India

Indian Student Ambassador

I am Pavithra Priyadarshini Selvakumar, an International student pursuing masters in Environmental Assessment and Management at the University of East Anglia. Being a technocrat from India, my concern for the environment and its sustenance has drawn me to this prestigious University with the world's best School of Environmental Sciences.

Initially, my mind was bombarded with thousands of questions regarding the prospectus of studying in a distant land. Right from appearing for the common tests till getting accustomed with the new environment, everything was guided by the staffs and students of UEA. I received constant support from the offshore office in India as well as the staffs from UEA in availing the international scholarship and getting into the varsity, which has now made me a more confident individual, pursuing my interests. At the calm serene city of Norwich, the Student Support Team made my initial settling down process smooth. Moving far away from home can be hard to many, but the multi-cultural exposure blended with the warmth of peer students has bestowed a home away from home.

The new curriculum and the study methodology were made more clear and easy through the ardent support of the faculty members of UEA. The excellent course modules supported by outstanding infrastructure has made it the right place to be ranked in the top 10 universities of the United Kingdom. My queries regarding taking up a career as a Sustainable Consultant and instant tips for presenting my corporate experience, not to mention the mock interviews were the best part of the expertise offered by the Career Central of UEA. The best place for any book lover would be the University Library where there is an umpteen, 24/7 access to various books and journals.

My personal experience for cherishing the university doesn't end with the University alone. The city of Norwich complements to the overall study experience. The tall structures with historic reminiscences and amiable nature of the people around makes it even more cordial. While living near the river side in the city center is mesmerizing, my taste buds has also got the best experiences at the university accommodation where there is a confluence of 'Multi-cuisine' students.

If you have any questions about studying at the University of East Anglia, please do not hesitate to contact me either via the Indian Students Facebook page or you can email me at indianstudents@uea.ac.uk.

BA Development Studies

Hello, my name is Shannon and I am a final year International Development student at UEA. I have been at UEA for two full years now and am thoroughly enjoying my time here. The main reason I chose UEA was because of its fantastic and ever improving academic reputation. Most international students take their studies very seriously and hence the large number of expert lectures and teachers working at the University really impressed me.  I was also very impressed with the well stocked library, 24 hour IT facilities and the beautiful Sainsbury Art Centre.   UEA also has a dedicated Learning Enhancement Team that is very helpful for International students who may need extra help with writing excellent essays and coursework.

In the first year of my International Development course, I had compulsory classes in Economics, Social Studies and Natural Resources. In the second year, I carried on with Economics and added Politics and also Gender Studies to my course. In my second year we had the option of selecting a free module that we were interested in and so I picked South Asian Development! This module was all about the economies and the politics in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.  As part of my course at UEA, I got a chance to go New Delhi, India this summer and work for a development research institute which I thoroughly enjoyed. I am now in the process of writing up my report using all the data that I collected when I was in Delhi.

Now in my final year, I am dreading the thought of leaving UEA and Norwich after the course. I am absolutely in love with my University and the experience that it has enriched me with. Life at the UEA is a stimulating, fun and very rewarding. It is a place where you can not only meet other India students but also learn a lot from the wonderfully diverse International community.

Hi! I’m Anjali, a Master’s student studying Environmental Sciences at UEA from September 2015. I chose UEA because it was the only university I found offering someone like me – with a non-science undergraduate background but with an interest in working in a science based field in the future – a place on an MSc like the one I’m currently doing. One of the things that’s great about the Environmental Science course is the variety of choice in the modules: some are quite technically scientific (isotope chemistry, ocean and atmospheric systems) but some aren’t (sustainable consumption, environmental impact assessment).

Life at UEA is pretty great. I live on campus with friendly flatmates, and I’m close to the library (which has spectacular sunset views from some of the study areas), laundry, and other facilities. My course mates are fun people who are great to both socialize with (the postgraduate bar is a fantastic place with a great quiz night!) and work with.

I’m also involved with clubs ranging from conservation and wildlife (which organizes documentary nights and visits to local sites of interest) to show choir to floorball (similar to hockey, and new at UEA this year!).

Off-campus, Norwich – which is about half an hour’s bus ride away from UEA – is a lovely city that I’m enjoying discovering as I wander through it when I can. It’s got lots of places of historical interest, plenty of shopping options, nice green spaces, and is very friendly to walkers and cyclists.

