UNIQUE ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMES
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The Oxbridge University Experience in China 17th - 30th July 2021
Why choose Immerse Education? SUPERIOR CURRICULUM Our programmes are designed by expert tutors, and advanced academic content is adapted to the interests and ability of the individual meaning that every participant is challenged to explore their own potential.
EXPERT TUTORS
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Our exceptional academic tutors are at the heart of our academic programmes, with extensive experience teaching students at universities such as Cambridge, Oxford and Harvard.
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A C C R E D I TAT I O N S & AWA R D S Founded in 2012, Immerse Education was recognised by Her Majesty The Queen and received the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2018, and we’re also BAC accredited and a COBIS member.
SUPPORTIVE MENTORS Our team are on hand to support participants 24-hours a day. Mentors share their own experience studying at top universities with inspirational energy while also creating a fun, safe environment in which participants can thrive.
FRIENDSHIPS & NETWORKING During their time on the programme, participants form lifelong friendships with like-minded participants and the “Immersed” Alumni platform ensures that participants are able to stay connected with their friends long after their programme ends. CLASS SIZES Our small class sizes facilitate interactive learning, collaboration and debate as participants approach academically challenging content.
TEACHING METHODOLOGY Academic sessions are collaborative, thought-provoking and dynamic. Participants explore theory within practical contexts and discuss the ideas behind the theory whilst debates challenge students to embrace new perspectives.
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The Oxbridge University Experience in China takes place at United International College in Zhuhai. U N I T E D I N T E R N AT I O N A L C O L L E G E Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, located in the Xiangzhou District, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, southern China, was cofounded by Beijing Normal University and Hong Kong Baptist University as the first full scale cooperation in higher education between Mainland China and Hong Kong. UIC has its stated mission of advancing the internationalization of Chinese higher education and taking the lead in implementing liberal arts education in China.
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I really enjoyed the workshops, particularly for interview skills. I did not have access to this level of advice before the course, and it was invaluable. I also really liked the essay workshop as I learned many new concepts, and I believe the skills I have already developed will be very helpful in my future studies. — TATYANA, 2020 PARTICIPANT
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The Oxbridge University Experience
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Intensive programme for preparing university applications.
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COURSE OVERVIEW
The Oxbridge University Experience in China programme gathers motivated and ambitious students who are aspiring to attend international universities to be taught by expert academics from Oxford University and Cambridge University. The curriculum will provide unique insights into life at UK and US universities through lectures from leading academics, in addition to providing specific interview training and personal statement writing services delivered by supportive mentors from top universities in the UK and USA. All lectures are led by expert academics from world-leading universities, such as Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard. These highly regarded academics will lead sessions that will help students apply to universities in the UK and USA. Mentors from top universities from around the world will also support each student in their aims to attend international universities through personal statement writing workshops, interview workshops and skills workshops.
DESIGNED FOR 15 - 18 YEAR OLD AMBITIOUS STUDENTS Our Oxbridge University Experience in China programme is designed for motivated students aged 15 to 18 year olds is designed to help prepare students for entry into international universities. All workshops and lectures will be conducted in English with Chinese-speaking staff available to translate and support the students.
EXAMPLE TOPIC 1: DEVELOPING UNIVERSIT Y SKILLS Learning at a university level requires enhanced critical thinking skills, as well as being able to hold a supported, substantive argument and critically analyse sources or data. You will build the foundations of these skills so that you can prepare yourself for the challenges of this new learning environment. EXAMPLE TOPIC 2: ADMISSIONS TESTS & INTERVIEW SKILLS
You’ll hear from university tutors on what they value in students and get advice on the more difficult aspects of learning at university.
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This course is designed to help you reach your potential on admissions tests and interviews - including those required by Oxbridge, Medical Schools, and other top-ranked institutions.
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Oxford and Cambridge University Tutors & Mentors All tutors on the programme are university tutors at either Oxford University or Cambridge University, and have experience teaching undergraduate students. Below is a selection of example tutor and mentors on Immerse academic programmes.
SU - MIN LEE, ECONOMICS UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE Su Min is a Teaching Fellow at the University of Cambridge, having been awarded a MPhil and BA from Cambridge in Economics. Su Min teaches microeconomics and primarily its applications in the real world, as well as political economics (how politics and economics interact). His research focuses on political economics and seeks to ask the general question about how political manoeuvres, particularly winning elections, influences economic policy, for better and for worse.
