Video transcript: The International Foundation Year at the University of Leeds
Transcript for the video on the About the International Foundation Year page.
[The screen shows the text “International Foundation Year” and some students chatting on the steps of Parkinson Building]
[Music]
[Mika, a Theatre and Performance BA student, appears on the screen. She is from Japan.]
[Mika says:] Hi, my name is Mika Shirahama and I’m from Japan,
[Ali, a Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence BSc student, appears on the screen. He is from Saudi Arabia.]
[Ali says:] Saudi Arabia,
[Anton, an International Foundation Year student preparing for Engineering BEng, appears on the screen. He is from Ukraine.]
[Anton says:] Ukraine,
[Sarah, an Architectural Engineering BEng student, appears on the screen. She is from Cameroon.]
[Sarah says:] Cameroon,
[Mohanad, a PhD student in Chemical and Process Engineering, appears on the screen. He is from Yemen.]
[Mohanad says:] Yemen,
[Rahil, a Food Science and Nutrition BSc student, appears on the screen. She is from Indonesia.]
[Rahil says:] Indonesia,
[Fatema, an International Business and Finance BSc student, appears on the screen. She is from Oman.]
[Fatema says:] Oman,
[Oluwafikunayomi, an International Foundation Year student preparing for Healthcare BSc, appears on the screen. She is from Nigeria.]
[Oluwafikunayomi says:] Nigeria.
[Martin Maule, Director of International Pathway Programmes, appears on the screen.]
[Martin Maule says:] Here at the University of Leeds, we have six different foundation routes that students can join, in order to progress on to our undergraduate degree programmes. These routes provide students with the grounding in the key subjects content, as well as the general academic study skills.
[Katie Livesey, Academic Lead of Intenational Pathways Centre, appears on the screen.]
[Katie Livesey says:] Helping students to transition, to empower them to take some responsibility for their learning, because that’s what we want to do. We want our students to succeed when they go on to their degree programmes, and that’s going to be about independence and critical thinking.
[Music]
[Sarah appears on the screen.]
[Sarah says:] I thought it would be challenging, but we had so much support.
[Isioma appears on the screen.]
[Isioma says:] We learnt how to reference. We learnt how to research for information.
[Mohanad appears on the screen.]
[Mohanad says:] These skills add up and it helped me during my Bachelor’s, and later on in my Masters and also in my PhD.
[Anton appears on the screen.]
[Anton says:] One of the best aspects of the programme is University tutors.
[Fatema appears on the screen.]
[Fatema says:] She wasn’t just a guider for me. She became a dearest friend of mine.
[Jody Bradford, International Foundation Year Arts and Social Sciences Module Leader, appears on the screen.]
[Jody says:] We have a brilliant student education service. There’s always someone to support at all points of the year. So even when the University is closed, there are some services still available.
[Rahil appears on the screen.]
[Rahil says:] With the academic support, I wasn’t so stressed about the life aspect of being far from home.
[Sarah Djuric, Residence Life Manager, appears on the screen.]
[Sarah Djuric says:] We provide lots of different support to students. First and foremost, we have a Residence Life Assistant that lives in the halls. So, if someone is feeling homesick or they’re struggling to find out where somewhere is, they can always come and talk to somebody in our buildings.
[Katie appears on the screen.]
[Katie says:] The University is really keen on ensuring that our students feel like they have that sense of belonging and that’s really important in the International Foundation Year. Our students come from all different countries, some of them are quite young, and I think it's really important that they feel like they feel like they have a place that they can belong to.
[Sarah Djuric appears on the screen.]
[Sarah Djuric says:] We run different events, different programmes, so you always have a way to sort of meet new people and get connected to the campus, the community, and other people in your halls.
[Ali appears on the screen.]
[Ali says:] I have formed a lot of friendships from the IFY, and still, we are friends until now, which is a rewarding experience.
[Oluwafikunayomi appears on the screen.]
[Oluwafikunayomi says:] When your miles away from home, you need someone to support you. Having good friends around you is really, really important, and you would definitely meet good friends here.
[Katie appears on the screen.]
[Katie says:] It’s a really friendly community that puts students at the heart of their learning experience. They want to listen to students, and they want to support students.
[Martin appears on the screen.]
[Martin says:] Leeds is a great student city for international students. I think for the foundation year student specifically, we have a very safe, single campus.
[Sarah Djuric appears on the screen]
[Sarah Djuric says:] It’s lovely because it’s small enough that you still feel like you’re part of the community, but there’s always something going on.
[Mika appears on the screen]
[Mika says:] Leeds is actually a very international city.
[Ali appears on the screen]
[Ali says:] and there is a wide variety of activities and things to do.
[Isioma, an International Foundation Year student preparing for Arts and Social Science BA, appears on the screen. She is from Nigeria.]
[Isioma says:] To students thinking about studying the programme,
[Anton appears on the screen]
[Anton says:] Go for it.
[Sarah appears in the screen]
[Sarah says:] Go for it.
[Fatema appears on the screen]
[Fatema says:] You’ll never regret it.
[Oluwafikunayomi appears on the screen]
[Oluwafikunayomi says:] One of the best things I chose to do.
[Isioma appears on the screen]
[Isioma says:] I’ve had no regrets, and it has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
[Music]
[The video ends with a screen containing the University of Leeds logo and a link to the University website for the International Foundation Year courses]