In the right hands

something different

I  come from Ahmedabad, from a typically doting Gujarati family, which has spared no effort or expense in providing me with the best facilities available. I did my schooling from Mount Carmel High School and chose liberal studies from Pandit Deen Dayal Petroleum University for my bachelors. I majored in international relations, with public administration as my minor subject. My reason behind choosing international relations was extremely simple – I have always been extremely interested in world politics.

It was while pursuing my bachelors that I realised that international affairs extended way beyond what we perceive from newspapers, and decided to pursue my masters in it. Having been accepted into a number of top universities, University of Sheffield, no doubt, was the most obvious choice. And why wouldn’t it be? Sheffield is ranked 69th in the QS World University Ranking, while its department of politics has reaffirmed its position among the top four leading politics departments in the country with the results of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014. The department is ranked as the third highest-performing research department in the UK.

Excellent facilties

It wasn’t just the reputation that made me choose the University of Sheffield, though. I look forward to working with a government or non-government think tank that would provide me with the opportunity to work in the area of developing conflict resolution strategies and peace-building in post-conflict societies. I was spoilt for choices while selecting my modules, which was a big plus because I got an opportunity to tailor my course to suit my career goals.

Moreover, as a top research university in the UK, Sheffield also excels in combining the theoretical aspect of education with the hands-on, practical know-how delivered through workshops and relevant industry interaction. I have very recently submitted a dissertation proposal which approaches the Israel-Palestine conflict in order to develop a different approach of conflict resolution to provide a viable and practical option to both parties.

My experience at the University of Sheffield so far has been awesome. The campus is extremely big, and being a little lazy, I was initially hesitant to walk around so much and got lost a lot. But people are very friendly and help you with the directions; they’re probably used to new students walking around like lost sheep.

The faculty members are all very learned and friendly. Every student has a personal tutor assigned, helping them out with every aspect of the University life – from advice related to the coursework, finances, writing essays, to acclimatising with the new culture. I find this personalised attention to be a big plus, which is quite unlike what many Indian universities offer. I no longer attend classes for the sole fear of losing out on attendance. Instead, I attend classes because I genuinely want to. I do not wish to miss something important that might be discussed in my absence.

Another thing I like about the University of Sheffield is the environment in and around the campus. There are many international students here, and every year more students enrol for the university’s varied courses. The people and faculty at Sheffield are quite warm and welcoming to all students, and there are lots of Indian restaurants in the locality for the Indian students who join Sheffield every year. The cost of living is extremely pocket-friendly and Sheffield’s Student Union, which has been ranked first in the UK for many years, does its best to assist students in finding lodging and part-time jobs.

The student union is also responsible for organising a host of activities and events to allow students from different cultures and nationalities to come together and share their experiences. I am part of a weekly event called the One World Cafe, which is organised by the Union to promote multicultural harmony and has many international students converging for coffee and cakes and share their experiences.

I love my life in Sheffield, and wish to extend my stay in the UK by being empanelled for crisis resolution in the Middle East. I have already shortlisted several possible employers, and would approach them with the Support of the Careers Service here at the University. Due to the strong links the University of Sheffield shares with the industry and its prestigious reputation in the UK and the world, I have no doubt I would be given ample chance to earn a job with a reputable employer.