A U R E L I O C A R L U C C I , M AT H E M AT I C S UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD Aurelio is a stipendiary lecturer at Oxford University. He works in Algebraic Geometry, an exciting branch of geometry with deep
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connections to high energy physics, especially to string theory, but also
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related to cryptography, robotics and computer vision. In particular, he works on “enumerative theories”, which is to say studying ways to efficiently count geometrical objects with certain properties. Before coming to Oxford, he studied in Rome, Paris and Warwick. In his current position as stipendiary lecturer, he delivers tutorial teaching to first and second year students.
IRIS HARDEGE, MEDICINE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE Iris is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, where her research focus is neurobiology. Iris’ main research focus lies in the understanding of ion channels, molecular machines that process electrical information in the body, underlying not only neuroscience but many processes in human health and disease. Her work has been internationally recognised in the form of scientific meetings and publication in respected scientific journals.
SEAN STEVENS, DIRECTOR I M M E R S E E D U C AT I O N Sean studied at Christ Church, University of Oxford where he gained experience tutoring young students. Upon graduating, he then set about creating outstanding educational experiences for students from around the world. He is passionate about how new methods of education and technology have the capacity to influence the development of students. At its core, education is about unleashing human potential. Sean’s goal is to positively impact as many young futures as possible.
PETER GRIEVE , DIRECTOR I M M E R S E E D U C AT I O N Peter has experience in providing high-quality academic programmes since 2013. A dual-honours graduate in Chinese & Business Management, he loves to travel and experience lifestyles around the world. He is passionate about welcoming students from a wide range of countries, backgrounds and cultures to Immerse Education. Peter is passionate about helping ambitious students find their place in a positive and interconnected planet.
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The Oxbridge University Experience Intensive programme for preparing university applications.
COURSE OVERVIEW
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Students will have the opportunity to experience subject-focussed lectures. These will take place in both the morning and afternoon academic sessions.
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On the following pages, you will see some example topics that you will study during these subject-focussed academic sessions.
Economics & Business Intensive programme for preparing university applications.
M I C R O E C O N O M I C S : M A R K E TS A N D M A R K E T FA I LU R E S What is economics really about? In this topic we will take a look at the underlying problem that economists grapple with – how to make use of scarce resources, whether they’re people, natural resources, time, skills and many other things. To begin, participants will investigate how a market economy solves the distribution issue, and debate its costs and benefits. They will then discuss the problems with a completely free market (market failures) within the context of a wide range of case studies, which include pollution, health insurance and financial bubbles.
M A C R O E C O N O M I C S : F I S C A L A N D M O N E TA R Y P O L I C Y
GAME THEORY Since the 1950s, economics research has become increasingly dominated by game theory – a mathematical theory of how rational agents make decisions in interactive situations. In this part of the course, we will introduce some of the core concepts from the discipline: dominant strategies, iterated deletion, Nash equilibrium, mixed strategies, subgame perfection and repeated games. These concepts will be illustrated through applications (e.g., the median voter theorem). We will also test the predictions of game theory using classroom experiments.
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In this topic, students will explore how the macroeconomy works, with examples that are reported on in the news on a regular basis. Considering the real economy (and the interaction between aggregate supply and demand), we will discuss how policymakers can influence the macroeconomy via fiscal policy and posit our own suggestions to current issues. The topic will also include monetary policy – how does the Bank of England and other central banks influence the macroeconomy by using money supply and interest rates? This will be linked with a discussion about the current financial crisis and examples taken from the Great Recession.
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Mathematics
Intensive programme for preparing university applications.
SET THEORY In this session, participants will cover Set Theory from a more advanced standpoint: although seemingly intuitive and trivial, this branch of Mathematics features remarkable ideas, and it not only lies at the foundation of all the other mathematical concepts, but it offers by itself beautiful ideas and constructions! Participants will be introduced to theory before exploring a series of case studies and challenges designed to further their understanding and appreciation of this core mathematical concept.
I N T E G R AT I O N In one dimension, the integral of a function gives the area under a curve, and in two dimensions, the volume under a surface. Integration (often seen as the counterpart of differentiation) is one of the main tools of calculus, since one can use integration in many variables, generalising the intuitive notion of area and volume to that of higher dimensional objects (hypercubes, for example). We will introduce some powerful tools in integration: in particular, integration by parts and integration by substitution. We will also look into the approximation of integrals: this allows to calculate integrals of functions which cannot be expressed by simple formulae, and to provide a machine-implementable means to evaluate integrals.