Hello! I am Sohini, a Master's student studying Creative Writing at UEA. The strength of the faculty as well as the course profile were definitely the most important reasons for my choosing UEA, and on coming here I am glad to find out that I can develop my skills on both creative and professional levels.

My course started in September 2014, and within the first couple of weeks I was able to settle down here. The amount of student support: be it in the form of the Dean of Student's Office who can help with international student queries, to the Career Central where you can build on your professional skills, and even your tutors is what makes the experience of living and studying at UEA comfortable as well as exciting. There are numerous opportunities to get involved with, including student run societies, sports, research projects, community activities, and the participation in these are exciting ways to discover new talents.

And what makes it even better is that Norwich is a pleasant and safe city to be in. With its cobble-stoned streets by the river and dotted with quaint shops, on a crisp autumn day, the place can look like an illustration out of a picture book. More importantly, you will easily find all the necessities in the city and it is well connected by coach and train services. An added perk for me is that Norwich rightly lives up to its title of being England's first UNESCO City of Literature and there are readings taking place regularly! 

BSc Business Management

I am Rubina, a second year undergraduate studying Business Management at UEA. When I was choosing universities, I was mainly looking at ratings for various aspects of interest and I noticed UEA had a good reputation with its student satisfaction as well as my choice of course. Therefore, I chose this university and so far, I am quite pleased with my decision.

Academic standards of a university are given utmost importance by international students. My first year consisted of all mandatory modules however my second year gave me an opportunity to choose my modules of interest. The wide variety of module choices made my academic life much interesting and gave me control over what I really wanted to study.

With commendable academic standards, UEA also provides great support with job prospects for students. Throughout my time here, I have been updated with job opportunities regularly and support from career fairs and the job shop on campus has been quite useful. 

Keeping academics aside, I find UEA campus and the city Norwich to be very friendly with international students. Still living on campus during my first year, I have joined a few societies that help me socialize and release my stress throughout the year. Trips to the city center are regular. Apart from being a lively city and a hot spot for shopping, Norwich flaunts its beauty with a historical touch to it. I am looking forward to my next two years or more in this city.

BSc Pharmacy

Namaste! I am Ketan, a 4th year undergraduate pharmacy student in UEA. I chose UEA not just because of its high ratings in the Pharmacy field but also because of it's highly collaboration with the practical sectors to make students more practical.  

Studying at UEA has been my life changing experience. University is so much organized in terms of education emphasizing on personal development plan to make students competitive at international level. UEA Pharmacy came 6th in the rankings of all schools of Pharmacy and the top new school of Pharmacy in the UK.  The department has a dedicated and very talented group of staff teaching students who are willing to learn and to meet us half way. All aspects of Pharmacy-related research are covered - from molecular pharmacology and drug design, pharmaceutical technology and process, through to professional practice, service and health policy research. The way, the course has been organized has really helped me to develop new personal skills and getting excellencies in already developed skills through the seminars, presentations and conferences.      

UEA has a much more to offer than studying only. Social life at UEA is much more active and gives me feeling as being at home. The Union of UEA Students has over 150 sports clubs and societies which make my social calendar really busy. As a president of Indian society, I really enjoy spreading ancient reach culture of India and celebrating major Indian festivals with integration of local students. Multicultural environment at UEA has given me so many international friends with whom I really enjoy going out and sharing each other's culture.

The people here are very friendly and approachable which is the most I like about the UEA. Norwich, it self is very charming city and provides all kinds of local needs. The city has attractions like shopping, exploring the historic Castle, Cathedrals and great variety of pubs and restaurants. Wildlife, broads, botanical gardens around the area and being at near the sea coast make my perfect days during the summer time.  

I am really glad that I chose UEA and so far what the UEA has given me for my career. I feel great satisfaction in myself when I think where I was when I walked through that university entrance first time and where am I now as a person and as an academic learner with full of confidence to achieve my future goals. This is simply the best experience I have ever had in my life.  

Hey! I'm Amay. I'm studying Economics here at UEA and I graduate in 2014. I was born and brought up in Bangalore, in southern India. I was brought up very differently and had a radically different education compared to most people from my background, which emphasised understanding and self-reflection in addition to academic rigour. I joined a top institution in India but dropped out since I was far from happy with the course there. Although I then got into several good universities in the UK, I chose UEA for several reasons.

