FORMING GLOBAL MINDS
University College Dublin International Study Centre International Foundation Year Pre-Masters Programme Progression to a wide range of degree programmes including Business, Chemistry, Mathematics, Economics and more Entry from IELTS 5.0 or equivalent
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR JANUARY 2013 Top 1% world university∗ Ireland s largest and most international university More than 5,000 international students from 122 countries 25% international staff Located in Dublin, Ireland s capital *QS World University Rankings 2012
Programmes start on January 14th, 2013. For more information or to make an enquiry, visit www.ucd.ie/isc or call a Student Enrolment Advisor on +44 (0)1273 339333.
www.ucd.ie/isc
UCD International Study Centre, 19-20 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2, Ireland 14619_07.12
Miss Ethnic Ireland 2013
31
6
8
13 36
4 Chat with ! Brendan White Head of Trinity College Dublin and UCD Dublin International Study Centre
12 Irish Awareness Some reflections for the struggle to keep life in the global water crisis
14 Campus National college of Business Administration (NCBA)
6 In Focus International Student Forum to canvass student opinion at the Mansion House, Dublin
18 Student interview The ups and downs of running a college society with Gabby Heath UCD student
10 Special President Michael D. Higgins launches the first Irish, Spanish, Latin American literary festival
19 What students Recommend Alena Rakytova (Slovakia) Michael Tedula (Germany)
20 News & Entertainment A variety of talent and experience by the African Students association of Ireland (ASAI )
16 Post Card from Waterford City
2
Yeah! International Student Magazine
23 In focus Deal linked between Limerick Institute of Technology and Chinese Yangtze University.
30 Exclusive International Student wins Miss Ethnic Ireland 2013 competition
chat with
Brendan White Head of Trinity College Dublin and UCD Dublin International Study Centre Group, Ireland. • What is Study Group's main purpose and
goals? BW! Study Group is the world leader in the provision of western education for students from around the world. 50,000 students from over 130 countries enter Study Group programmes each year, delivered in 48 campuses across the USA, Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Study Group offers career education through a diverse range of government accredited vocational and degree-level courses; helps attract the highest caliber students from around the world to higher education institutions and provides high quality English language training for international students.
•
• Could you explain to our readers a little about
what you do? BW.The International Study Centre provides foundation programmes for students from outside the European Union for progression to degree courses with the university partners. Nowadays, international students come from such varied backgrounds ( we have students from 16 countries in the Centre from Colombia to Saudi Arabia to Korea) and what these programmes do is effectively “bridge” the gap between the academic or language background of these learners and Irish university students. The Centre is run and managed by Study Group and the company helps the university partners in Ireland to recruit international students from around the world and prepare each one for successful transition into graduate and postgraduate studies. We currently work with Trinity College Dublin and UCD Dublin, Ireland's leading universities. Students can progress to a very wide range of degrees, from Economics and Finance in UCD to Chemistry with Molecular Modeling in Trinity College Dublin. 4
Yeah! International Student Magazine
There are foundations programmes for degree study at TCD and UCD, tell us more about that? Students can choose between two separate pathways: Business, Economics and Social Studies and Science, Engineering and Biomedical Sciences. There are a variety of academic modules in core subjects like Maths and Academic English as well as elective modules in a whole range of subject specific areas like Chemistry and History and Urban Landscape of Dublin. The teachers are all highly experienced in teaching international students at university level and we work in small class groups of up to fifteen students which allow a mix of seminar discussions, tutorials and lectures to be used each day. In terms of skills, what the programme really tries to do is prepare students for the type of learning they will be exposed to in university. There are certain skills that world class universities like TCD and UCD look for beyond simply excellent high school grades. They are looking for students that are critical thinkers and can work independently but at the same time are active and participative in college life. Study Group partners with universities and colleges in the USA, Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand
It is estimated that this year seven •
• Study Group have developed a
million students will be studying outside their country of birth, do you think that these figures have changed dramatically due of the global financial crisis? It is interesting that even though the initial investment that many students make in studying abroad brings with it a lot of risk: Will I be successful in pursuing a course overseas? Will the financial investment really help my future career prospects? There is still this trend in increasing internationalisation of the student body in higher education. Ireland has seen a big jump in home students numbers applying for certain university courses and this is a direct result of diminished job opportunities for school leavers. I think the same trend is in evidence in other countries and even those at different levels of development to us.
global network of international offices and education counsellors. Why is this so important to the success of the company? In the long term, a high standard of university education provides the knowledge necessary for social mobility and economic progress and the current crisis encourages that view.
50,000 students from over 130 countries enter Study Group programmes.
With a huge team of people working around the world to present and showcase the programmes, Study Group is able to offer resources and access to potential students that even the largest universities cannot do on their own. This allows partner colleges to recruit students from parts of the world where the universities or indeed Ireland as a destination country, has a relatively low profile and helps Ireland to be regarded as a worldleading provider of international education. www.studygroup.com
Yeah! International Student Magazine
5
In Focus!