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M AT R I X C A L C U L U S
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Gaining working knowledge of matrix calculus is an advantage when undertaking any scientific discipline. The yoga of matrix multiplication is easily understood, and it admits a beautiful geometric interpretation. We will start from linear systems, developing the formalism of matrices and learning to transform them using the Gauss-Jordan method. This leads to a very interesting classification of matrices, according to whether or not they can be “”solved”” using this method. The underlying geometry is fascinating, and will be explored further when studying Vector Spaces.”
Physics & Engineering Intensive programme for preparing university applications.
CLASSICAL MECHANICS The study of classical mechanics is basically the study of how objects move. In many ways it is physics at its core. This topic is tightly bound to the university of Cambridge via its founding father, Sir Isaac Newton, active at Trinity College. We will extend our knowledge of high schools mechanics to include more complex problems relating to kinematics. Interestingly, the skills required for mechanics calculations have a strange tendency to crop up in much more exotic fields of physics, time after time.
T H E R M O D Y N A M I C S A N D S TAT E S O F M AT T E R The matter in our universe can consist in different states. Some common examples include the gaseous state, the liquid state and the solid state. To the more exotic states we can add plasma and Bose-Einstein condensates. Again, it was during the industrial revolution that the study of phases or states of matter started to receive the attention it deserved. In this topic we study how the ability to change the state of matter has enabled us to transfer energy from one process to another. We will dive into specific areas ranging from heat engines to the composition of different chemical elements.
Engineering is all about modelling, simulating, designing and testing objects that people use in everyday life. In this session, we will discuss the modelling of complex engineering problems focusing our attention on the interaction between the designers and the consumers. We will then explore simulation technology which belongs to the fundamental tool set of every engineering application domain. We will discuss the crucial role of computer simulations, which help to reduce costs and increase the quality of products and systems. We will consider various case studies that best illustrate the design process and the challenges that come with it, finally considering new commercial products and the testing process they undergo.
Unique Academic Enrichment Programmes
ENGINEERING DESIGN AND MODELLING
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Medicine & Biological Sciences Intensive programme for preparing university applications.
MEDICAL RESEARCH: FROM BENCH TO BEDSIDE Scientific research is an incremental process occurring over years or decades, costing millions, and requiring pain-staking work to be undertaken by vast teams of scientists and clinicians spanning various fundamental, translational and clinical research disciplines. In this session we will reaffirm the principles of the scientific method, delve into the various stages of medical research and the growing necessity for interdisciplinary approaches and international collaboration. In particular we will focus on the journey of laboratory bench discoveries to patient bedside, clinical trials, and careers in medical research.
NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
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In this session, we will analyse how neurons produce electrical signals (action potentials) and discuss how the 37 trillion cells of your body can communicate and coordinate with one another. This will include a brief review of disorders of the nervous system such as dementia, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease. In particular, we will study the various senses and how specialised neurons convert stimuli into electrical signals to rapidly communicate information to the brain for processing, interpretation, and response. We will also consider reality vs perception, as we explore the power of the placebo effect, and challenge our preconceived notions using a variety of optical, auditory and tactile sensory illusions.
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Human, Social & Political Science Intensive programme for preparing university applications.
T H E R O L E O F I D E A S I N I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E L AT I O N S The dominant traditions in the study of International Relations in the West since World War II emphasise the rationality and material interests of national states as they construct their international relations. However, national states and other global actors are not merely driven by selfish motivations to secure more wealth and security for themselves. As new global priorities have emerged in recent decades, national states and other global actors have increasingly demonstrated their ‘social’ side in such fields as climate change, international human rights, and international aid. This class will explore the role of ideas in International Relations, an approach that is typically captured by the term “Constructivism”.
T H E P R O J E C T O F A U N I T E D N AT I O N S
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Five years after World War II had ended, France and Germany came up with a plan to ensure their two countries would never again risk waging war against each other. The result was a treaty signed in Rome, creating the European Economic Community in 1957 – the foundations of today’s European Union. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the European Union in today’s increasingly globalised world? This session will focus on understanding the internal structure of the European Union and assess its capabilities as a political actor in internal and external affairs.