I haven't regretted my decision, one bit.

When I arrived in UEA last year it was my first time in England and although things were new to me, ‘settling in' posed no problems to me whatsoever. Norwich is an incredibly friendly and safe town to live in, and with wonderful buildings from the middle-ages and the Norfolk broads weaving through it, it is beautiful too! After India, Norwich gives you the impression of living in a small-ish, quaint town but with plenty of the effervescence and energy one would experience in a large city. Shopping areas, good restaurants, charming old pubs, and gorgeous riverside walks are all abundant. Its location is fantastic too, being just 2 hours from London by train and with great coach connections as well. It pleased me that all my needs were taken care of within a 4-mile radius from campus, and also that anyone (boy or girl) can saunter/take a bus into the city centre at any time of day or night, without batting an eyelid.

My fundamental message for anyone coming to UEA is this: no matter where you're from, what your hobbies are, what you study etc, there is something for everyone here. It applies to Norwich as a city, and it applies to UEA. UEA has a fantastic set of resources and facilities for everyone. The library is now close to a million strong (books) and has innumerable study spaces and individual cubicles. Professors have always been friendly and welcoming, and courses are, almost without exception, engaging. Of course it would be unrealistic to say that every one of you will love every single aspect of life here, but the point is university life is a ‘package deal'. It's about the academic rigour of your course, but also it's about your social life, it's about having beauty around you, the quality of housing/food, and making sure you make the most from every moment of these fantastic years of your life.

And the ‘package deal', so to speak, is great at UEA. Your experience will be rounded and holistic. With a fantastic academic record and a strong research reputation [94% of UEA graduates were employed or in education within 6 months (‘09/'10)], with a 200 hectare campus comprising of woods and a stunning lake, with countless student societies, with job fairs and employment assistance, with student support and great accommodation, with a magnificent sports facility, and an intense schedule of gigs and concerts, you can pick and choose, or discover, the things that will make your university life meaningful, special and fun.

And if you're clear about those things, then UEA will do more than its bit to make sure you get what you're looking for.

MSc Biotechnology for a Sustainable Future

I am Swathi Kausika pursuing Masters in Biotechnology in the School of Biotechnology. Ten months ago, when I first came across the University website and the course, I was intrigued by the course title – "M.Sc Biotechnology for a Sustainable Future" and the module content was definitely interesting. Among the many Universities that I applied to, UEA attracted me the most. I graduated in Science with a triple major in Biotechnology, Biochemistry and Human Genetics from Bangalore University, India.

The University is situated in the beautiful city of Norwich. There is frequent bus service from the University to go around the city. The campus is very huge and breathtakingly beautiful with a small lake in the centre. People here are very friendly and approachable. There are many clubs and societies to join and have fun during your leisure time. The University Accommodations is around the campus and provides very comfortable housing. The 24 hours IT service and the library are the best attractions of the University and are very helpful to students. The Students Union, together with a few other associations, conducts wonderful programmes for students to relax and enjoy after a tiring day.

UEA is one of the best Universities in the field of Biological Sciences and was rated 5* in Research. The department also has a good infrastructure, highly qualified, competent, educated and dedicated staff, an atmosphere of high calibre competing student group, international exposure and job opportunities. The lecturers are very helpful and each student has a student adviser. Students can meet advisers and speak to them about the course and any problems that they face. This is a truly organized system of education where the student is guided and taught and at the same time made to think and reason.  Be it research or a career in a Biotech firm, University of East Anglia is the place. The M.Sc Biotechnology programme focuses mainly on applicability in human life. We also have seminars and talks by famous scientists from the John Innes Centre and the Institute of Food Research, both of which are located close to the university. This course provides an excellent course syllabus, ample opportunities for developing practical skills through a dissertation project in the 2nd semester, includes industry related programmes and has a rich and diverse international student atmosphere.

Now that I am here, I am glad that I have made a wise decision in choosing UEA for my postgraduate studies. I am sure that the University will help me achieve my career goals.

MA Development Studies

I am Manan Kotak, a student of School of International Development, pursuing my MA in International Social Development. I decided to pursue my MA in UEA because UEA is renowned for Development studies in UK.

