Manchester Metropolitan University Discover the World Worldwide Exchange Partner University Guide Introduction Discover your Potential Travelling and experiencing life in another country can be a life changing experience as you discover a new learning environment, adapt to a new way of life, develop an international network of friends and gain additional life skills that can give you a head start in your future career. Spending a period of study overseas is a great experience and the University offers different opportunities from summer exchange programmes through to full year study overseas. Many of our undergraduate courses include an option to study abroad. Depending on your course of study, you may be able to study abroad for one semester or one year during Year 2, or as an additional year abroad during Year 3 of a four-year Bachelor’s degree programme. We have a range of study destinations across Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, and the USA. Worldwide Exchange Programme Worldwide Exchange is the name of our exchange programme to destinations outside of Europe. This booklet gives you an overview of the destinations we currently offer on the Worldwide Exchange programme and a profile of each of our partner universities to help kick start your own research into your destinations of interest. Opportunities to study abroad are competitive. There are a limited number of places at each partner university, which are negotiated on an annual basis. You will need to apply for a place and, to be eligible, you must have successfully completed your first year of study, met all academic requirements set by your department and have the support of your academic department. For more information on how to apply, please see www.mmu.ac.uk/exchange or contact [email protected]. This booklet is intended to be used as a guide to our current worldwide exchange opportunities. It provides details of our worldwide partner institutions at the time of publication and each partner has provided helpful facts about their institution and the area that may become your new home during an exchange period. We recommend that you always consult the partner institution’s website before making an application in case any of the information has changed or has been updated. It is also important that you complete your own research about the location, university and costs involved before you commit yourself to the programme, so you know what to expect during your exchange. The cost of living varies from country to country and may also depend on personal choice and circumstance. Any examples provided within the ‘costs of living’ sections of this booklet are for general information only. Such living costs may be subject to inflationary increases or rise due to currency fluctuations. Please complete your own research on anticipated living costs and plan your budget accordingly. Contents Argentina “The exchange Universidad Austral 5 programme Australia provided an Deakin University 7 Flinders University 8 opportunity for The University of Newcastle, Australia 9 me to expand my University of Technology Sydney 10 knowledge base RMIT University 11 and to experience Canada Ryerson University 13 another culture. George Brown College 14 This opportunity China has prepared me Guangdong University of Foreign Studies 17 for the future and Hong Kong has broadened Hong Kong Baptist University 19 my perspective The Education University of Hong Kong 20 The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 21 on international Lingnan University 22 careers” Michelle Lam, Japan Hong Kong Baptist University Nagasaki University 25 Soka University 26 Malaysia Taylor’s University 29 USA Bridgewater State University 31 Buffalo State, State University of New York 32 California State University San Marcos 33 East Carolina University 34 Louisiana State University 35 Northern Arizona University 36 The University of North Carolina Greensboro 38 South Dakota State University 40 Texas Tech University 41 EuroInkaNet 42 3 Argentina It’s apparent why Argentina has long held travelers in awe: tango, beef, gauchos, fútbol, Patagonia, the Andes. The classics alone make a formidable wanderlust cocktail. From mighty Iguazú Falls in the subtropical north to the thunderous, crackling advance of the Glaciar Perito Moreno in the south, Argentina is a vast natural wonderland. The country boasts some of the Andes’ highest peaks. It’s home to rich wetlands that rival Brazil’s famous Pantanal, mountains painted in rustic colors, deserts dotted with cacti, massive ice fields and arid steppes in Patagonia, cool lichen-clad Valdivian forests, Andean salt flats, a spectacular Lake District, penguins, flamingos, capybaras and more. All are stunning sights and adventures just waiting to be experienced. Lonely Planet Guide 2016* Universidad Austral Argentina *Reproduced with permission from the Lonely Planet website www.lonelyplanet.com © 2016 Lonely Planet 4 www.mmu.ac.uk/exchange www.austral.edu.ar/en About the University – The University Welcome activities – Before the was established in 1991 but the IAE, the beginning of the semester, there will graduate School of Business, opened its be two days of orientation for exchange doors in the late 1970s. Over the following students where they will receive years, other schools were created: Law, information and enjoy different Management, Communication, Medicine activities to get to know each other. and Nursing, Engineering and Education. The University promotes research, Accommodation – There is no delivers undergraduate and graduate on-campus accommodation. The programmes, as well as extension courses, University however will provide housing and provides healthcare services within options when you apply. There are dorms its University Hospital. In just a few across the street from the Pilar campus decades, Universidad Austral has become but most students choose to live in a renowned institution. It is considered downtown Buenos Aires. The main areas the second best higher education are Palermo, Barrio Norte and Recoleta, institution in Argentina, and it is especially closer to Santa Fe Avenue. among the top 20 in Latin America. Societies and sports facilities Term dates – Term dates are available on campus – There are no societies at www.austral.edu.ar/international/ but there are a range of different calendar activities open to all students, including Geography – Argentina is the eighth photography, theatre and sports. largest country in the world and the Find a course – Find out if Austral second largest in South America. The has a compatible course by visiting Top things to see and do cosmopolitan capital, Buenos Aires, is www.austral.edu.ar/international/ n Enjoy the many festivals (film, tango, centred on the 16th-century Plaza de course circus, etc.) that take place almost every Mayo and is well known as the cultural month of the year capital of Latin America. Austral’s Getting there – Incoming students n Do a tour and/or go to a concert at the downtown facilities are conveniently will receive detailed arrival information. Teatro Colon, one of the main opera located in Recoleta, the city’s most A taxi from Ezeiza airport (EZE) to the houses in the world, built during the traditional area. The main campus in city is the best option. Most students Belle Époque Pilar, a suburban area, is about an hour prefer living in the city and commute to n Go to some of the historic cafes from downtown Buenos Aires. Pilar campus (about an hour away) one (bares notables) in Buenos Aires or two days a week. Climate – Because of the size of Argentina the climate changes drastically from one region to another. In Buenos Aires, there is no dry or rainy season. The weather is generally good with average temperatures ranging from 8°C to 30°C. Population – Argentina’s population is over 40 million people. The federal district in Buenos Aires has 2.9 million people but the overall population of the city, including the Great Buenos Aires (the outskirts) amounts to over 12 million. Interesting facts – n The country is known for tango, steak and football (soccer) n Mate is a local, herbal infusion many people drink in the morning or throughout the day n The Acongagua mountain in Mendoza is the highest peak in the Americas, 6,962 m (22,841 ft) www.mmu.ac.uk/exchange 5 Australia Is the grass always greener on the other side of the fence? Peek over the pickets and find out. This vast country is affluent, multicultural and laced with natural splendour. Most Australians live along the coast, and most of these folks live in cities – 89% of Australians, in fact. It follows that cities here are a lot of fun. Sydney is a glamorous collusion of beaches, boutiques and bars. Melbourne is all arts, alleyways and Aussie Rules football. Brisbane is a subtropical town on the way up; Adelaide has festive grace and pubby poise. No matter which city you’re wheeling into, you’ll never go wanting for an offbeat theatre production, a rockin’ live band, lofty art-gallery opening, movie launch or music festival mosh. Lonely Planet Guide 2016* Australia operates on a different academic term/semester cycle so if you are planning to study abroad for the year or ‘autumn term’, you will need to be prepared to commence your exchange in July soon after your exams. Since you will not have the opportunity to take any re-sits at Manchester Met, you and your Department will need to be confident about your academic progress. Should you need to arrange flights and secure accommodation before your results are made available, we advise that you purchase these on a refundable basis in case you experience any issues with your academic progress. Australia The University University of of Newcastle Technology Sydney Flinders University RMIT University Deakin University *Reproduced with permission from the Lonely Planet website www.lonelyplanet.com © 2016 Lonely Planet 6 www.mmu.ac.uk/exchange www.deakin.edu.au Geography – Deakin has campuses in Melbourne, and Geelong and Warrnambool in Victoria, so there’s the option for city life or rural tranquillity.