Teach Middle East Magazine Apr - Jun 2020 Issue 3 Volume 7 | Page 20

Sharing Good Practice
TODAY’S STUDENTS NEED A GLOBAL
OUTLOOK AS WELL AS TOP GRADES
BY: HARRY HORTYN
for collaboration, a skill which is in
high demand in both the business and
academic worlds.
Dr Saroj Velamakanni, who completed
his PhD at Cambridge University is a
guest lecturer and sits on the interview
panel at the university for medicine
and natural sciences. “Students need to
demonstrate cross cultural experience,
and the potential to interact and work
with different cultures in business.”
In Saroj’s view, university applicants
make a more powerful impact in an
interview if they are already thinking in
this way.
Leading universities are
looking for students
with an international
mindset .
A
pplying for a place at
one of the world’s top
universities has always been
a competitive process. But
in today’s globally mobile society, that
competition has taken on a whole new
level.
Even with flawless grades and a
long list of extra-curricular interests,
students’ chances of receiving a place
at a leading institution could still be
slim.
To stand out from the crowd, students
need to demonstrate their potential to
flourish in the global marketplace.
International viewpoint
To address the world’s most pressing
issues, universities need candidates
who can demonstrate their ability to
contribute to society on a world-wide
basis.
Deanna Ford, a Harvard graduate and
member of their interview committee
sees this first hand. “I help students
in the USA, UK and beyond to secure
places at the university of their
choice, and the level of competition is
astonishing,” she says.
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Term 3 Apr - Jun 2020
“But you have to remember that, in
the business world, taking a global
view is second nature which is why
these places look for global-minded
applicants.”
Broadening horizons
So how can students build on
the global skills and qualities that
universities are interested in?
Deanna explains that she is raising her
children to develop an international
outlook. “In America, where I live,
school summer holidays are three
months long. It’s usual for children
to go to summer camps for up to six
weeks, and my own children have
attended international ones in the UK
since they were 11. I think it prevents
them from living in an ‘American
bubble’.
“They learn so much from mixing
with children from Europe, India and
Asia, and get to understand different
perspectives and points of view that
will serve them well in the future,” adds
Deanna.
Working together
“I still remember one student who had
spent time in a top Indian hospital
before he applied. He spoke about
developments there; how artificial
intelligence was improving efficiency
and how he envisaged we could use the
same thing in the UK. It was the perfect
marriage of ideas and aptitude.”
An eye on the future
Universities wanting their students
to thrive in the global marketplace
and work towards the greater good
are becoming more creative in their
approach.
“Encouraging students to investigate
international working and studying
possibilities,
including
internships,
camps and stints at NGOs is a good
place to start,” says Saroj. “Learning is a
constant process, which is why it is so
important to develop a deep curiosity
about new ideas and new experiences
from within, but also outside of your
home country.”
The benefits are clear. Today’s global
student will not only be better placed to
compete for a place at university, they
will also be well equipped to contribute
to the wider world.
An international approach is crucial
Harry Hortyn is the co-founder of Oxford Summer Courses which welcomes
students from over 112 countries across the globe to study 56 subjects through their
Oxbridge learning experience summer courses in both India and the UK.
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