Russian student Alina Talipova’s inspirational story of student life in the UK at Bournemouth University has resulted in her being named South West International Student of the Year 2009 in a prestigious British Council competition. The two regional runners-up were both University of Bath students - Natalia Kucirkova from Slovakia and Yoma Okwa from Nigeria.
23-year-old Alina is now preparing to challenge for the UK’s overall International Student of the Year 2009 title. She is one of 12 regional winners who will be treated to an all-expenses paid trip to London in April, where they will meet a final judging panel before going on to have their extraordinary achievements honoured in a national awards ceremony.
Alina was one of more than 1,500 students, representing 118 nationalities, to enter the seventh annual International Student Awards - the UK’s biggest competition that shines the spotlight firmly on international students and their unique contributions to life in the UK. The competition attracted entries from students studying at universities, colleges of further and higher education, schools and English language institutions all over the UK.
The International Student Awards is different from other student competitions. It focuses on the virtues of living and studying in the UK, not solely on academic achievements, and aims to celebrate diversity and creativity within UK institutions. From school pupils to postgraduates, international students at all levels entered the competition by writing a personal ‘letter home’ in English, detailing the out-of-class achievements that help make their time in the UK so rewarding.
Alina came to the UK last year to study a Masters in Law at Bournemouth University and has already proven herself more than capable academically, winning a prestigious scholarship from the university for outstanding international students. Outside of her studies, Alina wanted to understand more about the UK and get to know the community around her, so she volunteered to work in a charity bookshop, where she got to know many of the locals.
Having enjoyed her time in the UK, Alina is now looking to undertake a PhD in the UK. She says, “The UK is a great country with great opportunities if you make an effort and work hard. My life here is really exciting. I am really grateful to everybody who has helped me to feel at home here.”
A judging panel, comprising representatives of the British Council and HERDA-SW, met in Exeter to discuss the merits of short-listed entries from the region. Alina’s letter was judged to be the most impressive and she will receive a £1,000 prize. The ultimate winner of the title International Student of the Year 2009 will receive a £2,000 prize at the national competition on 22 April.
Jeff Brown, Executive Director of HERDA-SW, who was on the judging panel, said, “Hearing about the students’ experiences in such a direct and personal way brought home to me the way universities change lives, not just academically, but geographically, culturally and economically. We reviewed a truly global array of entrants and all of them had something special and unique to say about themselves and higher education in the UK… I feel very comfortable that all the entrants and especially the winners will prove to be excellent ambassadors for the educational opportunities we offer in this country and I think these awards showcase some of the remarkable talent we attract from around the world.”
For more information on the awards visit www.educationuk.org/shine.