GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES School’s in for summer – University of Cambridge and University of Oxford summer programs By Geography teacher, Mr Gabriel Langford
I
n Term 3 2018, Pymble nominated ten students to represent the College at the Cambridge Programmes and the Oxford Royale Academy in England. The summer programs, which are run by top universities including the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford, aim to open young minds to leading global educational practices in fields that students elect as their potential future passions. The universities offer courses including Law, English Literature, Advanced Mathematics, Medicine, among others, as well as a raft of elective courses designed to capture the minds of the next generation of researchers and business leaders. Below are some reflections from our girls that illustrate how the programs extended their thinking and challenged their intellect in incredibly poignant ways. THE CAMBRIDGE PROGRAMMES
Pymble students, Akina Li, Viveca Tang, Rachel Tang, Amelie Reed, Shivashankari Kathirgamalingam, and Corinna Chen, visited Churchill College at the University of Cambridge. Our girls exemplified the College value of Integrity by putting themselves in challenging situations to further their understanding of their fields of passion. Students During the first week of reported the program, Shivashankari that their studies represented Pymble in the suddenly became Law course and earned high valuable and they praise from the program reported increased directors and mentors by metacognition in winning a mock legal trial viewing the bigger (moot) of a case in England purpose behind that had previously drawn ire education.” in the public realm. “We competed in a moot at the end of the first week, which I thoroughly enjoyed and am eager to try again at school during the next few years. As someone who enjoys debating, mooting was a really great opportunity to challenge myself to apply the oratory skills I have thus far developed to an advocacy setting… and (we) were challenged to utilise proper legal reasoning.” Shivashankari Kathirgamalingam
16
|
Illuminate EDITION 2 2019
Shivashankari Kathirgamalingam, left, debating the merits of legal protection for people who act outside the law
Rachel, Viveca and Amelie participated in the Medicine program where they were exposed to the fascinating research fields within the industry, as well as applied Medicine in the operating theatre. Our girls offered insightful reflections about the value of being exposed to world-leading research practice, and learning alongside people of diverse backgrounds: “During the course of the fortnight-long Cambridge summer program, I found that I gained some overwhelmingly valuable medical insights, in addition to having built genuinely unforgettable connections with students from all over the world. This can be largely attributed to the cohort of dedicated, enthusiastic and insightful lecturers and mentors I engaged with. I would like to make special mention of Dr. Kourosh Saeb-Parsy, consultant transplant surgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, who was the Medicine program’s main lecturer. His wisdom, guidance and leadership were instrumental in allowing me to formulate my decision to pursue a career in Medicine. The teaching style he employed, which consisted of effective collaboration and meaningful group discussions, made the learning experience highly enjoyable. Furthermore, interacting with students from geographically distinct backgrounds lent itself to a diverse, enriching and educationally fulfilling exchange of knowledge and conventions.” Viveca Tang
Pymble Ladies’ College
