UK Student Corner

How to use social media for job hunting

2011-08-16T21:01:00.003Z

Guest post by Carlo Pandian

Recruitment has changed dramatically in the last 10 years with many companies involved in finding innovative and lean solutions for employers and employees. Social media and Internet have played a key role in this transformation.

Here you can find five suggestions to improve your chances while you are job seeking. You can boost your presence in the job market with these simple steps:

1. Register as a Linkedin member and upload your CV. Linkedin is the main social network to find job, contact employers, showcase your experience and networks within the professionals in your field.

2. Optimize your Linkedin profile – Add your Blog and Twitter Account if these are related to your future job. When employers are looking for staff they will type keywords to find you, so it is important you will add this keywords in your interests and specialities sections.

Moreover you can boost your profile and win the competition by adding special features ( From the main navigation bar > More > My Applications). In particular add a Reading list with job related books, events you have attended or you will attend in the future (there are many for marketing, art, law, health care and other professions) and publications you have written in the past.

3. Join Linkedin Groups and Associations related to your category. Contribute to the discussion of them and connect with some employers

4. Recommend your academic colleagues and previous work mates and ask for a recommendation back.

5. Search for vacancies on the Adzuna job site. The website gathers job ads from almost all the job boards in UK and allows you to be recommended by your friends through its unique Linkedin social feature.

Snippets of the lives of PhD students

2011-04-17T18:36:00.001Z

If you are thinking about doing your PhD here in the UK, you are probably wondering what they go through. Check out PhD Life: A blog about real researcher issues. The blog is hosted by the University of Warwick Library Wolfson Research Exchange. There are some really interesting posts by PhD students in the University of Warwick - thoughts, experiences as well as rants.

Car insurance – making the student loan stretch a little further

2011-04-08T10:25:00.001Z

Going to university or college is an exciting time. New experiences, new friends and new challenges make it one of the most rewarding periods of your life. But it’s also one of the most expensive, and with students increasingly worried about mounting debt and student fees, saving money wherever possible is vitally important. The price of running a car is also spiralling upwards, and one of the biggest costs is car insurance. So how can an impoverished student make their loan stretch a little further when it comes to running a car?

Get the insurance you need

It’s a sad fact of life for most students, but the ‘magic age’ for car insurance is widely regarded as 25. That means you’ll often have to wait until you’ve left university or college to see your insurance costs drop dramatically. But drivers under 25 can still get a good deal by shopping around and getting the car insurance that they need, rather than the insurance they’d like. Fully comprehensive may be out of your price range, but that still leaves you with two options – third party only and third party, fire and theft.

Of the two, the latter is preferable as it gives you greater insurance coverage. However, hunting around on the Internet is a great way of finding a package that may offer much more than you expected. There’ll also be handy tips and hints on how to keep your costs down. For example, if your car is garaged then obviously your premiums will be a lot less than if you leave it parked on the roadside. Look for insurance providers that offer special deals for younger drivers and even those who provide specialist insurance for students.

What kind of car are you driving?

Chances are it won’t be a Ferrari. However, even the cheapest little run around can be expensive to insure, so do a bit of research before you get on the road and find a model or make of car that’s cheap to insure as well as run. But bear in mind that your breakdown policy may only cover a certain number of roadside recoveries every year, so make sure that your car is reliable as well as cheap to run.

Team up

Students are used to sharing almost everything. Your digs, the fridge, even your washing powder. So if you’re sharing with friends, then sharing a car is a great way to split the costs between two people and keep your car insurance down. By becoming a named driver rather than the sole party on a car insurance policy, you can pay a percentage towards the insurance with your friend but still use the car when you need to.

Be honest with your insurer

Some people try and cut the cost of their insurance by ‘not telling everything’ to their insurer, such as their occupation or whether the car has been modified. This is a false economy and if you do have to make a claim and it’s discovered that you’ve been less than forthcoming with certain details, you may lose much more than the cost of the crash, as it can be considered to be fraud. Always be completely honest and open with your insurance provider, including the fact that you’re a student. It’ll work out much cheaper in the long run.

Finally, shop around. With online comparison sites now the most common way that people search for car insurance, there are plenty of providers offering great deals to younger or less experienced drivers. By going online and comparing insurers, you’ll get a good idea of what’s on offer and where to find the best deals.

10 Tips for Students in the UK

2011-03-02T10:02:00.003Z

By Paula Dierkins,

International students in any country are initially plagued by homesickness, loneliness and doubt; however, with some careful planning and disciplined behavior, they can turn their academic experience in the UK to one that they remember positively for the rest of their life. If you’re ready to leave for the UK for graduate (or undergraduate) studies, here are a few tips to help you cope:

