Harrison Phillips Trinbagonian, due to graduate in July 2017
MSc Project Management
I have been privy to enjoy both the academic and natural aspects of Southampton and will unequivocally recommend the University of Southampton to students from my home country. I would like to emphasise how satisfied I am with the decision to attend the University of Southampton.
Why did you choose to study at the University of Southampton?
Academic Motivation:
Like any potential academic, I performed rigorous research to determine whether the University of Southampton was complementary to my academic ambition. In my investigations, I discovered that the University was highly regarded and ranked within the top 1% of academic institutions (QS World University Rankings 2018).* Moreover, the majority of academics lecturing at the University of Southampton had contributed significantly, through practice and research, in their respective fields.
Social Balance and Environment:
When I decided to embark on my master’s journey one of my key requirements was opportunity. Not only academic opportunity but the opportunity to have a balanced living experience. The city of Southampton is stunningly scenic and is littered with glorious history. Additionally, the city is ranked as one of the more temperate regions of the United Kingdom and being a Caribbean native the temperature and proximity to the ocean were vitally important.
What were your first impressions of the University of Southampton?
I arrived in Southampton in mid September and as expected the city was much colder than my home country. I keenly recall the temperature that day being around ten degrees and thinking to myself “what have you gotten yourself in to?” Championing these initial fears I began to explore the city of Southampton, sometimes by bus and on other occasions walking. The city was relatively quiet though at peak times it could become quite hectic.
One of the prominent features of the city of Southampton was the transportation accessibility. It seemed that no matter where you wanted to go there was a bus that provided direct and convenient service.
What do you enjoy the most about living in Southampton?
Southampton is a beautiful city with captivating views of the ocean and lush greenery seemingly everywhere. There are an abundance of food options within the city of Southampton ranging from traditional English meals to more diverse Arabic and Indian delicacies. The city of Southampton is beautifully serene and encapsulates the perfect combination of history and activity, with a plethora of options for adventure and enjoyment.
What is your favourite spot on campus?
On level 2 of the Building 2, where Business is based, there is a student learning area. This area is well equipped with television screens, ample seating and facilitates that encourage a social learning environment. This area provides an ideal mixture of learning and comfort.
What has been your proudest accomplishment while you were in Southampton?
At the University of Southampton I was privileged to have the opportunity to participate in the Association for Project Management (APM) Wessex Branch, Project Management Challenge. This challenge was coordinated by the association with the aim of providing early career project professionals with the opportunity to practice their project management skills under the supervision of an assigned project mentor. The competition extended for a five-month period and included participants from BAE systems, Bournemouth University and other notable institutions from within the Hampshire region.
The competition concluded in March 2016 and the adjudged champion was the team from the University of Southampton, a team that I was apart of. The APM challenge was an absolutely thrilling experience and provided the practical medium to hone the development of my project management skills. Moreover this experience provided me with the opportunity to socialise with more experienced and diverse project professionals. I will always be proud and thankful of this achievement.
Would you recommend the University of Southampton to students from your home country?
I am a person who believes in opportunity, and in terms of academic and personal development, the University of Southampton provides the best opportunity to accomplish both. The city of Southampton is ideally located, within close proximity of beaches (Portsmouth, Bournemouth etc.) and a short coach ride from the city of London. I have been privy to enjoy both the academic and natural aspects of Southampton and will unequivocally recommend the University of Southampton to students from my home country
What will you do with your degree after you have finished your studies?
Firstly, I would like to emphasise how satisfied I am with the decision to attend the University of Southampton. As an international student there was always risks involved; risks regarding adapting to the culture, risks associated with the unfamiliar surroundings. All reasonable risks when taken into consideration, however believe this master’s degree has made me more employable and has assisted me in generating new ways of thinking, seeing things in news ways and being more novel in my solutions.
Within the domain of project management, managing change is one of the key facets to success. In my opinion this degree will assist tremendously as I pursue my “dream” job in the United Nations; working on projects to facilitate societal and global change.
*This league table has since been updated.