Kate Hare

^{Kate is a student from the Edinburgh Campus, UK, who did Year 2, BSc (Hons) Psychology at our Malaysia campus through the Go Global programme.}

Why did you take part in the Go Global Inter-Campus Transfer, and what made you choose the Malaysia campus?

I needed a bit of a change from the Edinburgh campus, a bit of a reset and thought there would be no better way than to get up and move to a different country! There are a lot of attractive things about Malaysia, the most important one for me was the travelling opportunities that came with it. Malaysia is a great place to travel from and to neighbouring countries – I had decided before coming that I would set aside as many weekends as possible (while still being able to keep on top of the University's work) to travel and see new places and cultures. I wanted to (and still do) see the world!

What are the highlights from your academic learning and cultural experience at our campus so far?

It's hard to pinpoint specific highlights because I've thoroughly enjoyed every single part of this experience, there isn't one bad thing to say. What stood out the most for me was how small the campus was and furthermore, how small my class was compared to Edinburgh (about 20 people). This made the studying a lot more enjoyable – there was an actual relationship between students and lecturers, a friendly one, which just doesn't happen in Edinburgh and because of this, I would say it made the quality of teaching a lot better. It felt more personal, and it was clear to see the lecturers were passionate for their students to do well and interested in getting to know all their students individually, which is such a big change and difference from Edinburgh. All the people around campus, students, and lecturers, were so friendly and welcoming, and all so motivated to be at the University (I think that universities are something a lot of students in the UK take for granted).

What kind of positive impact do you think the Go Global programme has had on your self-development?

I knew that I wanted to travel the world before coming to Malaysia but since being a part of the Go Global programme, it has set off a spark in me to travel more. The experience has been eye-opening in so many ways. Experiencing different cultures has given me a new sense of open-mindedness and appreciation for the world – there is so much to be learned from other communities. Heading back to Edinburgh, I think I will have developed a greater incentive to work hard (not take anything for granted), and hopefully get a good degree so that I can take opportunities all over the world to travel and work – that's the ultimate goal! Without this experience, I don't think I would be so sure about what I want my future to look like now.

What advice would you give other students thinking of taking part in Heriot-Watt's Go Global Programme? Would you recommend the Malaysia campus?

My advice for other students is to just do it, it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience you will never regret taking part in. Because it is a matter of transferring between sister campuses, the transfer is made so easy – you only need to fill out a few forms and everything else is sorted for you. I would definitely say start saving when you can, if you are thinking about doing it. There are costs incurred that I wasn't aware of, like the cost of vaccinations and visa (although the University does grant bursaries to students taking part in the Go Global programme, so that helps). If you are passionate about travelling too, it's good to have a bit more money saved up so you don't have any regrets when you are here, and can do everything you want. Pack light! Everything over here is very cheap and there is so much accessibility to all kinds of stores with everything you could need or want! I would 100% recommend the Malaysia campus for the amazing opportunities it presents!