Meet Our Talent
Meet Cindy
Embracing New Horizons
For many university students, studying abroad through an exchange program is a chance to broaden horizons, immerse in a new culture, and gain invaluable personal and academic experiences. This was certainly the case for Cindy, Bachelor of Biomedicine student in the School of Biomedical Sciences.
Cindy took up the opportunity to participate in an exchange program at the prestigious University of Heidelberg in Germany during her undergraduate degree. This meant she could explore a new country and culture but also get a unique academic perspective within biomedicine.
Heidelberg, a city known for its diverse student population, proved to be an ideal destination for Cindy to experience a new culture.
The city was really welcoming and there were lots of international students – it made settling in a bit easier…I was able to make friends with people who were new to the city like me, and the locals were friendly and welcoming.
The University of Heidelberg's renowned reputation in the sciences offered Cindy a valuable opportunity to expand her knowledge and explore new areas of interest. Majoring in Human Structure and Function in her BBiomed degree Cindy says she loves learning about the human body and being able to apply the knowledge into daily life.
At the University of Heidelberg I attended seminar classes where we were given scientific articles to read and create presentations about, which piqued my interest in research.
In addition to academic growth, the exchange program also provided a chance for personal development.
"I was able to improve my language skills a lot. I could get by using German before going to Heidelberg but I’m now more fluent and sound natural as I’m able to use more native speaker expressions," she says.
Advice for Future Exchange Students
Looking back on her experience, Cindy has valuable advice for students considering an exchange program.
Plan early, especially when selecting subjects (have backups!) and finding accommodation. Trust the process, sometimes things could be very uncertain - like subjects being approved, visas, being assigned accommodation - but it all works out in the end!
Now in the third year of her Biomedicine degree Cindy is at a crossroads in her study and career journey, and is taking time to carefully consider her next steps. Ultimately she wants to follow a career path that aligns with her values of making a positive impact in the community and helping others.
With a mindset of both gratitude and resilience, Cindy is well-equipped to navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead and has this advice for those embarking on a Biomedicine degree.
Take yourself less seriously and worry less. Things will work themselves out the way they are meant to, all you need to do is try your best.