Student Testimonial

Irreplaceable, memorable, and insightful. Those are the 3 words that I would use to describe the unique experience at the UNNC. To me, it is not just a place to learn, but also a home. The lush greeneries by the sidewalk, that awesome dumpling my friends and I bought at street food after a long day, that particular spot in library I spent almost every waking hour before the exam, the knocking sound of food delivery way too late for dinner, and the all too familiar view from my room window. These memories, they still feel like yesterday. Looking back, waking up early in the morning to learn thermodynamics, transport phenomena, and chemistry, sleepless nights spent on coursework, and struggling to communicate or even order food in Chinese, were things that I did not look forward to, yet, I’d do them all over again.

I did my undergraduate degree in chemical engineering at the UNNC from September 2013 to July 2016. To be honest, I struggled at the beginning of the program. But, towards the end, the course that seemed like just a clutter of overly complicated information and concepts began to tie in together into this beautiful understanding of what the lecturers were trying to teach us right from the first day. I had the opportunity to be involved in representing my fellow classmate and friends, to be involved in helping with actual research over the summer, and is given recognition for the work I have done during my studies. If I could say just one sentence to my old self that was looking for a university to pursue an undergraduate degree, I would say “I can’t tell you of which university is best for you, but what I can tell you is I do not regret a single day I spent at the UNNC.”

I have UNNC to thank for introducing me to chemical engineering, educating me, and supporting me throughout my studies. Moreover, the globally recognized degree that I received sure did help in opening up doors towards unlocking my full potential. Now, I am pursuing an MSc at Imperial College London to learn more about chemical engineering. And if given the opportunity, I would implement the things I learned to contribute in making the world a better place for people to live in: producing products more sustainably, doing research to discover new technologies, or as simple as doing my best in whatever responsibility is given to me.

"Hello. I am Poornima. I am Indian but I was born and brought up in Thailand. I am a Year 2 student studying Chemical Engineering. I chose this subject because of my profound interest in chemistry and my wish to solve some of the global scientific problems such as finding alternative sources of fuel or a cure for cancer. My studying experience in the UNNC was wonderful and eye opening as I have gained the practical knowledge as well the ability to apply my knowledge to everyday life, my teamwork skills have improved a lot, and I can see clearly how and where I want to continue learning or working in the future. The major benefits of learning in the UNNC compared to my hometown is the ability to do exchange programs to the other two Nottingham campuses or other universities which allows us to explore the world and help us stand on our feet, definitely meeting a lot of international students, and also there are more opportunities to find internships in or outside of the university which will allow us to use our knowledge to practical applications. Life in campus is amazing. The accommodation is very good and spacious so we each have our private room with all the facilities provided to us such as water dispensers, refrigerators, induction, cooking pans. The food and drink are alright. I wish that they have more vegetarian. There are many societies here which I think is amazing because every day we get to see different activities being done in the university and we get to meet new people and make new friends. I am part of a society club called Campus Ambassadors which allows me to give tours to international guests which allowed me to learn their experiences and help plan my future learning. My advice to future students is: 

• Learn Chinese before coming here

• Be prepared for a lot of homework, lab reports, and coursework

• Never be shy to ask teachers for help even if it is for the silliest questions

• If you wish to participate in an activity, do it otherwise you will regret it.

• If you come from a tropical country, bring a lot of warm clothes as it gets very cold in Ningbo. 

• Most importantly, have fun learning and exploring your university life by meeting new friends, enjoying activities with your fellow classmates, and making good rapport with your teachers. 

Thank you. Hope to see a lot of new international students studying in the UNNC."

1. Where are you from? Which subject are you studying (EE or CE), why did you choose this subject, and which year are you in?

I am from South Korea, and I am currently studying Chemical Engineering in Part 1. There are many factors inspired me to study Chemical engineering. However, the most important reason why I am studying Chemical Engineering is to do research in pharmaceutical industries and develop on current medicines to be improved and make them be cheaper, so that people around the world no matter which country they are in can access to those improved medicines easily.

2. How would you describe your studying experience at the UNNC? What have you gained most from your studies at UNNC?

Chemical and Environmental engineering heavily focus on a group work. And this led me to gain so many things such as a teamwork. But, most importantly, I got to know most students who are studying Chemical or Environmental engineering and shared many ideas regarding the topic given by lecturers through many group works. So, throughout the study, I gained how to share ideas with a group of people and how to approach to new people who are not from the same home country, South Korea.

3. What do you think are the major benefits of studying at the UNNC compared to studying in your own country?

Chemical and Environmental engineering in the UNNC are relatively a small-scale class compared to other universities around the world. This may lead lecturers to focus more on each student, and it is easier for students to communicate with lecturers. UNNC is truly based on a British curriculum, so the modules and syllabuses in each module are identical to the University of Nottingham UK campus. And lecturers here are great and very willing to help students. So, because of those, I decided to study Chemical Engineering with British curriculum at such a near country from my home country.

