Choosing a university course and the new never-ending learning lifecycle

By Ioannis Soilemetzidis. In today’s globalised world, choosing a country, university and a course to study can be a daunting prospect for anyone, so how can you make sure you pick the most suitable path for you? The domination of English language as the means of instruction in higher education worldwide has added to the vast availability and extensive range of subjects, meaning that current students are spoiled for choice. However, choosing a university has never been so difficult and stressful both for students and parents. One can state a number of factors that need to be considered when making decisions concerning university education.
Some questions to answer are:
• Perhaps the most important question is: does the course and the programme of studies truly interest you?
• What are the career choices and job prospects after graduating from the course?
• How good and diverse are the programme structure and the assessment methods for the degree?
• What options and routes are available within the course: will one have the option of a gap year to gain work experience, will one have the option to select some of the modules or are all elements compulsory?
Moving away to study in another country or city is still a popular option. But with the credit crunch, living at home while studying has become again, one of the main options. If one stays put, you could potentially save money on things like rent and travel, and keep in touch with old friends and relatives, while still making new friends and new experiences. For many this is the option that delivers the best of both worlds, while others value more the experience of living in private shared flats or in university halls of residence, and regard that, and the opportunity to live in a different country or city as unique. More...