Introduction of the Host Institution

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) is a world-leading teaching and research university recognised worldwide. Over 19 UNSW subjects, including engineering, are in the top 50 worldwide. UNSW also focuses on student learning experiences and a sustainable environment. The campus is located in Sydney, with many places worth visiting.

Academic Culture

UNSW offers hundreds of courses across six academic faculties and encourages students to explore different areas apart from their own majors. I have also chosen a course that introduces the ecology of Sydney and another one that talks about the indigenous culture of Sydney. On the Randwick campus, I can find a learning culture everywhere. UNSW also promotes research experiences and projects as additional learning methods other than course-based lectures.

The BEES6601, “An Introduction to the Sydney Environment”, has covered Sydney’s physical, biological, and social environment. My favourite part is about the Indigenous history of Australia. This is really meaningful for its uniqueness and importance. I can appreciate the Sydney environment, including the natural geophysical environment and aspects relating to the Indigenous and British settlements and history. There were also two field trips to visit the real location where British settlers arrived in Australia and discuss the reasons for colonisation.

Personal Experiences

UNSW is a well-known university worldwide, and many students come from overseas, especially from China, Nepal, India, and Vietnam. The exchange students’ office organised some initial orientation activities, such as hiking and afternoon tea. Most orientation activities started in February. I have met many of the students from different countries.

Many student societies have stalls all around the campus. You can always find new friends with interests similar to yours. Apart from hobbies, UNSW also has career fairs, where it is possible to network with potential employers and professionals.

I joined a society called Youth Music Mission (YMS). It is related to Christ, yet most activities are volunteering and gathering. They organised many activities for members, including a visit to the famous fish market in Sydney and weekly ukulele tutorials. It is a great chance to meet other students from all over the world and play music together.

Difficulty Encountered

Accommodation is a big challenge for new arrivals. Students could either apply for university housing on campus or find their own accommodation. However, university housing only accepts leases for one year. In general, finding housing outside of campus is much more economical, but most owners would ask me to provide financial proof and a past rental record. The latter one is less common for a student. In the end, I have to settle down in a house far away from the campus, with over an hour of travel time.

UNSW has adopted a three-term policy, which will condense the course content into ten weeks. The teaching progress is a little fast. The good side is that UNSW will provide online lessons and recordings for future revision. In order to catch up on progress, students need to be self-motivated.

Personal Development

Finding some entertainment is important, especially when you are in a new environment. This can help you adapt to the culture and avoid feeling homesick. Also, I have to develop strong management skills as all the food, money, transportation, and health are under my control.

From the course learning outcomes, I have taken CVEN9820, Computational Structural Mechanics, and CVEN9640, Coastal Engineering. They will be useful for me as an engineer in the future. The computational methods, such as finite elements, are essential for almost all industrial software. The coastal engineering is also important for me to understand the erosion and deal with the potential sea level rise in the future. Hong Kong is also a coastal city, and we have to face such challenges in the future.

As for the development other than knowledge, I have gained better communication skills with English in Sydney. Although many people from Asia also know Mandarin, you can always choose to practice your English anywhere. I have also gained better management and planning skills.

A Thank-you Note

Studying abroad at UNSW provided me with a new perspective on engineering and the chance to network. The support from the scholarship can help me relieve the financial stress during the exchange.

From an academic perspective, this exchange opportunity will allow me to taste widely accepted computational methods and software such as ANSYS for finite element modelling and SBEACH for erosion modelling. Gaining exposure to these advanced topics will prepare me for more practical challenges, as knowledge of computational software is essential for almost all engineering problems.

Apart from engineering subjects, I have also studied Indigenous and British invasion histories. The sudden appearance of the warship greatly changed the lives of the local people. The later policy, “Stolen Generation”, published by the Australian government, further tried to eliminate all indigenous culture by forcing the new generation to be separated from their parents. These are rarely known to people living outside of Australia, but I think it is worth understanding and trying to avoid such tragedies from happening again.

Studying at UNSW provided the knowledge, skills, and networks that could help me achieve my career goals and make a positive impact as a civil engineer. As a top civil engineering university, UNSW is ideally positioned to help me develop into the type of engineer who can make a difference. I am so grateful for this precious exchange opportunity.