International Student Farewell

On Wednesday, 15 June 2011, completing international students celebrated their final year at UC with friends, family and teachers at the International Student Farewell Reception.
The farewell reception included a short congratulatory address, light entertainment and refreshments.
Liza Pareno, one of the AusAID students that was also graduating that day made a wonderful speech that touches the heartstrings of many of the attendants on that day.
"Today we celebrate the fruits of our labor," she said in her speech. "Not just for the degrees, but also about the life changing experiences of being in Australia for the past 12 months."
Liza further commented that, "Merely attending classes and writing essays did not make me the person that I am today. My experience as an international student in this university revolved around so many other things that made my journey here in the Uni more meaningful and worthwhile."
On behalf of all the graduating international students, Liza thanked the University of Canberra, its administrators, staffs and faculty members for all the support they have given to the international students.

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What U C Awards Night

The 'What U C' Youtube video competition entries have been received and the winners will be announced at the awards night to be held at:
Ann Harding Conference Centre
Building 24
Friday 13 May 2011
5 to 7:30 PM

'What U C' is a Youtube video competition  where teams of two, one domestic and one international student who made a video showing the benefits of studying at UC from their perspective.

8 videos were received (see it at UC Youtube channel). A panel of judges will select a winner based from criterias such as creativity, clarity and viewer appeal. The winner will then be awarded their prize during the award night.

Hope to see you there!

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University of Canberra- practical & student orientated.

The title here reflects what I feel when I look at the teachers and students at UC and compare them to other universities in Australia. It’s practical; it’s focused and ensures that students are prepared for the job market. Every year the University of Canberra attracts many employers, many international students and brings a large diverse bunch together. That diversity ensures a friendly and vibrant environment for everyone to learn a lot from one another. The university provides many services for the students other than providing education such as giving advice and help to students whom are looking for jobs. Other than that they have speakers coming in regularly to market their firms and explaining why UC students should apply there.

Having studied at the University of Canberra for more than a year now I find the teachers and the staff very helpful and understanding. Most of the lecturers here go out of their way to ensure that the students are comfortable with what they have learned. The education provided at UC is very practical and the application or approach taken by lecturers is such that it is very easy to understand the actual implementation of the lesson learned in the real world; I personally think that’s why UC is such a good place to learn as education gets more interesting when you can see its application.

As an International Student Ambassador and a Residential Assistant on ress, I tend to meet many students and I learned that the majority of the students are very satisfied with the University and its teachers. They consider it friendly, supportive and fun.

The University has recently refurbished it main cafeteria and its upgrading its facilities throughout campus. I personally think that the University of Canberra is a great place to study as it gives you loads of opportunities to broaden your skills, polish your character and to glow! As we say it here at UC “your mind is not a vessel but a fire to be kindled!”

Muhammad Haroon Anwar

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The Essence of Univesity of Canberra

Hi guys, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kit, a second year Law student at University of Canberra origin from Malaysia. The purposed of blogging is to share my experience with you at University of Canberra and guess what? Being at UC is the most pleasurable time. It was priceless and stress -less to see kangaroos hoping on campus while I am cracking my head for assignments. Being a student at University of Canberra, you could capture moments of true nature. It’s so rewarding where you could see cuddly rabbits and kangaroos while you have worked so hard for your studies. UC does not only equip their students with academics but as well as good nature greens on campus. You could smell the refreshing greens and flowers every corner on campus while you are on campus whilst, it exceptionally unbelievable to have an environmental friendly campus. Nonetheless, in terms of academic facilities, you could not be deprived from the facilities provided. Most amazing of all, UC has a mock court on campus, enable students to advocate in a real life experience.
Socially, you get to mix along with the locales easily whether you are in class or off class. At you UC, we can hang out for lunch at cafés or restaurants on campus while waiting for the next class. Imagine yourself online with your family back home while you are surrounded by excellent environment with touch of wireless everywhere on campus. For some fitness fanatic, UC provides gym memberships and with free indoor soccer and even basketball for all. There are lots of activities organized each week for all. In a nut shell, there is no reason you couldn’t enjoy studying at UC!

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Dragon Boating & Wine Harvest Festival

Hi everyone, I just like to share some wonderful experience in Canberra.

Usually April is a festival season here. In the past week there was a dragon boat competition in Lake Burley Griffin and the final match was held on Sunday 3 April. It was such a nice weather and thousands of people including players visitors gathered. Nearly 2200 players from all over Australia joined the match. We saw teenagers as well as grandmas (and they are peddling fast) wooh!~ The drummer shouted and bended with the beat and she looks like a rock star, what a hard work... Even as an audience, we can feel the exciting atmosphere. By the way, a small "accident" occurred when two groups were pretty close to each other and water from the paddles quickly went to another one, then suddenly it sinked. Safety guard came and helped moving water outside. On later rounds, other teams learn from the lesson and we see in some boats with a player especially responsible for taking the water from the boat.

