It is not only through books that we learn crumbs of wisdom that would serve as signposts in our journeys through life. The best lessons could not be found in what these learned men have gone through in their travels but in what we have experienced in ours. This need to discover the world through their own devices has prompted several to get out of their gilded cages and fly over different regions.
THE NEED FOR TOTAL LEARNING
One alternative that young people today opt for is to take their undergraduate and graduate studies abroad. Besides being a way to beef up those credentials, it is also an avenue for self-growth and self-discovery. “I just want a different environment from the one I'm used to. I'm looking forward to the experience that it would give me,” says Katherine Yap, a high school student studying in Immaculate Conception Academy. Her mother Armi Yap, on the other hand, commented that though she wants her daughter to stay in the Philippines, she could not do anything but accede to her wishes. “You know kids, they want to flex their wings and get out of their parent's shadow. And in a way, it's also good for she would learn things that she would not be learning if she studies here.” Total education, according to Commission on Higher Education commissioner Manuel Punzal, is important as learning should not only be “of the mind but also of the heart.”
It is this total learning experience that the United Kingdom Education Fair 2004 has offered to the hundreds of students who walked through the exhibit held at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel. Featuring some of the universities and colleges in Britain, the fair aimed to introduce to the public the advantages of studying in the UK as well as assist interested students in applying in their chosen universities.
“Participants will be given the opportunity to know more about the application process, the programs that we offer and even student life in Britain through the seminars that we have prepared,” mentions Gill Westaway, Director of the British Council.
The Philippines, according to her, is a rising star in terms of market growth. “The numbers of students enrolling in UK universities have increased. There is in fact 7% growth in higher education and about 11% growth in further education.” Westaway attributed the increase to the fact that more Filipinos are now thinking globally. There is a desire to become more “international” in their experience and acquire skills that would enable them to become globally competitive. They are also slowly discovering that there are other alternatives besides the United States.
“One thing that is really unique with the UK is its individualized education. Many Filipinos who came from the UK in fact reiterate that the focus is not only on the content but also on the process of learning. UK education teaches you not just what to think but also how to think,” Westaway reveals.
CREAM OF THE CROP
Many of those who came at the fair ask for degree programs in the realms of business, science and technology. “There is a lot of interest in the IT sector as well as in the health sciences and psychology. Media studies is also another field that is frequently asked about,” says one university representative. To make it easier for the fair participants, each exhibitor has prepared fact sheets and brochures that they could take home and read in leisure. Each contains the location of the school, the programs that they offer as well as the facilities and services that they have. Others also discuss the cost of studying, which more or less plays around 15,000 pounds when the living costs are included.
“It really depends on your lifestyle. Some schools will offer opportunities for part-time jobs which may cut the living costs to about a half,” the representative further mentions.
Finances is not the only consideration as potential students are also adjudged by their ability to “survive” in a foreign setting.
“When we do the interviews, we also look into their backgrounds and their credentials. We, of course, want to make sure that they are qualified,” he says.
One factor that they look into is the school where the student comes from. “Some universities in the Philippines have a very high academic record. Unfortunately, some don't. For those who come from these universities, we look for other plus factors like work experience or extra lessons that they have taken outside their degrees.”
SHOWING THE STUFF THEY ARE MADE OF
Filipinos often do well in foreign universities. Because of their affinity for the English language, they find it easier to cope with the lessons compared to other nationalities. Filipinos also have the advantage of being exposed to the western culture. This allows them to adapt well with their environment and settle conveniently into life in the western world.
“There is a perception that Filipinos actually have a wider global perspective and stronger knowledge on what is going on in the rest if the world as compared to students from other Asian countries,” Westaway divulges. This, according to her, is very much appreciated by their British counterparts as it allows them to get out of their comfort zones and help them see the world through a different perspectivean Asian perspective.
Another thing that sets the Filipino students apart from their peers is the inherent need to rise above the challenge. According to Punzal, Filipinos have the patience and the determination to succeed. “When the competition gets strong and stiff, they double and triple their efforts. When they see higher standards, they try to reach them and even surpass them,” he ends.
The world, with all its banality, still has a lot to offer for the novice eyes. All we have to do is to just step into the great unknown and take the plunge.