4. What do you think about life on campus, e.g. accommodation, food, drink, entertainment, social activities etc.?

Apart from studying, life in the UNNC campus is incredible. Even though the UNNC campus is not a big campus compared to other universities’ campuses, but everything including food, groceries, ATM, cafes and bars can get in the campus. Shops and buildings are compacted, so everything can be done in a walking distance. A grocery shop is just in front of my dormitory building, so whenever I need something, I just walk for a minute to get a grocery shop. How easy it is. 

My flatmates are from other countries, Taiwan and Malaysia. So, whenever I am in my flat, I always chat with my flatmates in English. And this makes me practice English even more. By chatting with them, we also share our traditional food from our own home country and lifestyles.

5. How would you describe Ningbo and the parts that you’ve explored?

Ningbo is a developed city, so students here can experience city life including drinking, shopping, and city viewing in a short driving distance. And the public transportation in Ningbo is always a perfect choice for travelling to somewhere in Ningbo. Because its fare is very cheap and convenient. I found Ningbo is considered as a cleaned city compared to other cities in China. This is what I really like about Ningbo. Ningbo is not just with city-life. There are many environmental attractions for tourists like Yuan Hu and Dongqian Hu. So, Ningbo can be said a perfect place for students to experience a modern city life and a natural environment.

6. Have you been travelled around in China and if so, can you share some of your experiences?

I have been travelling China during every holiday. China is a great country for travelling for sightseeing, extreme activities and shopping. 

I went to Huangshan last spring, which is the most famous mountain in China. And of course, I took around three to four hours just to get the top of the mountain. It was really a tiring job for me to climb, however, the view from the peak was fantastic. I have never seen amazing sight view like the view at Huangshan. So, I really recommend people to visit Huangshan. I went to Harbin with my friends during this winter holiday. Harbin is around three hours of flight distance from Ningbo. I found people in Harbin are different from people in Ningbo. The structure of buildings in Harbin is different from Ningbo’s.

There are many Russian-style architectures in Harbin. Besides architectures, there are many things are Russian style including food and clothing. So, I indirectly experienced Russia in Harbin, China! There are more places willing to travel in the near future, and I am definitely looking for it.

7. Any advice for international students who would like to study at the UNNC?

I know a huge decision must be made for a study abroad. But for those who are willing to experience Western and Eastern cultures at the same time or want to learn Chinese as well as study in British curriculum, studying at the UNNC is definitely a perfect option for them.

 1. Where are you from? Which subject (e.g EE or CE) are you studying and why choose this subject? Which year are you in?

I’m Ivena Wiranata from Indonesia and I’m a year 2 student studying CE at Nottingham University Ningbo China. I choose CE because CE fascinated me in some way that no other subjects can and I want to learn more about petroleum and energy.

 2. Please comment studying experience at the UNNC? What have you gained most throughout your study? 

The first time I came to UNNC I don’t know what to expect. Studying in the UNNC has thought me how to respect other people opinions and how to communicate without misunderstanding with people from different backgrounds. Throughout my study in the UNNC, I learned that communication with people from different backgrounds or cultures can be challenging but then once you understand one another, it was so much more fun than you can imagined.

 3. What are the major benefits do you think compare studying in UNNC with your own country?

UNNC has offer me great opportunities to get to know different cultures and a different environment to study in.

 4. What do you think about life in campus, e.g accommodation, food, drink, entrainments, society etcs?

In the UNNC, not only you can get a good education but you can experience the real campus life. UNNC canteens have varieties of foods and drinks that one can try. There are Chinese food, Western food, Japanese and Indonesian as well. Our university is located near different shopping areas such as In Time (银泰城) and In City (印象城) which has cinemas and different food to try. However, inside the campus itself, we also have different activities that one can joined and have fun with. I personally think that UNNC have great societies which members are all friendly and welcoming. Don’t worry about accommodations, in the UNNC for International students, we have great accommodations.

 5. What do you recon the life in Ningbo if you have explored? 

Ningbo is different from other city in China. I like the life in Ningbo as it is quiet and the Chinese people are all friendly compared to other cities in China. Importantly, I feel that Ningbo is a safe city in China with a low crime records.

 6. Have you been traveled around in China, if yes, can you share your experience?

Yes, I did go to Shanghai and Hangzhou. Studying in China (UNNC) makes me want to travel China. Shanghai and Hangzhou are both closed to Ningbo with approximately 2 hours and 1.5 hours from Ningbo respectively by train. Shanghai and Hangzhou are both different from Ningbo, they are more crowded than Ningbo. However, both Shanghai and Hangzhou has different cultures which makes me in awe with China.

 7. Any other advice for international students who would like to study at the UNNC?  

Adaptation can sometimes be a challenging thing to do but when you overcome it, you will be amaze of how fun university life can be. Don’t worry about meeting new people because everyone worries about the same thing, just enjoy every single second of your university. UNNC welcomes anyone from different backgrounds with open arms!