DECC

Europe

Studying in Europe
by Tan Chia Huei

Europe* conjures up images of sidewalk cafes, historical architecture, old cobbled streets and the Alps. From the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the monuments of ancient Rome, Europe has enough interesting sights to fill a lifetime. But Europe has something else to offer: Education.

When it comes to studying abroad, Malaysians tend to first think of going to the UK, US or Australia. But why limit ourselves to these traditional (and probably expensive) locations? Why not go off the beaten track a little, and consider Europe!

Europe has had a long history of higher education. Of the 54 universities founded before the 16th century that are still in continuous operation, 44 are found in Europe! Many great minds were born and nourished here, names such as Albert Einstein, Louis Pasteur, Max Planck, Friedrich Nietzsche and Carl Jung.

However, the rich and historic academic traditions found throughout Europe have also led to very different educational systems, which are rather confusing for those on the outside.

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Streamlining European Education

Today, higher education in Europe is still highly committed to nurturing minds of the future, but it is undergoing major restructuring with the Bologna process. Under this reform, universities in Europe hope to standardize their educational system, using a standard grading structure and awarding Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. This will allow easier recognition of their degrees and encourage mobility of students between countries. Changes for of the Bologna process have already been taking place for a number of years, but for many universities, the 2007-2008 academic year will be the key year for implementation.

How does this affect us? Well, firstly, the degrees obtained will be better recognized. Graduates from Germany will no longer need to convince Malaysian employers that his/her Diplom is in actual fact a Master’s degree, and not a vocational certificate! Our studies will also be recognized and understood by other universities, allowing us to spend a semester or two in another university through mobility/exchange programmes.

But I don’t speak German/French/Italian/Swedish!

The other piece of good news is that, thanks to the Bologna process, there are an increasing number of Master’s courses conducted in English. Sweden, for example, has around 450 Master’s programmes in English! There are also some Bachelor’s courses in English, although these are not as common.

Living in Europe will require one to learn a bit of the local language in order to fully experience the country, but in most cities, English is widely spoken. In any case, the daily exposure to a different language may be seen as an excellent opportunity to pick up a new language on the side

But isn’t Europe expensive?

While the cost of living in European cities is quite high, it is not a whole lot more than living in say, Melbourne or Manchester. In fact, studying in Europe may work out to be much cheaper than going to Australia, UK or US! In a number of European countries, tuition fees are non-existent or unbelievably low. For example, I only pay fees of about RM3000 a year at ETH Zurich! While some universities have already begun a separate fee structure for international students, most are still relatively affordable. In addition, numerous scholarships and grants are available for excellent students or those from lower-income families.

OK so you might not be able to eat out all the time, or drive a car, but that’s not necessary when you have Asian supermarkets for supplies of curry, and cheap, fantastic public transport (who wants to sit in traffic jams anyway?). Should you wish to cover some of your costs, part-time work will probably be allowed and European countries tend to pay quite well, even for research assistant posts.

A Challenging, but Rewarding, Experience

Studying in Europe is not without its challenges. It will probably take you a bit longer to find your way around as public signs might not be in English. It will feel strange at first when everyone speaks a different language and you can’t read the newspapers. Also, some universities are inexperienced in dealing with international students, so you might have to take the initiative to get your visa, residence permits and university registration done. None of this is permanent however, and after the initial difficulties, you will be able to enjoy …

If you are looking for high quality of education, an amazing cultural experience and all at an affordable price, then Europe is probably your answer.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2f/Mediaeval_universities.jpg

* For the purpose of this article, the term “Europe” refers to the Western European countries of Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries. The UK and Ireland are omitted as they will be covered separately, while a section on Eastern Europe may be introduced in the future.