Prepare for your stay in the UK months before you’re scheduled to arrive – you may have secured admission to a university, but ask about accommodation and food options and ensure that you have a definite place to stay when you get to your college.
The system of education may be completely different from what you’ve been accustomed to so far, so read up on university academics in the UK, particularly about the course you’ve signed up for. Your schedule is likely to change by the week or by the term, and you may have to complete a certain number of hours for the completion of each course. If you know what’s expected of you, it’s easy to stay ahead.
Ensure that you have the right kind of clothes before you land in the UK – most parts of the country are very cold and you may need warm clothes like coats and sweaters when you leave the airport. Check the web or ask the university for help.
Find other students from your home country to befriend, but ensure that you don’t limit yourself to their company alone. You can start out by seeking solace in familiarity, but be open to interacting with students of all other cultures and communities as well.
If you struggle with the English language, see if you can take a few classes on campus. Talk to your student counselor and ask about the options available to you. You must be fluent in English if you want to understand your teachers and your fellow students, and if you wish to work part or full time.
If you find it hard to cope with the food that is available locally, check with your landlord if you can cook your own food or if you can find more preferable options elsewhere. Ask other students, especially those from your own country, and check the web too for alternatives.
Check your student immigration terms to see if you’re eligible to work in the UK. Before you start working, find out how many hours you’re allowed to work during term time and if you need to pay tax or insurance because you’re an individual earner.
If you’re working part-time, ensure that you keep up with your academics and that work does not become a distracting factor that lowers your grades.
Plan your leisure time wisely and get as much studying as you can during term time instead of putting it all off just before your exams are due.
Follow the rules and laws of the country on and off campus – you don’t want a criminal case against you when you’re a student, so be wary of trusting people and being led into activities that could have criminal or fraudulent intent.

This guest post is contributed by Paula Dierkins, who writes on the topic of Online PhD Degree. Paula can be reached at her email id: paula.dierkins[@]gmail[.]com

UK business schools slide in global MBA rankings

2011-02-24T02:35:00.000Z

There is only one UK business school in the top 25 Global MBA Rankings 2011. London Business School is ranked #1 in the World and that's it. University of Cambridge: Judge and University of Oxford: Saïd are ranked 26th and 27th respectively. University of Oxford: Saïd was ranked 16th last year while University of Cambridge: Judge was ranked 21st

Warwick Business School is ranked 58th. A slide from 42nd position last year.

New UK Immigration Changes

2010-12-20T22:35:00.001Z

From the University of Warwick website.

The Home Secretary, Theresa May, has spoken recently about a series of measures to reduce net migration. These will have an impact on international students and, in particular, on the employment routes available to them after their studies, namely Tier 1 (Post Study Work) and Tier 1 (General). The key changes include:

an annual limit of 21,700 across Tiers 1 and 2 of the Points Based System on the number of people coming here to work from outside the EU in 2011-12.
closing Tier 1 General route and using Tier 1 to attract more investors, entrepreneurs and people of exceptional talent. This route permitted unrestricted employment for highly skilled migrants.
a limit for the revised Tier 1 route, excluding entrepreneurs and investors, will be set at 1,000
a limit of 20,700 under Tier 2 and raising the bar to graduate level jobs so that only the most skilled migrants are allowed to come to the UK. This marks a return to the days before the first Prime Minister’s Initiative for International Education (1999) where obtaining a work permit was the only way in which an international graduate could remain in the UK after studies for employment. It is very difficult to prove that a post cannot be filled from the local (UK/EU labour force).
intra-company transfers (ICTs) will be exempt, but standards will be raised and numbers lowered by placing a new salary threshold of £40,000 for ICTs longer than 12 months.
tighter controls on the Tier 2 limit. UKBA will distribute Certificates of Sponsorship to employers on a monthly basis, rather than pre-allocating as is current practice.

On 7 December 2010, the UK Border Agency (UKBA) set out proposals for the major reform of the student migration route and launched an 8 week consultation with stakeholders: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2010/dec/16student-visa-system. The broad aims of the reforms are:

Raising the level of courses students can study. Only Highly Trusted Sponsors will be able to offer courses to adult students at National Qualification Levels 3, 4 and 5 (sub-degree level).

Introducing tougher entry criteria for students other than child students
Ensuring students return overseas after their course
Limiting the entitlements to work and sponsor dependants
Simpler procedures for checking low-risk applications
Stricter accreditation procedures for education providers in the private sector

The new proposals could see Tier 4 - students coming to the UK under the points- based system - restricted to those studying largely degree level courses and to child students, unless the institution is a Highly Trusted Sponsor. English language competence could become the key indicator of someone's eligibility to complete a higher level course and all Tier 4 applicants will have to pass a secure English language test showing competence at intermediary level B2, a step up from the B1 currently required.

The drive to ensure students return overseas after their course finishes will mean students will have to leave the UK and apply for a new visa to further their studies, and show evidence of progression to a higher course. It will also see the closure of the post-study route under Tier 1. This would be a blow for international students who value the opportunity to enhance their UK degree with some UK work experience.

Highly Trusted Sponsor status is awarded to institutions where there are high levels of compliance with UKBA sponsor duties and where the risk of immigration abuse by the sponsor's migrants is deemed to be minimal. This status brings certain benefits not available to non-Highly Trusted Sponsors, such as the right to offer programmes at sub-degree level, eg the Higher Education Foundation Programme. Warwick was awarded Highly Trusted Sponsor status in September 2010.

----------------------------------

Some issues of concern for foreigners who come here to study:
1. Your dependants may not be able to work while you study.
2. You may have to forget about getting work experience here in the UK after your degree.