I have worked with International, Indian and American Red Cross in Disaster Relief and Recovery Programs in India (Earthquake) and in Indonesia (Tsunami) for more than 7 years. After this practical experience its worth studying and I think it's a wise decision to study at UEA. The university's teaching method is through lectures and also seminars and workshops which makes the study more interactive. The lecturers of the school are involved in worldwide research and use their first hand experience. There are so many other resources in the university; the 24 hours IT service and library are the best.
Many International students are studying in UEA especially in School of International Development and my studying experience has been enhanced by this multicultural environment. I am able to make many friends from all over the world in the University.
The campus is so alive and has a friendly environment. The city Norwich is a small and charming city. The city has attractions like shopping, exploring the historic Castle, Cathedrals and great variety of pubs and restaurants.

There are many Indian students enrolled in the University, the Indian Society proudly portrays the Indian culture at the annual celebrating Indian Festivals and running social events. There are many other societies in University who organized other events such as sports, days out from Norwich amongst others - these are all quite enjoyable. I never feel that I am away from home. It is really the best experience I have had in my life.

MBA Norwich Business School

The spring is on the door, but it seems like just yesterday, that I got down from the national express at UEA campus. UEA has meet and greet service but in light of some unavoidable reasons I landed reasonably late in the evening to stand in midst of nowhere to go! A small voice squeaked behind me and readily a girl from this ever friendly campus helped me with baggage to the accommodation office. This was my first day and after almost four months this university has become my home away from home, with tons and loads of friends coming from across the globe.

The broad river in campus gives a quiet place to walk over the beautiful evenings amongst the woods. The city centre is always beaming with beautiful faces in the fantastic shopping outlets for shopaholics like me. Staying on campus has been very exciting with every facility in view, food outlets, banks, pub, caterings, coffee shops, and ever wonderful square teaming with loads of friendly people.

The course has been fruitful, very intensive taking loads of time but with wi-fi coverage across the campus and LAN connection in every room life is much easier. The 24 hour IT library adds feather to cap with peaceful abode to let the creativity juices flow. The strong student unions and societies keep most of the evenings busy with themed dance parties, performances and concerts over the year!

On and on UEA campus is lovely place ever with loads of friendly students and staff giving a truly international experience.

MA Rural Development

The School of Development Studies at the University of East Anglia is really one of the best schools I have ever been to. I really enjoyed my MA Rural Development course in spite of the hectic course work. Here I got the opportunity to meet people from all over the world and it was really a marvellous experience. The Professors are really gems and quite approachable. The academic experience was really excellent. The library perhaps the best of its kind I have ever seen in my life. Everything is mechanised and is quite easy to operate and of course it provides a huge collection of books and journals.
The campus is lively and amazing. I really enjoyed my campus life at UEA. The shops on campus are really reasonable and easily accessible. I have a nice experience during my stay as I performed at the International party, 2008 and I proudly represented my school with two other mates. The Sport Park is the best in UK with all kind of modern facilities.

In brief, I just want to say that University of East Anglia is one of the best options for those who really want to achieve academic excellence with fun.

Want to be a part of one of the best Universities in UK? Just experience UEA and I wish good luck to all the aspirant students from India, who wants to pursue a career in the development sector.

Join UEA for a bright future and a thrilled experience.

Name / Job Title
Teena – Filmmaker/Producer/Writer/Journalist

What did you study?
Development Studies (1986)

What is your best memory of UEA?
The main thing I remember at UEA, were the people on my course. It was a great opportunity to be with such a diverse group of people and a wonderful experience to learn about the parts of the world that they were from.

Employment:

Job title
Filmmaker/Producer/Writer/Journalist

Employer
Insight Films TG

Please explain how your career has developed since graduating
After finishing at UEA, I carried on to do an MA in Gender & Development at IDS, Sussex and then an Mphil at Delhi University. While doing my Mphil, I began working as a journalist. I worked for various newspapers and magazines, such as the Pioneer and the Indian Express, mostly as a development journalist. Then I had the opportunity to go back into research at the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, Thailand. I really wanted to pursue research in my field of gender studies but it didn't quite work out like that and in the end and I went back to journalism, firstly at the Thailand Environment Institute where I was the editor-in-chief of a research journal. Then I began writing for other development news services. I spent quite a few years working as a print journalist and travelled all over South East Asia covering development related issues. I always had an interest in film-making but never had the opportunity to work in that field until I was approached by a Sri Lankan film company who wanted to know if some IPS (Inter Press Service) journalists would like to do some features on development related issues.  At the same time I was also filing radio stories, so I was working in these three areas of print, radio & film. Around this time I decided to make my own documentary films. I made my first film ‘Orange Alert' and that was the beginning of my independent career as a filmmaker. Soon after this time, I returned to India and continued working as a filmmaker and made a number of short films, more recently for Oxfam GB.

