Nigeria, MSc International Business and Economics
“Oxford Brookes is like a community of both staff and students.”
Why did you choose to come to Oxford Brookes in particular?
I’ve always wanted to do International Business Economics, and most other universities weren’t offering it. I thought Brookes was the best fit for me. I also really like that the master’s programme is just one year in the UK.
How different do you find the University’s teaching style compared to that of your previous experience?
What I have observed is that Brookes has a much more hands-on approach with students. You have access to the tutors very readily and even with the classroom interactions it is much more personal. Especially as an international student you tend to feel a bit isolated sometimes, but with Brookes it’s very integrated and that’s really helpful.
What is the best thing about the teaching style at Brookes?
What I really like about the teaching style is the integration with current things that are going on in the business environment. We have very relevant case studies. It’s better than just reading the theoretical aspect and it’s really important that it gets integrated with real life cases. We have all these guest lecturers that come in, from Cambridge University and Oxford University, so that also provides you with a wider understanding of what different academics think.
Would you recommend this course to another student?
I would definitely recommend this course to other students, regardless of whether they’re international or not. The lecturers are very knowledgeable of their respective areas and also very willing to assist in any way that they can. Also, Oxford Brookes is like a community of both staff and students. During breaks, we talk about different issues and this makes me very comfortable with lecturers. With Brookes you’re part of everything; you get the emails and get updated with what’s going on.
What do you like most about living in Oxford?
Oxford is very quiet and I really appreciate that. It’s very historic, all these sites, all these famous and reputable people that went to the colleges, just being around that kind of atmosphere is very enriching. And it’s a University town too. So it’s nice being surrounded by like-minded individuals. It has opened my mind to so many things.
If you were to advise other international students on coming to Brookes what would be your top tips?
I think having the first culture shock – it’s expected, of course it’s a different country. But once you open yourself to new experiences you would really love being at Oxford Brookes. Especially with the guest lecturers that come in, it’s nice to get the outside perspective from other people at all these prestigious universities.