Warwick does not make the top 200 World University Rankings

2010-10-06T08:40:00.002Z

I was really shocked when I found out that the University of Warwick was missing from the top 200 list of THE World University Rankings 2010. This was the first time it has happened in years.

They had been expecting to do better than lst year in view of the fact that Warwick was ranked 7th overall in the latest, definitive Research Assessment Exercise.

From what I read in the forums, under the new methodology used by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, "research influence" is the heaviest weighted section of the rankings which is based at research paper citations.

According to Phil Baty, Editor, Times Higher Education World University Rankings:

"Based on citations data from 12,000 high impact academic journals over five years, Wawrick's research does not appear to be very influential."

Anyway, here are the top 10 British Universities:

6 University of Cambridge UK
6 University of Oxford UK
9 Imperial College London UK
22 University College London UK
40 University of Edinburgh UK
68 University of Bristol UK
77 King’s College London UK
79 University of Sussex UK
81 University of York UK
85 Durham University UK

Doing a PhD at WBS

2010-09-07T12:48:00.002Z

Received an email yesterday from someone who was interested in doing a PhD at the Warwick Business School (WBS).

I was looking at the current research projects on the WBS site when I encountered your name. I'm interested in pursuing a PhD from WBS in the Marketing and Strategy department. As such, could you please answer a few queries regarding the same? Basically, my queries are:-

1. Regarding procedure for admission into the programme, I came to know that one has to submit a research proposal. Is the selection done based on that research proposal alone or there are other criteria?
2. When is the right time to apply? I've also read that one should apply before February to be eligible for funding.
3. I don't have any teaching experiences. But I've been good academically in my under graduation (top 10 in my class). Would this hamper my chance?
4. How is the funding of Ph.D student like? Is it appropriate enough to see me through the 3-4 years? I'm not married and do not have any education loan right now, but I also do not want to take any loan.
5. How is the work culture in Warwick?
6. What is the scene for placement/job offer after completion of the course?

Basically, I'm more worried about my chance in getting through WBS, as I've no idea what the competitive scene is like, and I've decided to do PhD a little late (realization that I'm more suited for research rather than the mundane corporate work).

Note: Edited a few typos.

Here are my answers:

1. The research proposal is very important but you need to see if there is a supervisor in your area of research WHO IS WILLING TO SUPERVISE YOU. Here are the steps I followed:

i) Get a proposal ready
ii) Browse around to see if there is anyone who lists your proposed area of research under their areas of interest.
iii) Once you have shortlisted a few, contact them directly with your CV and brief description of your research proposal.
Usually they will reply within a few days. I my case, my proposed supervisor called me up after we had fixed a suitable date and time.

The funny thing is that he left for another University and I was passed onto another supervisor who also contacted me. Later on, I put forward another altogether different proposal for which I got my scholarship.

2. I can only say, the earliest the better. February is a good time. You can apply for scholarships along with your University application once your supervisor has accepted to supervise you.

3. No! Most PhD students do not have teaching experience and scholarships are based on their prior experience and academic background plus support from the supervisor or referees. However, in order to eligible for a studentship (teaching assistant), like I did, you do need teaching experience.

4. In Warwick it is around £16,000. Fees are around £11,000 so you have £5000 for expenses which might be enough if you are single.

5. Warwick is among the top Universities in Europe and one of the best places to work and highly competitive. In fact, to get a lecturership is really difficult.

6. It all depends on your capabilities - you need to show that you are a good researcher as evidenced by publications in journals in your field and ability to get funding.

Application to Warwick Business School is highly competitive and I heard that more than 300 students from all around the World applied for around 30 places last year. However, do not worry. If I can get in, anyone can. I realise that most don't do their homework and apply to the school straightaway which is a big mistake. It is crucial to get an academic who agrees to supervise you first.

Do read this related blog post as well: Thinking of doing a PhD?

Richard Holmes in THE

2010-08-31T11:30:00.001Z

Richard Holmes, a lecturer at Universiti Teknologi MARA and blogger who blogs at http://rankingwatch.blogspot.com/ has a special mention in the 1962nd issue of the Times Higher Education magazine.

Phil Baty, editor at THE World University Rankings mentions that Richard "has done more than anyone to highlight the weaknesses in existing systems". he further adds that he was that one that helped convince them to develop "a new methodology with a new data provider, Thomson Reuters."

On academics and publications

2009-08-06T14:49:00.002Z

All academics know about importance given to publications and how hard it is to get into the top ranking journals. Read my post "Mantra of the academics" on my blog "Dilip Mutum's Warwick Experience".

Girls out perform boys in British Universities

2009-06-07T10:03:00.003Z

According to a Higher Education Policy Institute report, "women are more likely to get places in the top universities and go on to get better grades".

The reports also debunks beliefs that Men dominate in top Universities or high status subjects such as medicine.

Read the BBC report Men 'out-performed at university'.

Festival of Social Sciences at Warwick

2009-06-03T12:05:00.002Z

The Faculty of Social Sciences is organising the Festival of Social Sciences, which takes place from Monday 15th to Friday 19th June 2009.

