In 2019, there are a total of 1297 graduating students from 20 academic programmes of UIC. According to a survey that was conducted among 500 graduating students before 10 June 2019, around 80% graduating students have opted to further their studies abroad as well as in Hong Kong. Among these students, 40% have been admitted to world top 50 universities and 65% to world top 100 universities.
Imperial College London, University College London, Nanyang Technological University, the University of Pennsylvania, in addition to the University of Hong Kong are just some of the universities that UIC graduating students are heading to.
Understanding of learning
Year 4 Teaching English as a Second Language student Si Tiancheng, comes from Shanghai. He received an offer of Master of Education at the University of Hong Kong. Before coming to UIC, learning was the accumulation of knowledge to Si Tiancheng. Now, he believes learning is a way to change his thinking pattern. He begins to think outside the box and see things in the long run.
To think flexibly and be creative
Cinema and Television graduating student Zhao Hairong’s hometown is Huizhou. She decides to study the Master of Fine Arts in Sound Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design, US. Under the exam-oriented education in high school, Hairong used to only memorise knowledge. However, UIC's teaching model has made her an active learner. She also realised that flexibility can bring the flow of creativity and inspiration, which is necessary in her field of study.
To be confident and calm
Feng Jiahao from Guangzhou is a Year 4 Environmental Science student. He is going to pursue a Master of Environmental Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Jiahao was timid when he started his college life, especially in group projects. Later, he participated in various extracurricular activities and learned to find solutions to problems under pressure, as well as utilise the rich resources around him. “UIC gives every student the same opportunities to improve themselves,” he says.
Adjusting to the environment
Year 4 Accounting student Lian Guanglong is from Chaozhou. He is going to work at KPMG Huazhen. Guanglong said UIC students are encouraged to step outside their comfort zone and make breakthroughs. When Guanglong changed himself to meet new challenges in his four years at UIC, he gained courage and confidence.
Giving myself higher level goals
Liu Yuxin is a Year 4 student of Environmental Science Programme coming from Changsha, Hunan. She was at a loss to develop learning goals when she just came to UIC, a total English environment four years ago. Encouraged by schoolmates’ achievements, she began to study harder and by graduation received offers from eight top universities including the Imperial College London, the University College London and the University of Edinburgh.
My sparkling days at UIC
He Yutong (2nd from right in the photo above) is a Year 4 student of Culture, Creativity and Management (CCM) Programme. Her life at UIC can be described as sparkling. She helped plan the CCM annual exhibition in 2018, when she worked day and night with her friends; she also directed and acted in a drama with her second foreign language, Spanish. Yutong developed her interest in museums at UIC and will further study in the University of Manchester for a master’s degree in Art Gallery and Museum Studies.
Getting closer to a better me
Xia Qing is a Year 4 Accounting student from Shenzhen in Guangdong province. Having received First Class Award for three consecutive years, she has been a higher achiever during her four-year stint at UIC. As she explained, life in UIC is full of surprises and challenges, and it is these challenges that helped her grow. Xia Qing received offers from seven universities around the world, and she has chosen to go to the London School of Economics and Political Science for a master’s degree in Accounting, Organisations and Institutions.
To be an active learner
Yi Xiaohan, a Year 4 student of Teaching English as a Second Language Programme from Dongguan in Guangdong province, said she greatly benefited from UIC’s innovative liberal arts education. After selecting the programme that she was interested in, Yi Xiaohan learned to be independent and active. She has studied French courses in preparation to study a master’s degree in Language and Literacies Education at the University of Toronto.
Read more: Glittering stars: From caterpillar to butterfly
(republished from UIC magazine New Dimensions Issue 9)
