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Students from around the world have been getting their first taste of life on the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Leicester (²ÝÁñÊÓƵ) campus as part of an international Transnational Education (TNE) summer school.

²ÝÁñÊÓƵ is known for its diversity and has a global network of TNE partner students across the world who study for a ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ degree at their local institution or one of our overseas campuses.

One of the TNE teams wins a crystal after completing a challenge

So, each year the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Global Partnerships Unit invites students from TNE partners to spend a couple of weeks in Leicester to experience the campus and the city.

Over the past 10 days students from ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Kazakhstan, Asia Pacific University in Malaysia, Hoa Sen University (HSU) in Vietnam, Liaoning University (LNU) in China and Niels Brock Copenhagen Business College  in Denmark have been taking part in activities on and off campus.

During their stay around 60 students took part in activities on campus such as carbon literacy training, faculty tour, a visit to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ’s Trading Room and take part in cultural awareness programme with ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Global.

There were also visits to Alton Towers, Harry Potter World and a day trip to London.

Students build a wooden maze in one of the challenges

On Friday the students then took part in a version of the TV quiz Crystal Maze on the lawns in front of the Vijay Patel Building, working as teams to complete a range of mental and physical challenges.

The students said they were loving the opportunity to see the campus and explore the city of Leicester.

Aliff Haikal, who studies Cyber Security at Asia Pacific University in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, said: “The people are lovely and it is very beautiful here.

The challenges took place on the Vijay Patel Building lawns

“²ÝÁñÊÓƵ is a really big university with a big campus - it is nearly half of Leicester! Everywhere I go I see ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ.

“There are lots of different buildings and architecture from history. I like playing medieval-style games and this is like seeing those games in real life. It is mesmerising.”

Amina Nurgazina is studying accounting and marketing communications at ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Kazakhstan in Esentai City, Almaty.

She said: “It has been really, really fun. It is nice working and talking with people from different cultures while making new friends.

I have never been to any other city in the UK apart from London so this is great.”

Sushma Kunwar is originally from Nepal and studies at Niels Brock Copenhagen Business College.

She said: “I have been looking forward to this trip to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ. I am an introvert and I want to be an extrovert and get used to lots of new people – and I am getting that completely.

“I was so surprised to see this is our university. We do not have a large university like this in Copenhagen. It’s a great experience.”

Another group claims a crystal

Ethan Duan, who is studying accounting at Liaoning University (LNU), said: “It is very exciting to be here. It is my first time abroad so everything is new and intriguing.

“The climate is also very comfortable. It is really hot in Liaoning at this time of year.”

Holly Everley, Summer School Coordinator in ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ’s Global Partnerships Unit, said: “We have really enjoyed having ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ students from around the world experience life on our campus.

“The students have thrown themselves into every activity from lectures and workshops to trips to Alton Towers and Harry Potter World. It’s great to see everyone enjoying themselves.

“Most of the students had never been to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ before and we felt it was important to bring them all together and enjoy surroundings they had only previously seen in pictures and strengthen that bond between ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Leicester and our partner colleges and universities.

“It was lovely to see them all forming friendships and learning about each other’s cultures at a university that is so proud of its diversity.”