There are a number of events lined up. Highlights include keynote lectures from the Vice-Chancellor Professor Nigel Thrift and Lord Professor Anthony Giddens who will discuss his latest work.

Check out the Festival of Social Sciences site for more information.

there will be regular updates as well on Twitter @socscifestival.

Pending changes to the immigration rules

2009-03-12T14:26:00.002Z

As issue of concern if you are an non-EU student in the UK and you need need to extend your current student visa.

The new Points Based System for student visas (Tier 4) will be implemented from the 31st of March 2009.

For visa extensions of nine months or less, you will need to provide evidence of any remaining course fees to be paid plus £600pm (up to a maximum of £1200) living costs.

If more than nine months you will need to provide evidence of your first year’s fees plus £1200 living costs.

In addition, if you have any dependants. you will need to show evidence of funds to support such dependants. The amount has not been fixed yet but is tentatively £533 (per month) for each dependant (including children) for applications made to other PBS tiers so we anticipate that it will be similar if not the same for Tier 4 applications although a limit of 2 months may also be set here.

Moreover, these funds must have been in your bank account for 28 days prior to the date of your visa application and the balance of your account cannot drop below the amounts specified above even for one day or your application will not be valid.

Read the policy guidance for Tier 4 applications.

All supporting documents must be dated no more than one calendar month before you make your application.

One World Week at Warwick

2009-01-28T09:46:00.003Z

The World's Largest Student-run International Event "One World Week" is now going on at the University of Warwick and will go on till the to 31st January 2009. The event is run by some 240 volunteer students from across the University. This is the 14th annual One World Week.

Really love the design of their site. Cool.

WBS MBA rankings going up

2008-11-17T11:49:00.002Z

Warwick Business School (WBS) has been ranked 23rd in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit's Which MBA? Guide for the Full-time MBA. This is a upward movement of 4 positions from last year. It is also in the Top Ten schools in Europe.
Read here.

The school has also been ranked third in the UK for its Executive MBA programme in the 2008 Financial Times global ranking of Executive MBAs. Read the news here.

Fingerprinting of overseas students in the UK

2008-11-07T11:11:00.003Z

In case you are not aware, overseas students will need to give their finger prints beginning this month including those who are already in the UK when they get their visa extended (from 25 November). They will also need to carry biometric identity cards.

This is part of the new measures initiated by the Government to tackle bogus students in the UK.

According to a recent BBC report,

"international students contribute £2.5bn to the UK economy in tuition fees alone" - and the Home Office notes another estimate that overseas students are worth £8.5bn to the wider economy.

IDB Merit Scholarship Programme for High Technology

2008-11-02T21:42:00.003Z

Ainee sent me this announcement:

For Academic Year 1430H/ 2009-10

1. The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) is pleased to announce the availability of Scholarships under "The IDB Merit Scholarship Programme for High Technology."

2. Under the Scholarship, selected scholars may pursue full-time 3-year Ph. D study or 6-12 months of Post-Doctoral research in any of the approved fields in science and high technology at renowned institutions of higher learning in the world. The scholarship covers:
1. Tuition/bench fee
2. Monthly living allowance
3. Monthly family allowance (for Ph.D study only)
4. Clothing/books allowance (for Ph.D study only)
5. Installation allowance (for Ph.D study only)
6. Computer Allowance (for Ph.D study only)
7. Conference/Thesis preparation allowance
8. Medical coverage
9. Return air tickets

3. Prospective applicants must be from a member country of the IDB, attached to a scientific, academic and/or research institution in their respective countries and meet the following eligibility criteria:

Aged up to 35 years for Ph.D and up to 40 years for Post-Doctoral research
Possess M.Sc (for Ph.D study) and Ph.D (for Post-Doctoral research) in science/ technology fields.
Possess above average academic standing or ‘Very Good’ overall grades
Having minimum of 2 years experience for Ph.D . study (post Master degree period) and 5 years for Post-Doctoral research (2 years must be at post-Ph.D. period)
Having proven publications and/or research in science and technology (for Post-Doc)
Having research proposal in a specific field of study under the Programme directly relevant to country’s development needs.
Proven proficiency in the language of study/research (medium of instruction)

Completed Application Form with relevant required documents should be submitted to the respective member country’s Office of the IDB Governor or its designated office (and not directly to the IDB Headquarters in Jeddah), by December 31, 2008.

Application Form and detailed brochure can be obtained from member country’s Office of the IDB Governor, from the IDB Headquarters or from IDB web site.

When inquiring, please indicate your age and nationality.

Hezerul Abdul Karim
University of Surrey,
UK

Foreign students good for British Universities

2008-09-16T12:04:00.003Z

The education industry may be the only one doing well during these times.

According to a new BBC report, fees from International students "were now a bigger source of income for most universities than research grants".
Not surprising. I pay almost three times as compared to a UK/ EU student.

There were also more foreign students from non-EU countries (1 in 10) as compared to EU enrolments (1 in 20).

Students from China make up the biggest population of foreign students. There were also a high number of Indian post-graduate students.

Read the full report "Foreigners 'prop up' universities".

