This is the transcript for the video Global opportunities at home and abroad through UTS BUILD
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Thank you for jumping onto the Think Global Presentation
In this presentation you will hear from 3 areas of THINK Global and hear of global opportunities and ways in which we encourage all of our students to have an international experience as part of their degree whilst studying at UTS.
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Acknowledgement of Country
UTS acknowledges the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past, present and emerging, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.
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Joining me is Sarah Laverty, BUILD Support Officer, BUILD Program
And Lara Johnson Exchange Support Officer for Global Exchange.
Myself Danielle Kowaliw, Partnership and Development Officer, Global Short Programs,
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READ SLIDE
- Why Think Global?
- UTS BUILD Program
- Global Short Programs
- Global Exchange
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UTS wants you to Think Global
One of our graduate attributes is to help our students develop into a responsible global citizens equipped for the global workplace.
To help with this, UTS has one of the largest student mobility programs in Australia
Currently 30% of undergraduate students have a global immersive experience during their degree
Each year 1,900+ UTS students study overseas on exchange or short-term programs. Additionally there is also 1,220+ incoming to UTS on study abroad and exchange students
There is also 200+ students spend a year overseas as part of the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies
UTS has an extensive world-wide connections with Exchange agreements with 250+ universities in
40+ countries and territories
However, a global mindset is not something you just switch on when you embark on an overseas experience. We believe that developing a global mindset starts right where you are now, and UTS BUILD is here to help you begin this journey. There are over 1500 students in the UTS BUILD Global Leadership Program developing global citizen mindsets and skills through workshops, events, seminars and community activities.
I will now like to introduce my colleague Sarah who will further explain BUILD.
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Developing as a responsible global citizen doesn’t only happen if or when you spend time overseas. This journey starts at home, right where you are through UTS BUILD. We believe that living in a globally connected world requires a global mindset. BUILD is an extra-curricular global leadership program designed to not only enhance your awareness of your identity as a global citizen, but also to equip you with the practical skills you need to deliver a positive impact within society both locally and internationally.
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Whether you’re aiming for an international career or thinking of going on an overseas experience or not, in practically any profession, and also at university, you can expect to be working alongside people from different cultural backgrounds to your own, and many of the key challenges we’re facing in the world today are global by nature. In the BUILD Program, we explore a wide range of global issues and ideas- everything from what it means to be a global citizen and leader, to the psychology behind unconscious bias, how to effectively engage with social justice issues, and the importance of intercultural competency, diversity, inclusion, and sustainability. We also have guest speakers on the Program, so you can engage directly with and be inspired by people who are achieving great things globally. Because the Program is open to students from all academic disciplines, and both international and domestic students, it’s the perfect opportunity to create networks with a community of peers and professionals from diverse backgrounds. And of course, the personal and professional development that you’ll undergo through the Program is highly valuable to employers.
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You can join the program at any time during your degree, from day 1 in 1st year to 3rd year and you’re welcome to participate in any of the program experiences.
If you wish to complete the full program, you need to complete a minimum of 40 Core points and 60 Elective points. Core points are gained through attending core workshops. Elective points are gained through attending events, participating in online seminars, community activities and a Global Exchange or Global Short Program overseas experience. There is a degree of flexibility in which activities you choose to participate in, so you can tailor your experience to enhance an area of specialisation, or you can use it as a way of exploring topics and concepts that you might not regularly encounter in your degree. Our events are currently all online due but are usually face-to-face, and we expect to be back to face-to-face next year. With each activity you’ll collect points, and once you’ve got 100 points you simply submit a short personal reflection, and then you’ve completed the Program! Your achievement will be mentioned on your Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS) when you graduate from UTS, and you’ll also be invited to a Completion Celebration and presented with a BUILD Completion Certificate. There is also no penalty or fee for not completing. The Program is free and open to all students.
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As I said before, it’s free to join once you’ve started at UTS, so we hope to see you in the Program then!
Now I’d like to introduce Danielle to speak about one type of Global Immersive experience you can participate in through Global Short Programs
Now I’d like to pass it back to Dan to speak about one type of Global Immersive experience you can participate in through Global Short Programs
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Hello my name is Danielle and I am the Partnership and Development officer within Global Short Program.
At UTS International there is a dedicated team that will support you when you decide to go on a Global Short Programs.
