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author
Susanne Kass
Susanne
Kass
faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences
academic year of the stay
2022/2023
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author
Susanne
faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences
academic year of the stay
2022/2023
traineeship
study stay
short-term mobility
other
Middlesex University
How does Susanne rate their stay?
university
city
accommodation
financial demands
about university
What made your university special? What were the facilities where you studied and the university equipment like?
The university has a very diverse student population, it is located outside central London, but it is still close enough to the city to attend events and activities, as we went to visit lectures at the School of Advanced Studies in London and Goldsmiths where I was invited by my host and another colleague who is based in London.
The roundtable I attended is an annual event hosted by Dr Johan Siebers, Dr Paul Cobley and Adrian Pable, who have over the years developed a network of scholars who are interested in similar themes within the field of philosophy of communication, semiotics and language studies. It was a great opportunity for me to meet this group in person and share my research with them. I was also able to meet some other scholars from related fields and had the opportunity to familiarise myself with their projects and networks.
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about your "adoptive" university? What made it special? What were the premises where you studied and the university facilities like?
My host at the university and his colleagues were very friendly and helpful, they treated me as a colleague and not a student. I did not do any courses but I found it very inspiring that the university promotes the development of international research communities, which includes some in kind support (technical assistance, food and drinks for events) which facilitates the running of regular events such as this.
What is student life like at university?
Did you study in English or in the language of the host country? What language requirements does the university have?
I communicated in English.
about the city
What was your impression of the city? How would you describe it? What is interesting to see here?
London is a hub of scholarly activity, and since I also have a contact at another university and my host is also working at the School of Advanced Studies at London University I had the opportunity to visit these institutions as well. Additionally there were lots of amazing exhibitions, theatre and bookshops and a very international atmosphere both at the academic institutions and in the city as a whole.
about finances
In your experience, how far does the scholarship go? What percentage of your expenses did it cover? What is your opinion on prices in the country in general?
Luckily I was able to find some affordable accommodation near the university, and reasonable flight tickets so the main expenses were covered by the stipend. However, since London is a very expensive city I did pay some expenses (such as food or tickets) out of my own pocket. Inflation in the UK was also quite high at the time which meant that the cost of food was especially high.
Please advise your classmates on how to save money—Where to shop? What services can be used to save money?
Buying flight tickets early or booking accommodation in advance is the best way to save money. If you have the possibility of getting a room with the possibility to use a kitchen you can cook at home, so airbnb might be a better option than a hotel for shorter stays. Some exhibitions and events are free and it is good to ask others for tips! Sometimes the closest airport is not the cheapest, I flew to Standstead and there was a very affordable and fast bus connection that went near the university, so though it seemed far away it was the most affordable and even practical option in the end.
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about accommodation
What type of accommodation did you choose? Would you recommend it to others? If not, what type of accommodation do you think is best based on your experience (dormitory, private apartment, private dormitory, shared room, etc.)?
I stayed at an airbnb that was walking distance from the university, which saved me money and time.
about experiences
Did you use Erasmus stay to travel around your country/Europe? What are your best travel experiences? What would you not recommend?
I was only on a short stay so I didn't travel far, only to central London several times which was quite convenient.
Language and culture: what cultural differences did you notice? How did you cope with the national language? Was it also the language of your studies? Do you feel that your language skills improved during your stay?
The language was no problem, I felt the culture at the university was very open and inspiring, people are involved in a lot of different projects and always have a lot of meetings, but this also creates strong networks and makes it easy to connect with people with similar interests and projects to your own.
final rating
Why here? What makes this location special? Why would you send your friends to your country/city?
I had met my host Dr Siebers at the ECREA conference in Denmark, and since they accepted my proposal to their roundtable event I decided to try and extend my stay through the Erasmus program so that I could attend in person and also consult my work with Dr Siebers and his colleagues. My choice of city and university was based on this personal connection, but it was also a good choice since I also have other connections in London and was able to take advantage of these also on the same trip. And of course London is an amazing city so this was also attractive.
live-saving tips
If I went again, I would definitely remember to pack...
Less books, since the library and bookshops had plenty of material for me to read that I didn't otherwise have access to.
Before leaving, I would like to know that...
The cultural program so that I would have been able to plan enjoying some culture on the weekends.
What surprised me most was that...
The high quality of projects that are going on in London and the UK.
The hardest thing for me was...
Finding enough time to meet people and organise my schedule.
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