Can students and students dependents work in the UK?

2008-07-31T20:16:00.002Z

A lot of foreign students (from outside the UK) are unsure whether they would be allowed to work in the country and the numbers of hours, if they are.

Well the answer is YES. If you are on a student visa you are allowed part-time or holiday work but not more than 20 hours a week during term time.

If you are going to be studying for at least 12 months, then your dependent will be allowed to work full time.

Call for papers - European Marketing Academy 38th Conference

2008-07-13T15:55:00.001Z

The European Marketing Academy 38th Conference will be held next year in Nantes, on the French Atlantic Coast. It will be hosted by the Audencia Nantes School of Management.

the conference will be held from 26-29 May 2009 with the Theme: Marketing and the Core Disciplines: rediscovering references?

Submission Deadline: 7th December 2008

AGBA conference in Dubai

2008-06-12T14:41:00.002Z

Just wanted to help spread the news about a conference in Dubai. The ACADEMY FOR GLOBAL BUSINESS ADVANCEMENT (AGBA) is going to have it's Fifth Annual Congress in Dubai this year. It is hosted by the Gulf University, Bahrain and will be held from November 15 to 17, 2008.

they are now calling for papers.

The main theme of AGBA’s Fifth Annual World Congress is “Business and Entrepreneurship Development in a Globalized Era”.

It will feature competitive papers, work in progress papers, doctoral colloquium papers and special panel sessions.

Submissions will be subjected to a double-blind review and will be published in the refereed conference proceedings - Advances in Global Business Research.

Call for papers for the ICIS 2008

2008-04-24T18:01:00.001Z

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (ICIS) 2008

4th-6th DECEMBER 2008

THEME: The Asia Pacific Region: Contemporary Trends and Challenges

VENUE: The Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations (IDFR), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Jointly Organized by:

- UNIVERSITI UTARA MALAYSIA
- INSTITUTE OF DIPLOMACY AND FOREIGN RELATIONS &
- MURDOCH UNIVERSITY, AUSTRALIA

Please visit the conference website at http://www.icis.uum.edu.my for details.

Yayasan Sime Darby Undergraduate & Postgraduate Scholarship Programme

2008-03-07T16:48:00.002Z

The Yayasan Sime Darby Undergraduate & Postgraduate Scholarship Programme is looking for potential scholars for the July Intake 2008 onwards. They are inviting applications from Malaysian Students who are in their first year or second year in selected UK universities.

Duration of application : 15 March 2008 - 31 March 2008

*******************************************************************************************************

YAYASAN SIME DARBY UNDERGRADUATE & POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMMES

We invite qualified Malaysian citizens to apply for education sponsorship offered by Yayasan Sime Darby to pursue full-time undergraduate programmes and full-time Master's degree programmes at recognised UK universities for the coming academic year.

Fields of Study
Engineering: Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Computer
Business: Accountancy, Finance, Business Administration, Computer Science, Information and Communication Technology
Science: Agriculture, Food Technology, Plantations Technology, Plantation Management, Forestry, Biotechnology

Academic Institutions
The scholarship is open to applicants looking to study or are already enrolled in the following selected UK academic institutions:

University of Cambridge
University of Oxford
London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE)
Imperial College London
University of Strathclyde Business School
University of Warwick Business School
Cranfield School of Management
Manchester Business School
London Business School

Academic Requirements - Undergraduate studies

SPM (minimum 7 A1s in subjects taken) and any of the following:

* STPM (CGPA of at least 3.5)
* Matriculation/ Diploma (CGPA of at least 3.5)
* 'A Level' (minimum 3As)
* Australia TER (minimum 90.0)

Individuals pursuing their first or second year undergraduate studies must have CGPA of at least 3.5

Academic Requirements - Postgraduate studies

Individuals should have obtained a Bachelors Degree with minimum Second Class Upper (Hons) or equivalent.

Other Requirements - Both undergraduate and postgraduate studies

* Fluency in English is a must
* Ability to demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities and potential
* Actively involved in extra-curricular activities which have made an impact to the community

Value of Sponsorship
The sponsorship covers full academic fees, subsistence allowances and books/equipment. Airfare at the beginning and end of the course will be provided for overseas sponsorship.

Online Application
Students may submit applications online at www.simedarby.com/scholarships by March 31st, 2008. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

WBS is a superbrand

2008-02-29T18:43:00.003Z

The Warwick Business School was placed at 321 position of the top 500 Business Superbrands in a survey published in The Daily Telegraph on Monday 25 February.

Another feather on the cap for WBS.

BTW, WBS is one of only three 5*-rated business schools in the UK.

Malaysia Night 2008

2008-01-19T18:18:00.000Z

It is presented by the Malaysian Students Association of The University of Warwick (Warwick MSA)

BREAKTHROUGH
... a journey towards liberation

Malaysia has had 50 years of independence – can the same be said of her people?

A casual meeting at the local mamak (Malaysian equivalent of a café) marks the start of something more for five young people as a brief incident with a pirated DVD seller raises questions from the past and causes unsavoury deeds thought to have been long forgotten to come to light.