Global Short Programs mean you can study, intern or learn for the period of 2-6 weeks overseas – get a credit towards your degree and also receive a scholarship to cover your expenses on top of that.
Every Winter or summer University break, we offer more than 60 programs around the world that students choose to participate in.
They could be Summer / Winter school at Partner Universities (and we have more than 250 partners we work with, OR Experiential learning programs OR International Internships OR Faculty-led programs.
The experiences may be eligible for credit – one elective subject towards their studies at UTS.
We also have various scholarships to help towards some of the expenses.
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All endorsed programs that we advertise on our website are aligned with UTS Graduate Attributes of becoming a Global Citizen.
This is a fantastic opportunity to enhance your personal and professional development of students, boost your CV and stand out when you start looking for a job.
Our programs are really accessible as I mentioned we have numerous scholarships to cover your costs.
And finally of course, this is a great way of making new friends and expanding your networks!
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Due COVID-19 and the restrictions from Australian Government on prohibiting overseas travel, we wanted our students to still be able to have an international experience so we launched the Virtual Global Short Programs.
All Virtual programs were supported and endorsed by UTS faculties for students to gain experiences relevant to their studies at UTS.
For example over July, Students participated in international internships in Indonesia, Malaysia and United States working with multinational and start–up companies, or learnt French with one of our Partners in neighboring Country of New Caledonia or Engineering students learnt robotics and IT systems with a partner university in Russia.
Students choose which program and country that was of interest and completed this, all from the comfort of home yet still getting accreditation to their degree at UTS.
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Benefits of Virtual Global Short Programs
- Utilise your Winter or Summer break and gain credit towards your degree
- Study from the comfort of your own home
- Be exposed to the knowledge and expertise of global companies and universities
- Develop friendships with like-minded students from around the world
- Expand your personal and professional skillset, including digital literacy and written/verbal communication
- Enhance your CV with a unique and valuable global learning experience
- These opportunities are more affordable, allowing you to save money while still learning valuable skills
I would like to now introduce my colleague Lara who will talk to you about Global Exchange.
Lara…..
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Hi my name is Lara and I’m Exchange Support Officer
Global Exchange is an amazing opportunity available to you at UTS where you can study overseas for 1 or 2 sessions, as part of your UTS degree.
Myself and my colleagues will assist you plan your overseas experience and all subjects that you pass on Exchange will be credited towards your degree, so you won’t be extending your degree.
Going overseas may seem a bit daunting, so to assist you we provide scholarships and you can also take out an OS HELP Loan to the value of $7000 – 8000 depending on where you go.
You may think that this opportunity is only available to students who speak another language, but that is not that the case. We have many Exchange partners who offer a variety of courses in English, so there is nothing stopping you from participating! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to live like a local, make lifelong friends and perhaps even lead to future employment opportunities.
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So, let’s take a look at the reasons why you may choose to go on Exchange.
First of all, it is undoubtedly an amazing and fun experience that is available to you at UTS. Many students travel before or after their Exchange.
You will meet people from all over the world. I myself went on Exchange to Italy ten years ago and I still keep in touch with the friends I made and I have many fantastic memories of that period. While on Global Exchange you will not be a tourist, you will find yourself living like a local in your newly adopted country. You will learn a lot about the country and culture you find yourself immersed in.
Should you wish, this is a great opportunity to learn a new language. My Italian improved a lot on Exchange and with these skills I was able to find employment in Italy after I graduated.
Living overseas and mixing with many different people will allow you to develop the global skills that employers are looking for these days. You will become much more independent, organized and resilient. You will learn to collaborate with people from a variety of backgrounds and you will be conscious of different ways of thinking.
If you are interested in seeing the experiences of other students and exploring possible Exchange destinations just go to Instagram and search for UTS Global Exchange or go to our Global Exchange blog.
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I will finish off by sharing some words by Brock, who went to on Exchange to Sweden. Brock sums up perfectly just what Exchange is.
“Exchange will teach you how to be daring, it will teach you how to be a financial planner, it will teach you the power of friendship, it will teach you how to be a travel agent, and it will teach you how to cook. But most of all, it will show and test just how strong you really are.”
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This is a timeline we propose to our students to complete as many global opportunities whilst studying with us at UTS
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We encourage you all jump onto to the THINK Global Website to further explore all the opportunities at UTS.
We hope to see you at our UTS Orientation in Autumn 2021! Best luck with HSC. You got this!
Thank you.