Study Group Celebrates Graduation of First International Study Centre Students from University of Sussex

Pro VC at the university praises excellent international standard

04 August 2010, Brighton - Study Group, a world leader in education and training for international students, recently celebrated the graduation and success of the first UK-based International Study Centre (ISC) graduates at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton. The students attended the UK’s very first on-campus ISC at the University of Sussex in 2006, completed foundation courses at the centre and then progressed into degree programmes at the university.
  
Students from Sussex ISC’s initial intake attended ceremonies to collect their degrees and then, along with their families, joined staff from the university, the ISC and senior members of the Study Group management team for an evening drinks and canapé reception at the Brighton Royal Pavilion.

Chris Marlin, Pro Vice Chancellor at the University of Sussex, spoke at the event, explaining that the ISC partnership had been a win-win scenario: “The students really excelled in their degree programmes and have been upstanding members of the university community. The preparation courses run by the ISC team don’t just equate academic standards with what is expected of a first-year student, but give the students an excellent grounding in university life, supporting them in what is initially, in many cases, an  alien setting that is far removed from their native countries.”

The Sussex ISC opened in 2006 with a small first round of international students. The centre expects to see 200 students progress into Sussex University degree programmes this year.

Paul Lovegrove, Principal of Study Group’s UK ISCs noted: “The ISC at Sussex was the first partnership Study Group embarked on with a university in the UK. Sussex knew in 2006 that they wanted to expand their international contingent on campus, but realised that a structured approach was essential if they wanted first-class students able to properly represent the institution.

“The centre’s initial offering only included basic foundation programmes, however, the proper investment and planning has meant Study Group is now able to offer pre-masters and diploma programmes as well. This seemed a distant prospect on day one but we were determined to make sure we got it right every step of the way.”

When quizzed on the future of Study Group’s ISCs in the UK, Lovegrove proffered caution: “We will continue to partner with universities who are in need of first-class preparation programmes for international students. However, every offering must add real value and strength to the portfolio of excellent institutions we already work with. Our ISCs boast a 90% preparation course to degree programme progression rate, which is unprecedented in the sector.”

One of the graduating students, 27-year-old Oldemiro Sequesseque from Angola who achieved a 2.1 in Business and Management was keen to point out the benefits of studying in the UK: “There is a much greater access to learning materials here; you can really interact with the lecturers and you learn so much more because of that. I visited the UK and actually came to Brighton to see the famous beach years and years ago. While I was here I noticed two students wearing University of Sussex tops so I checked it out when I returned home. I was very impressed with the university and once I found out about the ISC and the preparatory courses they were offering, I decided it was the place for me.”

Sequesseque went on to detail the highs and lows of his degree: “The course was excellent and I focused my dissertation on business and the economy in my home country. The weather wasn’t always so good though! I really want to continue in academia and I’ve already been accepted on a masters course at Sussex. Hopefully I’ll study for a PhD one day”, he concluded.

Study Group saw 2500 students progress from its colleges and ISCs into university degree programmes last year.

-ENDS-

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About Study Group

Spanning five continents, Study Group is a global leader in international education, providing the highest quality educational opportunities for students from over 140 countries. Beginning in 1994 with 7,000 students per year, Study Group now has an enrolment base of 55,000 around the world.

Through Study Group's leading set of partnerships with top universities, it is able to provide on and off-campus preparation courses for international students that ensure academic success and entry into some of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world. The quality of its UK teaching is confirmed by independent accreditation bodies worldwide including: English UK, Ofsted, British Council and the BAC.

The biggest intake of international students into Study Group's UK programmes is from countries with emerging economies such as China, South East Asian economies, and in particular from oil-rich nations such as Russia and the Middle East.

For further details see: www.studygroup.com

About the University of Sussex

The University of Sussex was the first of the new-wave of universities founded in the 1960s, receiving its Royal Charter in 1961. It has since grown to become a leading research and teaching institution. In the 2008 Times Higher University World Rankings, Sussex was ranked in the top 20 in the UK, the top 50 in Europe and the top 150 in the world. 

Sussex has developed a reputation for innovation and inspiration, and attracts leading thinkers and researchers. It has counted three Nobel Prize winners, 14 Fellows of the Royal Society, six Fellows of the British Academy and a winner of the prestigious Crafoord Prize on its faculty.

The 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) ranked 18 subjects at Sussex in the top 20, with the American Studies department number 1 in the UK, Politics number 2, and Art History number 3.

Sussex has a cosmopolitan student body and academic links with every continent. More than 2,200 international students come from 100 countries, while teaching staff represent some 40 nations. Additionally, one in seven of all Sussex undergraduates spend a year of their degree studying outside the UK.

Sussex is the only university in England that is entirely located in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The University campus is set on the edge of the South Downs National Park and just outside the friendly seaside city of Brighton & Hove, with its great leisure facilities and its rich, eclectic cultural life.

For further details see: www.sussex.ac.uk