Global students head to Plymouth University for international summer schools

Students from across the world are picking up new skills and experiences thanks to a series of summer educational programmes at Plymouth University.

The Plymouth University Summer School, now in its fifth year, sees students from institutions across China spending four weeks in the South West each July and August.

The University is also hosting students from Hong Kong and Sri Lanka as part of the three-week International Business Summer School.

Both schools are organised in conjunction with some of the University’s international partners, a global network of institutions which enable students to study Plymouth University courses in their home country.

Since they were launched, the summer schools have been attended by more than 450 students from nine countries on five continents.

Peter Ingram, Head of International Academic Partnerships at Plymouth University, said: “International summer schools are becoming an established part of Plymouth University, and each year we work to build on our previous successes. By welcoming global students to Plymouth, we are enriching their learning and giving them the potential to experience new cultures and opportunities. It also enhances the experience of our own students and staff, building new friendships and collaborations which will benefit them in the future.”

The Plymouth University Summer School – this year welcoming attendees from Shanghai Maritime University, Wuxi Taihu College, East China University of Political Science and Law and Ningbo Institute of Technology – sees students given the opportunity to improve their spoken English, with around three hours of language lessons each day.

They also experience a wide selection of academic content relevant to their studies in China – including sessions in robotics and illustration – and enjoy British culture through social trips and activities across the South West and beyond.

And there are displays of the unique approach to teaching and learning at Plymouth University, with students watching an experiment by Dr Roy Lowry, Associate Professor in Physical Chemistry, of the eye-catching reaction generated when 1,500 ping-pong balls come into contact with liquid nitrogen.

The International Business Summer School focuses more on academic content, and is this year being attended by students from Hong Kong University, the National School of Business Management in Sri Lanka, and Jiaxing University and the Ningbo Institute of Technology in China.

Li Gongyuan, a former Plymouth University Summer School student from Shanghai Maritime University, said: “The summer school is a fantastic experience, because not only did I get to sample British culture, and see the beautiful landscape here, but I can also learn something to take home to my country.”