Last weekend, there was also a wine harvest festival in the countryside, just up to 35mins drive from Canberra. But pity that this year I was not able to go, so maybe next year ^^.

Here is the link of the gallery of this from Canberra Dragon Boats Association:

http://www.cdba.com.au/galleries/act-fire.html

cheers

Jessie

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Creating a Scenario of the Future

I will begin my story from today, one of the best parts of my live journey. My being here, my second fruitful chance in Australia to study in one of the most renown research centre for microsimulation, National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM), University of Canberra (UC). It is an essential part of my “chasing the better future” episode.

At my condition now, I’m on my most critical phase but most enjoyable one. I am now spoilt by a great condition of experiencing a very rich stage of one side of my life. What I mean rich is by having lucrative time to learn what I dreamt of and to reap amazing value of being very close to my family day by day. Those two are a real luxury for me. Most of the times, on my weekday in Jakarta, a chance to study could only done simultaneously with my working journey, a direct learning in the battlefield. I hardly ever had a chance to set a proper time to fully concentrate on study. On the other side, time for my family was very limited, even just for having breakfast or dinner with my family. Commuting was one of the consequences of working in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, a densely populated city with an unsupportive infrastructure. Every day, I commuted as early as 5.30 am to my office and arrive home from my office at earliest on 7 pm (which is very rarely happened).

Living in Canberra is the absolute opposite condition to that. Canberra is a well planned and specifically-developed city for the capital of Australia. Here, times are just priceless, we could go easily to anywhere within minutes, we can easily plan several activities in a day. Here a real balance for study and family is freely provided. There are no reasons for a wasted time on the streets, so the challenge here is to make the most out of that luxury chance.

I’ve just done my first year journey in the UC and thanks God all are well. I did well on my research with a very supportive supervisors and research centre. This March 2011 is a month of blessing. There are several happiness resulted from my hard work, I just presented my initial PhD seminar together with the presentation of my preliminary stage of research model. Other happiness came as a result of studying in Canberra. For an Indonesian public officer like me, having experience to discuss directly with the Minister in the department I worked for is a rare chance. But here, again because of Canberra, 2 weeks ago we can get a close chance to discuss the Indonesian ministry of finance reform, directly with the Indonesian Minister of Finance. Thanks UC, Thanks Canberra, I will surely make the most out of my remaining study period.

Salam,

Bimo Wijayanto

(UC International Ambassador, 1^st year PhD Student in Tax Microsimulation Modelling)

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Exciting Experience in Canberra

Hi everyone, I'm a third-year student majoring in Software Engineering in University of Canberra. At first, I totally had no idea of what it would be, how to survive living by myself, not even how to make friends once I arrived in Canberra. But time flies by, like a blink of my eyes and I just realized that it's been 15 months since I've been here. I've experienced lots of new things since I came here, and working in Canberra is one of those interesting things.

My first job was as a waitress in Belconnen Food Court, but yeah I quit on the fourth month since I found other exciting jobs. I applied for Student Ambassador position in University of Canberra http://www.canberra.edu.au/student-ambassadors, and for the PALS Leader for Business Statistics in UC as well. All the application well went, and I went to both interview and couple of practice tests for PALS Leader position. Everything went well, then by the last summer vacation (January 2011), I successfully got training for both position. It was really amazing since I will be doing something for myself and others in university.

Week after the training was really awesome since there was an orientation week (or what we usually call o-week) followed by the teaching weeks. I was contributing in the o-week as the Student Ambassador who gave the campus tour (say yeay for the tour along with the orange T-shirt and cowboy hat), and helping new students about some enquiries regarding the uni life. It felt really great while you walk around the uni and people keep asking for your help. You will fell useful by looking at those new faces, and don't forget to put a big shiny smile towards them.

That's not the end of the Student Ambassador duty. We still have shifts in Marketing and International office (7A43), maintaining the blog http://ucinternational.blogspot.com/, and posting some particular events on UC International Student Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/unican.intl and http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=27958891867which are important for all of UC students (domestic and international ones). It seemed like I have my own office along with the computer, phone, and other colleagues working together. :)

The other job I'm doing at the moment is PALS Leader for Business Statistics, which I have my own sessions helping other students to get a better knowledge of one particular unit. It was hard at the very first beginning but it seems alright as time passed. It is fun to do whatever you like plus get some idea about how real life gonna be. Well, if I have chance to extend my course, I definitely will do it in University of Canberra and get more experience working in a conducive and friendly environment like UC does.

Tips to get more experience especially for looking a job in UC :

- Check the University of Canberra site regularly http://www.canberra.edu.au/careers and make sure that you don't miss any important position.

- Have heaps of friends (domestic and international), because they probably have ideas where to look for a job.

- Do your best and keep focus on your studies as well. :)

Best of luck and hope to see you around UC real soon..

Cheers,

Ody

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