BSc Biological Sciences 
Graduated in 2019 from the 2+2 China Partnership Programme
“I was deeply impressed by the final year project. In the laboratory and the school, my supervisor gave me a great deal of freedom, which stimulates my autonomy as a student.”
Why did you decide to study Biosciences 2+2 at the University of Birmingham?
After joining a culture exchange journey to a university in Canada, I started my plan to go abroad for study. Undergraduate stage is an important part of my life, containing 4 years (in China). I thought it would be good and interesting to restart my life in a totally different environment. I found this Biosciences 2+2 project to be a perfect opportunity for me to get in touch with the outside world.
How do you find living in Birmingham? Was it how you expected it to be?
My life in Birmingham is very peaceful. In the first year, I lived in the dormitory of the school. In the second year, my friends and I lived near the school. In the back of the house is Selly Oak park. These two years has a sense of standing alone from worldly affairs. I am a pure student who can focus on any knowledge I am interested in. It was totally beyond my imagination. My focus has been very cultivated.
What are the main differences between studying at the University of Birmingham and your university in China?
The education model here is completely different from my university in China. For me, the biggest highlight is the course structure. Although it was very difficult to learn in a relatively new language, the educational process at Birmingham university gave me a reasonable cushion, with the first year of my two years in Birmingham being only 25% of the final grade. In this way, I have enough time to prepare myself for the key final year. Another character is the process assessments. Each of the assessments is an opportunity for me to train myself from knowledge collection to information integration. In this process, what I got is a clear model of how to learn.
What is your top tip for other students thinking of coming to study at Birmingham?
I don't think you should be afraid of your limitations. You can be confident in yourself, because two years is enough time for you to adapt and improve yourself. The other thing is you need to take advantage of the opportunities that come your way. I believe that you are already an excellent student, so the two years in Birmingham will be a precious opportunity to further improve yourself and make up for your shortcomings. For example, when I was in China, my time and energy were mainly spent on student work and community construction. In Birmingham, my ability in scientific research has been improved, which directed my core competitiveness to be more complete.
What are your aspirations for the future and how has studying abroad benefited you?
My current plan is to continue my life science studies as a postgraduate and doctoral student, and gradually determine my research direction. For this experience of studying abroad, the most valuable thing is to help me grow into a more thoughtful person. My way of thinking became more active and creative. In the past three years, I have visited Korea, Canada, Britain, Thailand and France. In this process, I have had different experiences, gradually deepened my understanding of the world, and gradually clarified my uniqueness.