Throw in Merdeka celebrations in the backdrop, a love story, martial arts, ruthless ah longs (loan sharks), corruption, cultural diversity, song, dance and intrigue...

...Warwick MSA presents BREAKTHROUGH - a story of love, friendship and independence.

Programme:

1700 Dinner* (Rootes Restaurant, Rootes Social Building)
1900 Performance (Butterworth Hall, Warwick Arts Centre)

Menu: 3-course-meal of Nasi Minyak, Ayam Masak Merah & Gado-gado, followed by Bubur Cha Cha for dessert.

Tickets:

£15: Dinner and performance (limited)
£8: Performance only (£6 Warwick)

Ticket bookings can be sent to:
warwick.mnight.tickets@googlemail.com

Alternatively, performance tickets can be purchased from the Warwick Arts Centre Box Office starting next week.

Nottingham Games

2007-11-16T20:44:00.000Z

The 22nd Nottingham Malaysian Games falls on 1st of December.

It is organised by the Nottingham Malaysian Society (NMS).

Top 10 UK universities

2007-11-12T15:51:00.000Z

The fourth edition of The Times Higher-QS World University Rankings are out and it looks like most UK universities have come up quite a bit since the last. A total of seven UK
universities are in the top 50. Here are the top 10 UK universities according to the rankings:

University of Cambridge (ranked 2)
University of Oxford (ranked 3)
Imperial College London (ranked 5)
University College London (ranked 9)
University of Edinburgh (ranked 23)
King's College London (ranked 24)
University of Manchester (ranked 30)
University of Bristol (ranked 37)
University of Warwick (ranked 57)
London School of Economics (ranked 59)

Website for graduate students in UK

2007-11-08T20:57:00.000Z

If you are a graduate student in the UK or plan to become one, do check out Prospects.ac.uk. They have a special page for International students. It is full of advice, case studies and opportunities.

Thanks for the info Ainee.

University of Warwick MBA rankings go up

2007-10-07T23:02:00.000Z

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit Which MBA the top 3 MBA schools in the World are respectively:

Chicago, University of - Graduate School of Business
Stanford Graduate School of Business
IESE Business School - University of Navarra

It places the Warwick Business School at the 27th place. This represents a rise of four places from last year's rankings. The same survey places WBS at 11th in Europe and 6th in the UK.

Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Award (DHPA) at Newcastle University

2007-10-07T09:54:00.000Z

Applications are invited for the BBSRC-Croda Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Award. This fully-funded scholarship will enable a top quality, well-qualified, international student to study for a PhD on the biological mechanisms of fatty acid metabolism in marine bacteria, using a systems biology approach, commencing in 2007-08 and based in the School of Marine Science and Technology (MAST) at the Dove Marine Laboratory at Newcastle University under the supervision of Professor Grant Burgess.

This fully-funded Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Award (DHPA) will enable a high quality international student to study for a PhD at Newcastle starting some time in the 2007-08 academic year. This prestigious award covers the cost of postgraduate tuition fees at the overseas rate and provides a grant at a standard research council rate.

About the DHPA Scheme
Further information about this scheme, including its rationale, is available at the following web site: http://www.rcuk. ac.uk/hodgkin/ .

Value of the BBSRC-Croda DHPA
The DHPA covers the cost of postgraduate tuition fees at the international/ overseas rate and will provide a maintenance grant at a standard research council rate for up to three years' study, subject to satisfactory progress by the award holder. A DHPA may not be held concurrently with other funding such as another scholarship, for example an ORS Award.

Background to Research
The award holder will be based in MAST and the award will be jointly funded by one of the UK research councils (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council - http://www.bbsrc. ac.uk) and an industrial partner (Croda – http://www.croda. com). The research undertaken will be expected to be within the remit of the research council.

Systems biology of fatty acid biosynthesis in marine bacteria

The DHPA will provide an outstanding training opportunity in an area of great scientific importance using state-of-the- art methodology.

There is increasing demand for biomass rather than petroleum to provide natural and pure industrial chemicals. However, one enormous challenge is to develop a range of bioprocesses, which can convert or process chemically complex biological mixtures into pure chemicals that industry needs. Nature already processes biological materials using complex arrays of enzymes, which form carefully regulated biosynthetic / biodegradative pathways. The majority of known industrial enzymatic processes, which produce pure chemicals, are based on enzyme systems from terrestrial organisms. However, not only is the sea a major source of biomass (for food and energy), it is becoming an increasingly significant source of biomass for the production of fine chemicals. In addition, the diversity of marine organisms is known to be greater than any other environment and remains relatively untapped. This project will focus on the natural
processing of fats and oils in the marine habitat and specifically by marine bacteria. The successful applicant will build on recent advances in this field and apply the exciting areas of genomics, bioinformatics and biotechnology to investigate the diversity and function of marine microbial fat processing enzymes.

References relevant to the project:
(1) Metz, J G et al (2001) Production of polyunsaturated fatty acids by polyketide synthases in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Science 293, 290-293.

(2) Burgess, J G et al (1993) An optical fiber photobioreactor for enhanced production of the marine unicellular alga Isochrysis aff. galbana T-Iso (UTEX LB 2307) rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 39, 456-459.

