All the way from Singapore
16 September 2011

It began as a hesitant trickle. It is today a constant stream. More and more, foreign students are knocking at our doors, motivated by our links with our Australian partners and the possibility of securing internationally recognized qualifications. From the Indian Ocean's Reunion, Seychelles and Madagascar to the U.K, passing through African countries like Burundi, Kenya and Zimbabwe, these foreign students share one common aim: to obtain at a much lower cost, a qualification geared towards employability.



The five Singaporean students who wanted to complete their B Com degree in Mauritius

This semester, it was the turn of five Singaporean students who wanted to complete in Mauritius the B Com degree they had started with Curtin Singapore. They are:

  1. Kar Mun PANG
  2. Gui Hao LIM
  3. Melissa Ru Shan TAY
  4. Boon Khai Jacob NG
  5. Eugene CHIA

    6. Chronicles met with them and asked three identical questions.

    1. Why Mauritius?

    The first question we asked the students when we met them was why Mauritius? Why choose to come here?

    Four main reasons emerged: the fact that we are a fast-developing country not unlike Singapore, that we have a rich spread of different cultures that can only enrich one's experience here, that international exposure will look good on one's CV and, out of sheer curiosity for visiting a foreign country.

    Jacob Ng's reply was perhaps the most eloquent: "I would think that university studies should not only encompass a well-rounded, quality education but must also include other aspects such as gaining exposure through cultural immersion and widening of horizons by interacting from people outside my home country. CTI, with its diverse population of students from different ethnical backgrounds, will definitely allow me to fulfill this dream and passion.

    2. What are your expectations about your stay here?

    As any person who has travelled would confirm, we have specific expectations when visiting a foreign land. If reality matches our expectations, all is well. But if the opposite takes place, chaos ensues - hence the need for the question.

    The respondents answers focused on two main expectations: making friends and achieving good academic results.

    Elyza Lym said it all when she replied: "I definitely expect to make many Mauritian friends and pick up some Creole and French to communicate with them. I also expect to achieve better grades in CTI after hearing how committed the Institute is in bringing the best out of every student.

    3. What do you believe will be your single major difficulty here?

    Although CTI welcomes international students on a regular basis, it always makes interesting research to find out which difficulties these students anticipate they will experience once here.

    Answers focused on the (expected) three areas of adapting to a new environment, adjusting to a new culture and learning a new language. Kar Mung Pang summarized it well when he mentioned: "Adapting to a new environment - namely people, weather, culture and language.

     

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