In line with the publication of the most recent ranking, which includes Aberdeen amongst the 40 most international universities in the world, the Department of Geography & Environment is happy to announce the launch of its new student exchange programme with the Department of Geography & Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, USA. The exchange programme with Eau Claire, which operates within the framework of a wider agreement between the two universities, represents the start of what is hoped to be an extremely fruitful and long-standing collaboration between the two Geography departments.
The key aim of the programme is to provide students with access to the wide array of courses available across the two departments and enable them to take advantage of the opportunities which studying and living in Eau Claire offers. The complementarity of the two curricula will appeal to students with a variety of interests, ranging from physical to human geography. Students will have the opportunity to benefit from a well-tailored and focussed programme of courses, giving them the best possible chance of succeeding in their chosen career. The wide selection of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis courses which Eau Claire offers is a particularly attractive part of this exchange programme. Aberdeen students electing to study at Eau Claire will have the opportunity to gain a certificate in GIS, allowing them to build a CV which includes this increasingly important subject. Such study will also prove helpful for those students who want to continue their education by taking our successful MSc in GIS.
The exceptionally friendly atmosphere which all the scholars and teachers at Eau Claire create, along with a number of fieldtrips which exchange students are encouraged to participate in during their stay, makes Eau Claire an ideal destination. Both departments are confident that the programme will serve as a solid basis for future collaboration in both teaching and research. Ideas such as staff teaching exchanges, distance delivery of courses and gradual incorporation of partner courses into each other’s curriculum are currently being explored as further steps.
For more information, please contact Dr Piotr Niewiadomski.
"Studying at Eau Claire was an amazing experience. It allowed me to meet people from around the world and make friends for life." (Amelia Fitzpatrick, Level 4 Geography student at Aberdeen who spent a year in Eau Claire)
"I am delighted to see it happening. It is a great opportunity for our students to enhance their curriculum and at the same time to gain some international experience in a very friendly and well-qualified academic environment." (Dr Piotr Niewiadomski, Coordinator of the International Exchange Programme for Geography, Aberdeen)
“This is a fantastic opportunity for our students and our department. It promises to be a great success, and exemplifies our increasingly international outlook”. (Dr Chris Gibbins, Chair of Geography Teaching Committee, Aberdeen)
“The collaboration with Eau Claire is another great example of the hard work invested by Geosciences staff in providing a rewarding student experience. Further development of international perspectives with our partner will contribute towards the University’s internationalisation targets. We are very happy to be able to make this contribution towards the University’s internationalisation agenda. I am sure that this initiative will prove beneficial to both sides.” (Professor David Jolley, Head of Geosciences, Aberdeen)