'DMU taught me to step outside my comfort zone'

Graduates have told how international study has helped to enrich their lives and given them an “invaluable experience”.

Alumni from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU)’s MBA Global course were at a packed event in New Delhi to celebrate the importance of international students and international collaboration.



It was hosted by Vice-Chancellor of DMU, Professor Dominic Shellard; Professor Sir Keith Burnett, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield; Universities UK chief executive Nicola Dandridge, and Director of Education at the British Council in India, Richard Everitt.

The event aimed to bring together potential students, alumni, HE professionals and members of the media to help reassure international students and staff of the integral role they play in the success of Britain’s universities.

More international students come to the UK from India than any other country except China. However, the UK Government’s plans to include international students in its immigration targets has led to fears that students will opt instead to go elsewhere.

Prof Shellard believes that would be a huge loss to UK universities, culturally, economically and socially.

He said: “Universities are the UK’s  ‘soft power’, a power which allows us to punch above our weight in diplomatic circles and which has been nurtured, in part, by generations of international students being educated at British universities and returning to their homelands with a deep affinity to our wonderful country.

“We at DMU have more than 200 current students from India and more than 1,500 Indian alumni and we’re very proud of all of them; one in three citizens of our city of Leicester – 120,000 out of 360,000 - is of Indian heritage. India is a country that is very, very important to us.”

Students who travelled from India to study at DMU, which has undergraduates from more than 130 countries, said it had been a great experience.

Rahul Mukherjee, who graduated this year, said: “When you meet people from so many cultures, nationalities and religions, you realise you’ve been living in a small bubble.

“It’s only when you step out of your comfort zone that you realise how big the world is. DMU taught me that.”
 
RELATED NEWS:
* International students - find out more about studying at DMU
* VCs in India to reassure students
* VC makes case for 'truly global' UK universities

Fellow 2016 graduate Isha Arora added: “I have four pieces of advice for international students at UK universities. Firstly, if you have a target, be headstrong; don’t be deflected from your goals.

“Secondly, make the most of the opportunities because they won’t come up again. Involve yourself in everything, not just your studies, but everything.

“Finally, connect with people from all countries: you’ll learn so much from them. That experience was invaluable to me.”
 
Prof Shellard launched DMU’s #loveinternational campaign following the outcome of the EU Referendum. DMU was the first UK university to organize a series of visits to EU countries.

This is the first event to be held with the University of Sheffield, which spearheaded the #weareinternational movement which has become the champion for international students and staff across the higher education sector.