(3) Okuyama et al. (2007) Bacterial Genes Responsible for the Biosynthesis of Eicosapentaenoic and Docosahexaenoic Acids and Their Heterologous Expression. Appl. Env. Microbiol. 73, 665-670.

Eligibility for our DHPA:

Candidates will be expected to hold a first-class degree or equivalent from a prestigious academic institution, either in the UK or overseas. The overriding criterion of the scheme is excellence, and DHPA scholars should be easily recognizable as the 'best of the best'
Candidates must be able to start their studies within the 2007-08 academic year, eg possibly January 2008. applications from students who have already started their MPhil/PhD at Newcastle will not be accepted.
Candidates must be student nationals from one of the following eligible countries:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Dem. Rep., Congo, Rep., Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt , El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Democratic Republic, Kyrgyz Rep., Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Macedonia (former Yugoslav Republic), Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Federated States, Moldova, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Oman, Pakistan, Palau Islands, Palestinian Administered Areas, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Russia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia & Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, St Helena, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Wallis and Futuna, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How to Apply:

Candidates must send both of the following documents:

A full resume/CV including details such as personal information, academic qualifications, English language qualifications, work experience, etc and contact details for 2-4 referees.
A 600-700 word typed essay in English (approximately 1-2 sides of A4) on a topic of relevance to the PhD demonstrating a grasp of theoretical debates in this field.

The above documents should be returned, by e-mail if possible, to:

BBSRC-Croda DHPA Applications
Student Wellbeing Service (Financial Support Team)

Newcastle University
6 Kensington Terrace
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE1 7RU
UK

E-mail: international- scholarships@ ncl.ac.uk

Closing Date: The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday, 12 November,
2007.

For more info contact: Student Welfare Service (Financial Support Team)
NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY
6 Kensington Terrace
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 7RU
UK

UK Tel: 0191 222 5537 / 5538
Int Tel: +44 191 222 5537 / 5538
UK Fax: 0191 222 6139
Int Fax: +44 191 222 6139

E-mail: international- scholarships@ ncl.ac.uk
University Web Site: http://www.ncl. ac.uk/
feedback - www.ncl.ac.uk /student-support/feedback. phtml

Thanks for the information Ainee.

Good news for Government sponsored Malaysian students

2007-09-07T13:15:00.000Z

In case you haven't heard the good news, the Government of Malaysia is increasing scholarships rates.

58. Taking cognisance of the rising cost of living for students, the Government will increase the cost of living allowance (COLA) between 23% to 84% for students in local higher learning institutions, including those attending preparatory and language courses. These new rates will be effective beginning the first semester 2007 session and will benefit more than 90,000 students.

59. The Government at present sponsors a total of 17,000 students in universities overseas. The Government has already increased the COLA for students studying in Australia, New Zealand, Egypt and South Korea in 2006. Effective September 2007, the Government will increase the COLA for students in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada by up to 97%, almost double the current rate.

University of Warwick ranked 7th

2007-08-22T18:10:00.000Z

I am soon starting my PhD at the University of Warwick this coming October. Of course I was delighted when I learnt that it had been placed 7th overall by the Times in their University rankings.

However, I am not happy with the fact that they have increased our (overseas students') fees from £9150 annually to £9700. That's an increase of £550.

UNITAR e-Learning Course

2007-07-01T12:42:00.000Z

Just wanted top share this piece of info. Anyone interested.

The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in Geneva just announced its 2007 e-Learning Course Calendar. For 2007, UNITAR will be conducting at least nine online courses intended for a global audience of finance-sector officials. Their suite of online courses for 2007 include:

-- Fundamentals of Capital Market Development & Regulation
-- Negotiation of Financial Transactions
-- Capital Market Development & Regulation-Advanced Course
-- Debt Rescheduling with the Paris Club
-- Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution
-- Basic Course on Public Debt Management
-- Effective Public Debt Management
-- Legal Aspects of Public Debt Management
-- Understanding International Contracts and Loan Agreements

Registration procedure, fees, comments from past participants and other course details can be viewed from their website

UNITAR courses are based on a decade-long experience in public finance and debt management training. Over the past four years, thousands of finance-sector officials have already benefited from their e-Learning courses.

Malaysian Film Day at Warwick

2007-06-21T14:46:00.000Z

Just received an e-mail informing me about Malaysian Film Day (23 June 2007) which will be organised at the Warwick Arts Centre at the University of Warwick.

It is a collaborative project between the Warwick Arts Centre and the Malaysian Society in University of Warwick and aims to introduce Malaysian cinema to the international community in the university and also the people in West Midlands.

The films that will be screened are:

Mukhsin
Dir: Yasmin Ahmad
2007 94mins subtitled
4.00pm

Director Yasmin Ahmad’s award winning third feature is a coming of age story which deals with the complicated friendship of Orked and Mukhsin. At the recent 57th Berlin Film Festival, Mukhsin was awarded the Grand Prix by the Kinderfilmfest International Jury and a Generation K-Plus Crystal Bear Special Mention.

More info here.