Most rewarding aspect of role?
I love filmmaking! I love the whole process of film making, right from research to scripting, to post-production, especially editing – all the various elements that go into making a film.

The key skills that I acquired while at UEA
I really learnt a lot from the multi-disciplinary aspect of the course. The fact that ‘development' is looked at from multiple perspectives. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to explore these ideas.

Do you have any tips for current students or recent graduates?
Remember that you are only at UEA for a short time. Try and make the most of the opportunity. It's a really special experience, which is not likely to be repeated again.

Name / Job Title
Karan – Project Manager

What did you study?
MBA Strategic Carbon Management (2010)

Why did you choose UEA?
I always wanted to get into the business aspect of sustainable development and with UEA being the only university in the world to give an MBA degree in Strategic Carbon Management; it wasn't a difficult choice to make.

Employment

Job title
Assistant Project Manager in Energy Efficiency Improvements in Commercial Buildings

Employer
United Nations Development Programmes

Please explain how your career has developed since graduating
I graduated from UEA and joined The Energy and Resources Institute based out of New Delhi. It was then that I came across UNDP job advertised on the website and applied. For me it was very different as I was changing from an IT background to a climate change career. Completing the MBA at UEA really helped me make this career change and get the ‘brand recognition' to get this job.

The key skills that I acquired while at UEA
The key skills that I acquired while at UEA were Consultancy and Presentation skills. Certain carbon related courses like Low Carbon Economics and Strategy were also very useful.

Do you have any tips for current students or recent graduates?
At the start of your course, think about whether you are going to stay in the UK and work or if you are going to return home and look for work. This is important as depending on your decision, you would need to build a network of key contacts within the area that you are planning to work in. But while at the university – enjoy UEA!

Name / Job Title
Kritika – Research Associate

What did you study?
MSc International Development & Economics (2009)

What is your best memory of UEA?
The diversity of students, the beautiful campus and the Sportspark

Employment

Job title
Research Associate

Employer
Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), South Asia

Please explain how your career has developed since graduating
After graduating, I had a short internship in London with the Overseas Development Institute. Then I moved to India to gain more experience of working in the field. I started working  in the field. I started working with the National Council of Applied Economic Research in New Delhi. From there I happened to meet a professor from the University of Virginia USA and moved to Punjab, India to work on a project with her. This helped me get my present job at poverty action lab.

Most rewarding aspect of role?
I have to work at the ground level with people. I can have a clearer understanding of their issues and work to try and make them better. A large part of my job is research orientated and then we try to apply solutions on the field.

The key skills that I acquired while at UEA
Research skills both for scientific and academic work. It also helped develop my critical thinking skills which are very useful for research. Also the fact that I was exposed to so many people from different backgrounds helped me to develop my cross-cultural awareness skills. What also helped was that the programme itself was very international.

Do you have any tips for current students or recent graduates?
Keep studying but at the same time, try to acquire as many skills as you can, for example, volunteering, internships etc. All of these build up your profile and help you do the dream career that you want.

Name / Job Title

Sanjoy - Artistic Director

What did you study?

Doctorate in Literature

Awards received

Sanjoy has recently been presented with the Social Impact Award from the British Council. This award acknowledges alumni who have made exceptional contribution and commitment to creating positive social change and improving the lives of others.

Employment

Job title
Artistic Director

Employer

Jana Sanskriti the largest theatre of its kind and is recognised for its work on social issues equipping people to fight against oppression.

The theatre engages with communities in Western Bengal and raises awareness on topics including a range of social, healthcare and political issues.

The key skills that I acquired while at UEA

Sanjoy believes his doctorate in Literature enabled him to think critically and analyse how local communities can be empowered.

Future plans

Sanjoy plans to open an international research and resource centre for practical and theoretical work, bringing together theatre work from all over the world