What does your role as SBS exchange co-ordinator entail?What does your role as SBS exchange co-ordinator entail?
The main areas of my role are organising exchange periods abroad for undergraduate SBS students, welcoming incoming exchange students and maintaining our partnerships with institutions around the world.
Is the exchange programme open to all business school students?
At present the exchange programme focuses on those undergraduate students following a degree where a period abroad is a compulsory requirement. The two degrees where this is the case are the BA International Business (IB) and the BA International Business and Modern Languages (IBML). This year we have 122 students on exchange and that number will increase in the future. Those SBS students following other undergraduate degrees can apply for the exchange programme, however priority for placements will be given to those students who are following the IB and IBML degrees. Hopefully in the future we will be able to organise more partners and therefore offer more placements.
How do students go about getting involved?
We will be organising a series of meetings for students to explain the application process. These meetings will be advertised on the exchanges website (http://www.strath.ac.uk/business/undergraduate/international/) and we will also e-mail students with details. The list of partner institutions and countries we are involved with is listed on the exchanges website.
What are the benefits to students?
The benefits are many and varied - increased self-confidence and independence, improved language skills, the discovery of a different culture and the gaining of an international perspective and an increased attractiveness to employers. There is also the benefit of gaining an international network of friends - and perhaps even meeting your lifelong partner - according to the British Council 1 in 10 students on the Erasmus exchange programme meet their lifelong partner whilst on exchange!
What help does SBS give?
We are here to help with the application process and to encourage students to research thoroughly the options available to them. We organise pre-departure meetings and are here to support the student before, during and after the exchange. Students are encouraged to take an active part in the exchange and not to expect that it will all be organised for them. Making sure that students have realistic expectations of the exchange is very important.
What feedback do you get from students?
As I have only been in the role 6 months I have not yet gone through a whole cycle of dealing with exchanges. However those that I have met on return are very enthusiastic about the benefits of exchange and are keen to help those who are preparing to go and also to assist incoming exchange students. This is a great resource for us and one that we hope to make more use of in the future.
See the full version of this video at: http://www.strath.ac.uk/business/undergraduate/international/
Meredith Simon, exchange co-ordinator at Brock University, Canada, talks about the exchange programme.