Gol & Gincu
Dir: Bernard Chauly
2005 104mins subtitled
6.30pm

Determined to win back her sports-mad exboyfriend, Putri transforms herself into a ‘futsal’ champion, learning important lessons in life and love along the way.

More info here.

Ticket Prices:
£6.25 (£5) per show
See both films for £10 (£5)
Students £2.50 per show

Malaysian festival at Plymouth

2007-05-11T23:02:00.000Z

The Malaysian Association of MARJON is organising Plymouth's Malaysian Festival 2007.

Check out Ainee's blog for more details.

University of Warwick wins University Challenge

2007-04-24T19:06:00.000Z

A team from the University of Warwick has won the TV show University Challenge 2007 out of 28 teams which entered this year's competition.

The team was made up of Daisy Christodoulo (Captain), Harold Wyber, Rory Gill and Prakesh Patel. They beat Manchester University, the previous year's champions (170 points to 140).

Related links: Warwick wins University Challenge

Warwick Malaysian Games 2007

2007-03-10T13:06:00.000Z

The Warwick Malaysian Students' Association is organising its annual Warwick Malaysian Games 2007.

Details of the event are as follow:-
Date : 18th March 2007
Venue : Westwood Heath Coventry (Football)
Westwood Outdoor Courts (Netball)
Sports Centre Main Hall (Dodgeball)
Time: 9.00am-5.00pm

Check here for more information.

World's top universities.

2007-02-24T19:34:00.000Z

Every year the Times Higher Education Supplement publishes a list of the World top universities.

Though not without it's criticisms, Universities get worried when their rankings slip and proudly publicise it when they go up.

So how exactly they come up with the rankings have been the focus of countless debates and not helped by the fact that their methodology keeps on changing. However, the Times defends it: "methodology continues to be refined".

There are five principal criteria for their rankings:

1. Research/publication Quality: 40%
Composite score drawn from peer review

2. Citations per Faculty: 20%
Score based on research performance factored against the size of the research body

3. Graduate Employability: 10%
Score based on responses to recruiter survey.

4. International Outlook: 10%
International Faculty- Score based on proportion of international faculty: 5%
International Students- Score based on proportion of international students: 5%

5. Teaching Quality: 20%
Score based on student/faculty ratio

Financial Times Global MBA rankings

2007-02-12T00:03:00.000Z

The Financial Times Global MBA rankings 2007 are out.

Here are the rankings of the UK universities in the list:

London Business School 5
University of Cambridge: Judge 15
University of Oxford: Saïd 19
Manchester Business School 22
Lancaster University Management School 28
Warwick Business School 36
Cranfield School of Management 37
Edinburgh University Management School 54
Imperial College London: Tanaka 56
University of Bath School of Management 73
City University: Cass 73
Birmingham Business School 78
Nottingham University Business School 93
Leeds University Business School 93
University of Durham Business School 96
Bradford School of Management 70

Zainah Anwar replies

2007-02-11T23:57:00.000Z

Zainah Anwar replies to the Minister of Higher Education in this NST article.

She says "Don't curb students' enthusiasm" and I agree when she says that this is not a a new problem.

When I was studying in the US in the 1970s and 1980s, there were "kampung Melayus" sprouting on campuses in several universities in the Midwest. Friends complained of surveillance, peer pressure and anonymous letters slipped under their doors or sent home to the Public Service Department by fellow students if they were seen to be too close to too many Americans.

What do you expect when kids are raised up in a "Budaya Suap" or spoon fed education system, which is so exam based. Creativity and individualism is killed off at an early stage and speaking up is not tolerated. Is it any wonder they are shy?

And I can say for a fact this is not only in the UK. It happens in Malaysian universities too.

Malaysian students in the Uk not mixing

2007-02-07T09:37:00.000Z

Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said that Malaysian students in the United Kingdom are shy and they don’t mix with others. I have noticed this phenomenon too and Malaysian students tend to hang out only with Malaysians.

Fortunately my wife is among the rare ones who do hang out with the local people as well as with students of other nationalities.

Read the news report here.

There are an estimated 11,500 Malaysians studying in the UK.

Warwick University video ads

2007-01-28T10:35:00.000Z

Warwick University is now posting adverts on YouTube and other video hosting sites such as Google Video, metacafe and Blip TV, etc . This project is called the called Warwick I-Cast and features among others, academics talking about their research.

Check out some of the clips on their YouTube page

Largest Student run Event

2007-01-28T00:20:00.000Z

One World Week (OWW) is now on at the University of Warwick in England. It started on the 19th and will run till the 27th January. Organised by a team of over 240 student volunteers, it is recognised as the World’s Largest Student-run International Event with over 22,000 participants from 120 countries.

Check their website for more details.

Introduction to UK Student corner

2007-01-27T10:59:00.000Z

Have had this idea to start a blog on studying in the UK from a student's view point for a long time. This includes the challenges, jubilations, events and information that other students or people planning to study in the UK might find useful.

Students and representatives from educational institutes in the UK are welcome to send in news on forthcoming events and any other relevant information.

I also would love if people could send me (ahoklah@gmail.com) their experiences - good as well as bad about studying here in the UK.