President Higgins launches first ISLA
Literature Festival
By Sergio Angulo Bujanda
T
he first Irish, Spanish & Latin American (ISLA) literary festival was launched by the President Michael D. Higgings on November 2nd at the Instituto Cervantes, Dublin, The festival, which brought together writers from Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Ireland and Spain, featured a series of readings and round table discussions over the weekend and was a great success. The President spoke on Friday to an audience of approximately 200 and them in Spanish, Irish, and English. After greeting the crowd, he spoke to those gathered about a recent diplomatic trip to Latin America. "I have recently returned from visiting Chile, Brazil, and Argentina, a part of the world which has a cherished place in my heart," said Higgins. "During these visits, I was struck again by the depth of the engagement with Irish culture and writing that exists in Latin America and how our two traditions have influenced and enriched each other." President Higgins went on to speak about the role that writer Kate O´Brien has played in Irish and Spanish literature, and the intense close connection of the author to Spain. Jane Alger, Director of Dublin UNESCO City of Literature which is one the Festival partners, said that ISLA was especially timely because of the recent visit of President Michael D. Higgins to Latin America. "The ISLA festival has brought the best of the wonderful culture of Spanish speaking peoples right to the door of Dubliners. It will also add another dimension to the holidays of the many Irish people who go to Spain every year as well as added interest in the rich culture of Latin America brought to 10
Yeah! International Student Magazine
H. E. Mr Garrigues, President Higgins and Ms Garrigues
our attention by the recent visit of President Higgins, said Alger" Dublin UNESCO City of Literature is delighted to partner with the Cervantes Institute as well as the embassies of Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Mexico and Spain in joining Irish writers with their Spanishspeaking counterparts." The festival was family-friendly and all events were free to attend. It was a completely bilingual festival due to the fact that every participant, moderator and presenter spoke in the language in which they felt most comfortable while being simultaneously translated. Instituto Cervantes director Rosa León, explained that the Spanish for 'island' is 'ISLA' and it stands for Irish, Spanish and Latin American. She also elaborated on reasons that have brought the Institute to organise a literary event .
From left Mrs.Teresita Trujillo (Cuba), Mr Carlos García de Alba (Mexico) Ms Ana Pisano (Deputy Head of Mission Argentina), Mr Javier Garrigues (Spain). President Higgings, Mr Leonel Searle (Chile)
It does not make sense that some of the most fertile literary figures on the planet should live in disregard for one another," said León. "It is imperative that from the exchange of experiences and ideas and from a better understanding between one another, new translations, new literature and, above all, new readers should emerge."
Photography By RobertoZM
The festival consisted of a series of discussions featuring several authors followed by readings of some works related to the topics discussed. Friday started with a round table titled "Poetry and Fantastic Literature" featuring Elia Barceló from Spain, María Negroni from Argentina and Irish poet Harry Clifton. On Saturday, among the many events of the festival worthy of note the discussion dedicated to authors who are living or have part of their lives abroad. Omar Pérez from Cuba and Spanish Diego Valverde Villena accompanied by the Irish Maighread Medbh and Lorna Shaughnessy discussed about their personal experiences in a round table titled "Crossing Frontiers: Poetry in the suitcase." The festival finished on Sunday with a discussion about cinema and literature featuring the Oscar-winning filmmaker Fernando Trueba, designer Javier Mariscal and reputed Irish author also actor Mark O´Halloran. David Carrión, the Instituto's Chief Librarian, who is also a poet, author and translator and has taken a significant role in creating the ISLA programme, espressed his enthusiasm for the event "We've celebrated the joy of reading. From history to mystery to poetry or cinema, there was something for everyone… and it's free. What could be better?" said Carrión." The festival was rich and full; the topics were far-reaching; and the participant authors and poets provided not only the best literature, but also a unique cross-cultural experience" Lorna Walls, a 28 year-old Irish editor and
I.S.L.A. Guests writers: Bernardo Toro (Chilean), María Negroni (Argentina) Kate Quinn (Lecturer at Galway University), Lorenzo Silva (Spain)
translator who is a member of the institute's library said the festival provided an interesting window to an amazing literary world different to the English literary world. "This is the first time an event like this has been organised in Dublin and I'll make sure not to miss the next one," she told Yeah! Magazine. It is estimated that more than 1000 people attended the festival which was organised in collaboration with Ireland Literature Exchange, Poetry Ireland, Dublin UNESCO City of Literature, DCU, UCC, Trinity College, NUI Maynooth and Galway, and the Embassies of Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Mexico and Spain.
Teresa Alonso, Ewa Senger,Vicente Morales, President Higgins, Enca Gonzalez, Consuelo Pan, Lola Rodriguez, Javier Rodriguez, Lola Villaescusa, Rosa León
Yeah! International Student Magazine
11