in banking and Ihope to see myself as a risk manager within a topbank in the UK.

Develop Your CareerInternational students have much to offer UK employers, but toincrease your chances for a good job in the UK or internationally youwill have to research your career and the job market early. You willalso need to develop as many skills as possible outside the course youare studying by getting involved in voluntary or part-time work. Inorder to stand out from the rest you will have to work harder, smarterand earlier to convince employers of your unique selling points. Thecareers centre team is here to help.

Summer 2011 fiftyone°north 32 fiftyone°north Summer 2011

Placement &CareersCentre winsawardwww.ratemyplacement.co.uk hasrecognised our Placement &Careers Centre again through itsNational Placement & InternshipAwards.Having won 'Best placement service'in 2010, the team scooped the'University with a forward-thinkingattitude to work-based learning'award 2011. This was for the help itprovides to students with placements,part-time work and career planning.

Brunel is very pleased to announcethat the South Korean Olympicteam will be using the university asits training camp.The official agreement was signedon April 6th by Korean OlympicCommittee President Mr Park Yong-sung and Brunel University Vice-Chancellor Professor Chris Jenks atthe London Marriott County Hall. Itputs Brunel’s world-class sportsfacilities at the full disposal of theKorean athletes.Students studying atBrunel at 2012 will be well placed tosee this historic event and mighteven see some gold medal winnersclose.

Fund raising forComic Relief andJapanBrunel’s staff and students have been busy raisingmoney, both for the annual ‘Red Nose Day’campaign, and for the devastating earthquake inJapan. During Red Nose Day staff sold sweets andhome made cakes, dressed in red and played avariety of games, raising £120.

Japanese students and members of the Six Degreesinternational society led fundraising efforts for theEarthquake. Along with buying homemade muffins,moon cakes and Green tea, students were able to havea go at making their own origami crane, and take partin a sponsored walk around campus. Thanks to thegenerosity of students and staff over £600 was raisedfor the Red Cross Relief Effort.

Sunday Times ratesdesign highly at BrunelThe Sunday Times University Guide has ranked Brunel first fordesign courses in its latest, prestigious survey.We are already well-known in this area. Every year 'Made In Brunel'exhibits our students' brightest technological, sustainable, humanisticand virtual ideas, including many developed with industry partners.This year's exhibition will take place in June at Bargehouse in London.Visit www.madeinbrunel.com to find out more about the people,projects and companies involved.

Meet ouralumniThe careers team at Brunel Universityhas created a new site where you canwatch, listen to and read about formerBrunel students from around theworld. Find out what they thought oftheir time here and how theUniversity prepared them for theircareers. Read their advice on findingyour perfect job. Then see whatthey're doing now. It's all atwww.brunel.workglobal.org

Explore ournew websiteNow you can get an even betterpicture of study and life at BrunelUniversity, thanks to our completelynew website. Over a year in theplanning, it is easier to use and packin lots of useful features includingplenty of multimedia.

Law School launchessummer refresher andtaster coursesBrunel Law School will be running a series of one-week courses thissummer, as part of its Summer LawAcademy. Featured subjectsinclude International Human Rights, International Criminal Law,EU Law, Intellectual Property Law, International Financial &Economic Law and International Trade Law.Head of Marketing, Charli Taylor, says: “the courses will have a strongfocus on research and best practice. They are perfect for NGOs, lawpractitioners or law teachers wishing to update their knowledge, aswell as for Graduates who want a Law taster before taking a PGcourse.”The Summer Academy starts on June 27th and delegates can choose asingle course or any combination. Accomodation is available oncampus from £43 per night. For full details go towww.brunel.ac.uk/law

Meet Calli AmirasCalli Amiras is a specialistinternational careers advisor andanother great reason to study atBrunel...

What does your team do?We're a large team based in the Placement& Careers Centre, where we help studentsin all years of study prepare foremployment. The days are busy. Weprovide careers modules, workshops andone-to one careers advice, as well as help with CV preparation,application forms, interview skills and psychometric testing. We workvery closely with local and international employers to publicisevacancies and have regular careers and recruitment fairs.

What's the best bit of your job at the moment?My latest project! It involves contacting international alumni workingabroad from India, China Saudi Arabia , Grenada etc via Skype to talkabout their work experiences and get tips on finding work in theirhome country or the UK.I've collected all this information and recorded their Skype videointerviews on a new website http://brunel.workglobal.org. It's been afun project which I think will be very useful to our current students.