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Oxbridge University Experience in China S A M P L E T I M E TA B L E ( W E E K O N E )
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
08:00
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Breakfast
08:30 09:00 09:30
Morning Academic Session
10:00 10:30
Morning Academic Session
Morning Academic Session
Morning Academic Session
Morning Academic Session
11:00 11:30 12:00
Lunch Break & Activities
12:30 13:00 13:30
Full-Day Excursion:
14:00 14:30 15:00
Arrivals
Afternoon Academic Session
Afternoon Academic Session
Afternoon Academic Session
Afternoon Academic Session
Afternoon Academic Session
Tours
Sports Activity
Zorb Football
Visit To A Museum
Free Period
15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30
Dinner
18:00
Dinner
18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00
IceBreaker Games
Fireside Chat With Mentors
20:30 21:00
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Dinner Guest Speaker
Quiz Night
Murder Mystery
Dinner in College
S A M P L E T I M E TA B L E ( W E E K T W O )
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
08:00
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Breakfast
08:30 09:00 09:30
Morning Academic Session
10:00 10:30
Morning Academic Session
Morning Academic Session
Morning Academic Session
Morning Academic Session
11:00 11:30 12:00
Lunch Break & Activities
12:30
Departures
13:00 13:30 14:00
Full-Day Excursion
14:30 15:00
Afternoon Academic Session
Afternoon Academic Session
Afternoon Academic Session
Afternoon Academic Session
Afternoon Academic Session
Scavenger Hunt
British Sports Day
Sports Activity
Free Period
Graduation Ceremony
15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30
Dinner
18:00
Gala Dinner
18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00
Dinner in College
Free Period
Guest Speaker
Inspirational Workshop
Talent Show
Final Night Party
20:30 21:00
Unique Academic Enrichment Programmes
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Accreditations and Awards
Q U E E N ’ S AWA R D
BAC
The Queen’s Award for Enterprise is the
Immerse Education is accredited by the leading
UK’s most prestigious business award.
mark of educational quality for the sector.
Immerse Education was awarded the
For over 25 years the British Accreditation
Queen’s Award for Enterprise. To be
Council (BAC) has been responsible for setting
recognised by Her Majesty is a huge
educational quality standards within the
honour and a testament to the unique,
independent further and higher education
educational experiences we provide to
sector. The BAC requires a rigorous on-site
students across the world.
inspection that covers all aspects of the student experience including teaching, learning, health and safety and welfare.
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We are proud to display this badge of quality.
R O S PA Immerse Education is a proud member of
B R I T I S H YO U T H T R AV E L AWA R D S
ROSPA
Immerse Education was fortunate enough
Accidents don’t have to happen and Immerse
to be recognised as a finalist in the Best
Education is passionate about ensuring that our participants have a rewarding, enjoyable and safe experience on our programmes. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has been working tirelessly to change both legislation and attitudes surrounding accidents and has been instrumental in shaping our society for the better.
Educational Product category. Through delivering immersive, challenging academic programmes designed for ambitious youth from around the world, Immerse Education has emerged as a leader in the field. The British Youth Travel Awards are the sector’s opportunity to reward high achievers, gain recognition, and raise the profile of the work and individual successes of organisations engaged in youth, student and educational travel to, from and within the UK.
COBIS Immerse Education is one of over 250
GEMS SCHOOL PA R T N E R S H I P
member organisations represented by
GEMS has selected Immerse Education to
COBIS. COBIS exists to support and
help their students gain experience of what
represent its members with the British
it’s like to study at university level, with
government, educational bodies, the
award-winning academic programmes held
corporate sector and Ministries of Education
in inspiring locations across the UK, such as
worldwide.
University of Cambridge and University of
Its members commit to its Code of Ethical
Oxford.
Practice to ensure best practice and that the
If you’re a student at a GEMS school, visit your
needs of students are served to the fullest
UniConnect platform to find out more.
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Enrolments ENROL ONLINE NOW:
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Programme dates: 17th - 30th July 2021
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“
I loved how we had access to such experienced tutors, who were really passionate about the subject - I have never felt so motivated to continue learning about something in my own time. Thank you so much! — DIEGO, 2019 PARTICIPANT
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E N R O L M E N T D AT E S Registrations are open from March 30th to May 31st 2021 for students aged 15-18. FEES Enrol before April 30th: ¥26,500 RMB Enrol after April 30th: ¥28,500 RMB D AT E S July 16th - July 30th 2021 W H AT ’ S I N C L U D E D IN THE FEE? The participation fee for residential programmes includes: + 40+ hours of engaging and rewarding academic sessions taught by expert academics from Oxford and Cambridge + Accommodation
+ Inspirational, fun and cultural activities. + Hear from motivational, insightful and inspirational guest speakers + Graduation ceremony, an Immerse Education certificate and graduation photos + Highly personalised feedback for each participant from their expert tutors
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+ Breakfast and dinner
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