My Exchange at The University of Nottingham at Ningbo
How I found out about the 360 International exchange programme
I learned about the program from the UoA’s official website.
Feelings/first impressions upon arrival
My first impression on arriving at the university was that the dormitory location was excellent, with many supermarkets and snack shops nearby.
What accommodation was like
I stayed in Building 11, which had single rooms with private bathrooms and shared kitchens and laundry rooms. The room was about 20 square meters, featuring a nearly two-meter-long desk ample for any items. There was also a 2m x 1.5m wardrobe sufficient for year-round clothing. There was no need to bring any bedding as it was all provided. Additionally, the room had hotel-style management, allowing weekly cleaning appointments at the front desk.
Orientation at the host university
Upon arriving at UNNC during the Chinese Lantern Festival, the university hosted a meaningful welcome event for exchange students and taught us how to make tangyuan (sweet rice dumplings).
Thoughts of the courses/teaching at the host university
If your major is in the sciences and you don’t consider yourself a genius, avoid coming to UNNC; you’ll experience unprecedented pressure! As a computer science major, I felt an overwhelming amount of stress. The pace of classes is rapid, covering twice the content of UoA, with each course having only one session per week, approximately 2 hours long. In this time, the professor could cover nearly two hundred slides. Final exams are conducted on paper, mostly focusing on conceptual questions, which was peculiar, especially for advanced languages like Java. Instead of assessing coding skills, they tested our retention of Java concepts.
In my Programming Paradigms course, we covered both Java and Haskell, with less than five weeks (five sessions) dedicated to each language, requiring us to master both. This seemed absurd to me! I’m not a genius, and the pressure was immense. On the first day of class, the professor completed all the basic Java syntax, and by the second week, we had moved on to Object-Oriented Programming. I could only gain a rough understanding of each concept without time for thorough learning, and by the fourth week, we were assigned a challenging project. Frankly, the class content alone was insufficient to complete it. The Haskell portion was similar, with the professor teaching only basic syntax but expecting us to solve algorithmic problems, labeling it as exploratory work, which was incredibly difficult for me.
In Systems and Architecture, which included MIPS assembly and computer networks, the pace was equally rapid. For the computer networks part, the professor required us to use Network Simulator version 2 to simulate network environments and write a 2000-word analysis report. This tool and programming were only briefly covered in labs and classes, necessitating extensive self-study. While I respect the school’s focus on exploratory assignments, it was extremely challenging and time-consuming. I remember not sleeping for over 48 hours to complete this project, feeling on the verge of collapse.
What the host city/country was like
During my time at UNNC, I rarely left the campus, spending most of my time between the classroom, dormitory, and cafeteria, which encompassed my entire life in Ningbo.
What the cost of living was like compared to Auckland
The cost of living was relatively lower compared to Auckland.
Extracurricular activities
Due to my heavy coursework, I did not participate in any extracurricular activities.
Food
The school cafeteria was decent if you can adapt to Chinese food. There were also options like KFC and other types of food available on campus.
Challenges of your exchange
The greatest challenge was the academic pressure!
Advice for students thinking about the exchange programme
If your major is in the sciences and you don’t consider yourself a genius, avoid coming to UNNC; you’ll experience unprecedented pressure!
Q&A
What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?
The semester is exceedingly short, with only two months of actual class time, and each course has just one session per week.
The pace of the class is rapid; the professor at UNNC covered all the Python material in just one day.
If your major is in the sciences and you don’t consider yourself a genius, avoid coming to UNNC; you’ll experience unprecedented pressure!
If your major is in the humanities, you’ll have a delightful and enjoyable time at UNNC.
If your major is computer science, abandon any thoughts of exchanging to UNNC immediately! This is the best advice I can offer. Of course, if you wish to challenge your limits, it is indeed the place to be—you’ll learn more than twice the knowledge of UoA in a single semester and acquire the “superpower” of not needing sleep!
Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?
The host university organizes a variety of engaging activities for exchange students every week, such as city tours, Chinese culture promotion, museum visits, and more, all free of charge.
What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?
If you plan to be an exchange student at UNNC and are in a science major, prepare to work tirelessly. If you are in a humanities major, enjoy your time.
Do not put your shoes in the washing machine, or you will face the moral condemnation of the entire building.
For any issues, promptly communicate with the Student Hub. Alternatively, you can reach out to your classmates, who are sometimes more efficient than the Student Hub.
How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?
My budget is 10,000NZD, and I believe that will be sufficient. The first thing to do upon arriving at the Chinese university is to get a Chinese bank card and download Alipay and WeChat on your phone. This will ensure you can survive in China!
What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?
UNNC, as a paragon of traditional British education, has made me deeply understand the immense pressure of traditional British science education on students.