Do you travel a lot and if so, where to?I've travelled widely in Canada, America,(mostly east coast), Europe(especially Mediterranean countries), Middle east(Qatar) Africa andrecently India exploring work opportunities for returning graduates. Ihave also been fortunate enough to visit China 3 times, mostly as atourist.

Favourite band, food, way to spend your time?I love Vietnamese street food for its freshness but I also like really hotfood eg Szechuan Chinese food, Malaysian and Thai curries. I alsolove really simple good Greek olives, red juicy tomatoes feta cheeseand a little spinach pie.

My music tastes are quite eclectic. I can go from Black Eyed Peas toLa Traviata but I also enjoy Latin American and a little Greekparticularly Michalis Tzouganakis who plays the lyre like a GreekGod.

Where do you live?I live in Buckinghamshire. Green and villagey yet close to London

To read our full interview with Calli go towww.brunel.ac.uk/international

Nigerian Universityleaders trained byBrunel BusinessSchoolIn February 2011 Brunel Vice Chancellor ProfessorChris Jenks and senior members of Brunel BusinessSchool ran an executive development programme inNigeria for leaders of the country's universities.“Enhancing the Quality of Teaching, Research andAdministration in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions”covered a range of topics including Corporate Identity,Building a Research Culture, Leading StrategicChange and Leadership Styles.Delegates were introduced to the Business School'slatest research and were also able to question a panelof Brunel University administrators about thepracticalities of administering the university.A follow up executive development programme willtake place in June.

English Language Testingat BrunelFollowing recent changes made by the government, our BrunELT(Brunel English Language Test) is still valid for all students who areplanning to come to Brunel for Undergraduate, Pre-Master’s andPostgraduate Courses.

Students wishing to take one of our Foundation or English Languagecourses will now need to have taken one of the UKBA’s Secure tests andpassed at the required level. For more details on the secure tests, pleasevisit the UKBAwebsite.

Brunel partnerswith ColumbianUniversities onPhDsIf you are a talented Columbian student, coming tostudy your PhD at Brunel just got easier.The University has started a collaboration withDepartmento Administrivo De Ciencia, Tecnologia eInnovacion (Colsciencias) to develop highereducation, research and knowledge transferopportunities between Columbia and the UK.This includes a 3-year joint PhD scholarshipprogramme for Columbian students. Tuition fees willbe covered and Colsciencias will provide a livingallowance.Apply for your course directly to Brunel via thewebsite. You will need to meet our normal entryrequirements, including English language skills.

Research Student posterconferenceResearch poster contest focuses mindsCan you describe the aims and benefits of your postgraduate researchproject in a few carefully chosen words? This is the challenge laid downby our annual ResearchStudent Poster Conferencecompetition.The posters have to clearlypromote the researchproject and on day two ofthe contest entrants have todiscuss and defend theirposters in front of a panel of judges. It is a great way of sharpening theway you think about your project!This year's winner was Najmunisa Karbani from the School of HealthSciences and Social Care.You will find photos of the conference atwww.facebook.com/brunelgraduateschool

Olympic champion 100 metres Usain Bolthas told us he will be training at Brunel againin 2011 during the European Athleticsseason. He was a very popular visitor whenhe based himself here last year.

The Bolt is Back

Brian Lara supports Brunelcharity auctionThis year's Brunel OneWorld charity was OneWater and to raisefunds we auctioned a miniature cricket bat signed by Brian Lara. Itwas kindly donated by the embassy of Trinidad & Tobago.Big Cricket fan, Andrew Thomas from Brunel International was thewinning bidder.Find out more about our chosen charity athttp://www.onedifference.org/food-drink/water

Olympic update

Meet our online ambassadorWe’re delighted to introduce you to Thi Thuy Duong Nguyen ouronline ambassador from Vietnam. You’ll find her postinginformation, answering questions and sharing her own experiences atBrunel on Facebook, Twitter and Zingme.Duong studied MSc Corporate Brand Management at Brunel Universityand will be graduating this summer. She will also be able to answer yourenquiries on our pathway and undergraduate courses, as Duong attendedthe LIBT Foundation in Business and graduated from BSc (Hons)Business & Management (Marketing) at Brunel in 2008. For those ofyou interested in working while studying, Duong also worked part-timeon campus at the university grocery store Costcutter, and would be happyto share her experience of her studies with work.Duong is delighted to be taking on this role and looks forward to all yourenquiries on Facebook, Twitter and Zingme.

