Malaysian Campus, University of Nottingham
In the fourth year of her MPharm, Inderjit Kaur Chima, a pharmacy student at the University of Nottingham, undertook a semester at the Malaysian Campus. In this article, she shares her experience and encourages other students to do the same
Thinking back to my first impressions of the University of Nottingham’s School of Pharmacy, one element that stood out was the presentation we were given featuring the opportunity to study abroad in Malaysia during selected semesters. This experience appealed to me and was one of the reasons why I undertook my pharmacy degree at Nottingham.
During the beginning of my fourth year, I was given the opportunity to take one of the 16 places to study in Malaysia. Although I had an amazing three-and-a-half years at the Nottingham campus, I believed it was time to experience a new challenge.
This article describes my experience at the Malaysian campus. I hope it would encourage students from the university to take the opportunity to study there.
Why I chose Malaysia
Carrying out my final semester in a foreign country was risky. Although I had the option to study in many countries, including Canada, Australia and Italy, I decided Malaysia was the best option.
Malaysia is a vibrant country that has many cultures and ethnicities — a melting pot of race and religions where Malays, Indians, Chinese and other ethnic groups reside together. It is well known for its beautiful islands, scenery and hot weather, and it is economical to travel to surrounding countries such as Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand.
Also, rather than studying at an affiliated university, I was still studying at the University of Nottingham, so I was familiar with many of the staff who had travelled to Britain to give talks and lectures.
Research project
In my final semester, I opted to carry out a laboratory-based project entitled “screening the plant Justicia betonica for its effect on the viability of insulin-secreting cells”.
Starting a dissertation is a daunting task for any student. Initially, I was 
apprehensive and uncertain of how the project would go. However, I quickly became confident because staff were always on hand to guide me. Additionally, the resources available were outstanding (some of the best I have ever used).
I was supported throughout this exciting experience and never felt overwhelmed or alone. The support system was vast, ranging from the staff to the student body, the technicians and the library staff. Above all, what made it easier was that we were taught in English.
Campus life
The campus is located in an isolated area near a small town. The capital, Kuala Lumpur, is a 40-minute taxi drive away. At times, this could be a nuisance since everything was located at such a distance. However, this also had its advantages, such as encouraging students to work hard during the week and then take weekends off to travel. Places I travelled to included Langkawi, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau.
Campus life was fantastic. Malaysians are laid-back, warm and friendly. The university also has students from other countries, including China and Africa. Everyone is exceptionally welcoming and made an effort with all of us who joined the campus in the second semester.
Competing at the university's talent contest
University life was different from that in England. The university regularly had events organised by students and many of them got involved. Within the first two months of arriving at the campus, I participated in a number of university events, such as talent contests (see picture).
A friend in the student association elections encouraged me also to take up the position of campaigning officer. This kept me busy and active and, although it was hard to juggle this along with other commitments I had, I managed to organise my time efficiently.
Final thoughts
Overall, I had a great experience and will treasure many memories. I have learnt so much about myself through integrating with new people and new cultures in a different environment. I am certain this will be useful in the future when I tackle new challenges.
To find out more about the University of Nottingham’s Malaysian Campus, click here
Inderjit Kaur Chima was a pharmacy student at the University of Nottingham and is currently a preregistration trainee at Boots, Wakefield
