Do you know how your life changes when you begin university in other countries? Do you have any idea of how much so universities promote innovation and entrepreneurship are at some universities? These and other related questions will be answered in the following article.
How do the lives of students in Brasil, the Netherlands and India change when they start university?
Usually, the way your life changes when you begin university varies depending on the country you study in and, of course, the opportunities you build and find on your way. Talking to Lisa (Germany), Rutuja (India) and Henrique (Brasil), we can notice some interesting differences
Henrique, from Brasil, studying Mechanical Engineering at Universidade Federal Do Paraná
From Lisa’s own experience her life changed greatly: “moving out from home and starting to live in a foreign country came with a number of new responsibilities such as taking care of daily tasks. I was also able to enjoy a new sense of freedom”. (She’s currently doing her Masters in Business Intelligence and Information Management at Maastricht University).
On the other hand, Henrique says “for many of us, being accepted at the university we want is our first real accomplishment. At age 17 , most students try to enroll in a good university close to home and so minimize the cost by continuing to live with their parents and save some money.” From Rutuja’s perspective -and comparing to Henrique and Lisa-, in India your life changes drastically… but why?
“The only reason is travelling. Mumbai, is a huge city with numerous colleges and courses spread throughout and the majority of students end up traveling for minimum one-one and half hour everyday. The local trains are what make our college life possible.”
Rutuja, from India, studying IT Engineering at Mumbai University, Don Bosco Institute of Technology
If you are studying in Lima, doesn’t this sound familiar? #YouKnowYouAreInLimaWhen you get stuck on the traffic for hours (?)
Only good grades matter?
Getting high scores use to be one of the main goals for university students because that’s the way the education system assessed how much they’d learned. While grades still matter a lot at universities in India because almost every field is full and they have to be maintain the highest measure of achievement -, in Brasil it tends to be different in Brazil. From Henrique’s perspective: “grades here are important, but not so much. Sure, the higher you grade the the better opportunities available you, but they are not the main thing here. In the case of Lisa, as she is german but studying in the Netherlands, she have noticed in both countries she have studied in:
With regards to grades a general discrepancy existed; while grades seemed to be highly important to German students and a competitive spirit was promoted other students had a more relaxed attitude.
On the other hand, it seems to be that promoting collective work at universities is becoming a trend, because of the job-training advantages afforded to students.
Henrique affirms “we have lots of group activities to learn how to work in a team and we always try to use the teaching skills and majors we have already mastered to help one another develop”.
The team UFPR Fórmula, Brasil
Similarly, in Lisa’s case “In my university a focus was placed on simulating real working experiences. We were encouraged to work in project groups on a frequent basis and asked to evaluate each other by the end of the project”. As well as Rutuja: “the university tries to strike a balance the group works and individual endeavor. The presentations and skill development activities are done both ways. That way, overall development is observed. The quality of practical studies is growing with the years.
Getting a job: what do recruiters consider important?
Doing an internship while you are at university is a “must” for almost every student. Things ike what do companies expect and need from me? Or, what do they consider important when hiring students? Are frequent questions. Lisa tells us about it: hard and soft skills are considered being very important by recruiters. Companies require students with theorical basics but also people who can communicate properly and have a personality that matches and fits into the corporate culture. Meanwhile, Henrique says that in Brazil, students who have experience abroad are appealing to recruiters as are those with a third language.
In fact, both international experience and being trilingual are becoming a high priority for professionals.
Rutuja says that most of the local universities in India provide required training for placement –such a great practice! Furthermore, she emphasizes that grades are very essential for getting a decent job because the competition is intense–considering the over population of the country.
Entrepreneurship and innovation around some countries
In Peru, entrepreneurship and innovation have taken on much relevance in recent years, have been promoted at many universities through workshops and related programs. But what about the other countries?
According to Henrique, normally, Brazilian universities don’t openly promote entrepreneurship and innovation. Nonetheless, students can always find excellent professors who can guide them in developing their own projects. In contrast, Rutuja affirms that universities in India do promote them: “There are numerous workshops and seminars held every semester when good speakers are called and students are trained and encouraged to innovate. Research in certain colleges is also encouraged on a high level and thus students get a change to look beyond the academic box.”
Recommendations to study Abroad
Finally, for all those interested in studying or working abroad and who have considered going to the Netherlands or Brazil, Lisa and Henrique give this
L: I definitely recommend studying at my university, because it offers numerous career events enabling students to meet companies and network with them. Moreover, career counseling is offered enabling the students to get “trained” for job interviews.
Furthermore, I think it is always handy to start early and get informed about possibilities and job requirements. It could be handy to set up a professional LinkedIn Profile; recently more and more students get approached via LinkedIn.
H: If you are interested in coming to brazil to study or work you should choose the city you want to study in, considering its advantages, culture and local universities, as well as the companies you may apply to work for. Look for the one that helps you to grow more and achieve your dreams!