English Course ispathway to successName: ZaruhiNationality: RussianCurrent course:MScModelling andManagement of RiskHow long was your pre-sessional course lastsummer?I was on the 8 week course.

Do you feel IPLC gave you a good base to go on toyour degree course?Yes, definitely. I have improved my academicwriting skills in terms of essay structuring, use ofright language and vocabulary and literaturereview, which helped me a lot in my courseworkand will help in doing my dissertation work. Interms of introducing me to the University lifestyle,the IPLC orientation week was very helpful.

What did you like most about studying at IPLC?I liked the social events organised by IPLC most ofall. They helped me to make friends, to relax andsocialise beyond the classroom, to explore newplaces in the UK, to meet new internationalstudents and get to know their cultures andcustoms. I have enjoyed studying at IPLC.

Did you make a group of friends while studying atIPLC and do you still keep in touch now you’re onyour main degree courses?Yes, I meet my old IPLC classmates and otherfriends quite often, both on-campus and off-campus. I had no problems making friends on mydegree course, because I had already had thatexperience at IPLC.

What was your favourite social event at IPLC?Definitely going to Brighton!

What have you achieved since being at Brunel?I have become a member of the Economics andFinance Society, I have made lots of friends, I haveexplored lots of new and interesting things andplaces and I have acquired lots of professionalknowledge and skills, which will help me in myfuture career.

Where do you see your studies leading you, what jobdo you hope to get in the future?My aim is to continue my career in banking and Ihope to see myself as a risk manager within a topbank in the UK.

Develop Your CareerInternational students have much to offer UK employers, but toincrease your chances for a good job in the UK or internationally youwill have to research your career and the job market early. You willalso need to develop as many skills as possible outside the course youare studying by getting involved in voluntary or part-time work. Inorder to stand out from the rest you will have to work harder, smarterand earlier to convince employers of your unique selling points. Thecareers centre team is here to help.

4 fiftyone°north Summer 2011

brunel life

One World WeekThis year’s week-long event sawBrunel students and staff struttheir stuff

Brunel to Collaboratewith Pakistanuniversity

Vice Chancellor Chris Jenkssigns memorandum

Brian Lara supportsBrunel charity auction

Cricket fan from BrunelInternational was winningbidder

The Bolt is backOlympic champion will betraining at Brunel

fiftyone° north was brought to you by Brunel International, a team at BrunelUniversity dedicated to supporting international students in their studies.

Words: Pete Greenfield Images: Sally Trussler Design: FAS Media LtdTo contact the editorial team, please email bi-newsletter@brunel.ac.uk

Why not connectwith us online:

Find us on facebook:http://www.facebook.com/brunelinternational

Follow us on Twitter:http://twitter.com/brunel_int

See us on YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/bruneluniversity

0°W

EST

bi-newsletter@brunel.ac.uk SUMMER 2011Brunel INTERNATIONAL

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If you have more questionsabout any aspect of studying at Brunelthen we would love to hear from you:

Application enquiries:international@brunel.ac.uk

Accommodation enquiries:accom-uxb@brunel.ac.uk

General enquiries:international.helpdesk@brunel.ac.uk

Foundation and Englishlanguage courses:iplc@brunel.ac.uk

Or check us out online atwww.brunel.ac.uk/international

contactus

One of our biggest events of the year at Brunel is One WorldWeek. This is our opportunity to celebrate the fantastic mix ofpeople, cultures, experiences and beliefs we welcome here fromaround the planet.To give you some idea, we have almost 2,000 internationalstudents from over 110 countries with us this year, along withnumerous academic staff who are amongst the very best in theirfields.One World Week gave everybody the chance to share their nationaldance, music, stories, good food and culture. It was great fun tosample all of these things and a reminder that we have a lot incommon and really do live in ‘one world’.This is something we are taking with us in expanding BrunelUniversity’s work. We are actively seeking out new partners acrossthe globe, to create new experiences and opportunities, worldwide.Inside you can read about what we are doing with partners inSouth America, Africa and Asia; about the exchange programmeswe are building; and how we are helping more internationalstudents access courses here at Brunel.We hope you enjoy reading about us. Do please visit our newwebsite at www.brunel.ac.uk or contact our International team tofind out more and to see when we’ll next be travelling in yourregion.

