Sadova Daryna

 

Specialty – International Relations, Public Communication and Regional Studies

Lancaster University, 01.10. – 14.12.2023, specialty during mobility – International Relations and Politics

Further, a direct quote from the participant of the mobility program:

–  Describe the specifics of the learning process at the host university..

During the autumn semester (Michaelmas term) at Lancaster University, I attended classes in three subjects I had previously chosen for my specialty “International Relations, Public Communication and Regional Studies”: “Peace Studies in Action,” “International Relations and Politics of the Asia Pacific,” and “Politics of Global Danger” from the Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Religion. In total: 45 credits.

The closure of each discipline/grade was done by writing a final paper/essay of 2500-3000 words on one of the topics suggested by the professor (usually, there are around 10-20 topics to choose from). Additionally, for each subject, the student had to write an exam: 6 questions based on the subject and program, from which 2 were to be selected, and the student had to write a 1000-1500-word answer for each of the two questions.

Classes in each subject were divided into lectures and seminars in a 50% to 50% ratio. Actual grading did not occur throughout the course, meaning there was no journal where grades for participation, seminar activity, or homework assignments were recorded. The grade for the course was based on the final paper and the exam results.

At Lancaster University, teaching follows the Cambridge model, where all students who chose a subject attend two-hour lectures (which could have 30 or 50 people), but the one-hour seminars are divided into small groups (5-7 people). This allows the lecturer to give personal attention to each student, forming an understanding of their perspectives and engaging in individual communication based on the student's developed “profile” and viewpoints. Seminars are very productive due to the Cambridge model. Moreover, because the seminar group by this model officially has no more than 7 people, and in fact, even fewer may attend due to weather, illness, personal circumstances, etc., during my time at Lancaster University, I had instances where I was the only one attending a seminar with the professor. I was pleasantly surprised when the professor did not suggest canceling/rescheduling/shortening the class because I was the only student in the group. Instead, the entire hour of the seminar was dedicated to me: my views, thoughts on the topic, interesting questions/cases raised by the professor for discussion, etc. I still remember and value those individual seminars and this experience!

–  Where did you live (dormitory, rented, hostel, other)? 

University dormitory.

– Did you receive a scholarship for the mobility program? If yes, to what extent did the scholarship cover the minimum required living expenses?

A one-time payment of £1000 for accommodation. The scholarship covered about 95-100% of basic minimum living expenses.

– From your experience, what should a future mobility participant pay attention to when preparing for the program?

Besides a phone, it is important to have a tablet or laptop for convenience during the mobility program (especially abroad, where the practice of using gadgets during lessons to take notes is common, as a replacement for notebooks).

– What unexpected issues arose during your mobility?

In the case of mobility to the UK, one unexpected issue was related to the difference in socket types (upon arrival, I had to quickly search for and buy an adapter for the British socket type because the Ukrainian (European) adapter couldn’t charge the devices).

– Describe your expectations from the mobility and whether they were realized.

My main expectations from the mobility were:

a) The opportunity for in-depth interaction with professors during their courses (lectures, seminars, online questions via email) to gain insights from their broad worldview and professional experience;

b) Lectures and seminars in an approximately 50% to 50% ratio;

c) The relevance and timeliness of the course programs in relation to current global events.

Everything mentioned above was realized 100%.

– What educational and cultural activities did you participate in during the mobility?

Freshers Fair, Big Bowland Quiz, Roller Disco, Weekly Film Club, Halloween Quest “Haunted Lancaster,” Halloween Circus, Movie Night, Lancaster Lights Festival, Game Night, Origami Night, “Who’s Up?” game, Christmas Night.

– Share your most vivid impressions from the mobility.

Membership in one of Lancaster University’s societies was one of the brightest impressions of my mobility. Every weekly event felt like a celebration – new themes for meetings, new emotions, new acquaintances.

I was incredibly impressed by Lancaster University’s campus! Firstly, the development of infrastructure! Despite being a student campus, it has everything needed for students' convenience and comfort: supermarkets, cafes/restaurants/bars, sports complex, clothing stores, post office, barbershop, cinema, market, bus stops (which can take you to various parts of the campus, Lancaster city center, and nearby cities), etc. This is why Lancaster University’s campus is often referred to as a city within a city (a university city within the real city of Lancaster), because living and being on its territory, it is hard to believe it’s not a real city, but rather a model city created for students. 

Secondly, the size of the campus was impressive! When I was preparing for mobility to Lancaster, I read about how huge the campus is, but of course, it’s difficult to imagine such vast acres. In reality, during the semester at Lancaster University, I personally experienced all 120 hectares of the campus area. It’s worth mentioning that, in addition to housing all the previously mentioned infrastructure, the campus also has its own lakes, forests, meadows, and professional football fields, which is truly delightful. In fact, Lancaster University is not just a city within a city, but its own world within the world!

– Would you like to participate in a mobility program again and where? 

Yes, I would like to participate in the mobility program again, specifically to study at a university in the UK.

– Would you recommend participating in the mobility program? 

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