It is summer in London, the flowers are in full bloom andLondoners are rushing to the many parks again after a longwinter!

Our future king, Prince William, and his bride Catherine tied the knoton April 29th at the biggest Royal Wedding for years. Millions aroundthe world watched but students at Brunel were in the ideal position toenjoy the spectacle, being able to travel in to watch the processioneasily via public transport.

It was a day to remember, and just one of the many events that takeplace in London. Other highlights include May Day celebrations, theChelsea flower show and much more. But students arriving at Brunelthis September will be confident that the best is yet to come, with the2012 Olympic games starting in London next summer.

www.visitlondon.com is a good place to find out more about whatyou could be experiencing.

Fun and games on campusFairtrade fortnightAs part of international fairtrade fortnight, Brunelstudents have been raising awareness of globalinequalities in trade by using play. Games includedunfair sumo (pictured) where two students got to climbinto sumo suits and attempt to wrestle each other - butone with their legs unfairly tied together.

Long hot Spring:wedding fever hits London!

Brunel: reaching out across the world

2nd year Law students, Manvir Kaur Chana and Leca-Ria Pandhi do battlein a one-sided unfair sumo contest

Vice Chancellor Chris Jenks signs memorandum with Prof. Dr. A.Q.K.Rajput,Vice-Chancellor, Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro

Mehran University of Engineering and Technology and Brunel University havesigned a Memorandum ofUnderstanding to explore areas ofmutual interest. In particular, it ishoped to build on previous jointresearch championed by the Institutefor the Environment, and MUET arekeen to develop links within Brunel’sSchool of Engineering at both Mastersand Research level.

Brunel to Collaboratewith Pakistan University

This year’s week-long event saw Brunel students and staff strut theirstuff with a fashion show featuring genuine Carnival costumes kindlydonated by the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago.

This was followed by a global carnival which saw students of variousnationalities show off their national costumes. The judges from theUniversity and Student union were very impressed and had a hard jobpicking the winner, but eventually awarded the prize to three luckyNepalese students.

A love of food unites most people and as always the international foodfair was one of the highlights of the week.

One World WeekNew success storyfor LibraryBrunel’s library service has been nominated forthe Times Higher Education Leadership andManagement Awards 2011, in the OutstandingLibrary Team category.

The nomination celebrates the way the team hasresponded to student suggestions, by moving to 24hour weekday opening, changing the layout andconnecting with customers via Twitter, Facebookand SMS.Student Union President Priya Pallan said: “Theteam has looked at ways to positively impact onstudents during stressful periods, by creating restareas and offering exam counselling. The warmattitude of the team creates the perfect environmentto study and learn.”

Hawks on patrolHawks are magnificent birds and now you can seethem flying around the Brunel campus for a fewhours each week.Our Support Services people have invited them inwith their handlers to help scare away the largenumber of pigeons that live here.It is unlikely that pigeons will be killed by the hawksas they tend to fly away very quickly and not comeback.Students and staff here love watching the hawks andthe good news is we are attracting other birds of preyas full-time residents by building new habitats.

Brunel student takes internship in ChinaA job advertisement in Brunel’s Placement & Career Centre provided Steve Gutteridge’s ticket to twoyears’work experience in Hangzhou, China.

The Industrial Design & Technology student was hired as an intern by anAmerican energy management firm, Illumitron International, to work in itsChina-based design operation.

Steve decided to extend his time with the firm to a second year, during which hewas able to develop his skills further and also supervise and train further internsfrom Brunel, who arrived in his second year.

For more details about the Industrial Design & Technology degree course go tohttp://www.brunel.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/HWR2

Add another countryto your studiesHere at Brunel we are very enthusiastic aboutexchange programmes for our students. Takingpart will broaden yourstudies, impressemployers and help youlearn another language.

As well as taking part in exchange programmes suchas ERASMUS and Study Abroad, we have close tieswith several US Universities. For further details ofthe programmes, including eligibility, go towww.brunel.ac.uk/international/exchanges-and-study-abroad

One of our American students, Sericea Stallings Smith, was invited to the2011 Lord Mayor’s International Student Reception in central London.The picture shows Sericea on the balcony of the City Hall overlookingTower Bridge. “The reception was held at the City Hall in central Londonon Friday 20th May, and it was a wonderful experience!”

Student at City Hall