At the beginning it was difficult, in some cases impossible, to take the desired courses. However, after the courses were found and filled, the university triumphed with optimal study conditions. In addition to small course sizes, practical lectures ensured the necessary understanding and enriched everyday student life. The professors paid special attention to seeing international students working closely with Canadian students. For this reason, group projects were generally oriented towards this aspect. The professors were very motivated and made the lessons very appealing and instructive. In addition, Canada places great emphasis on providing Canadian students with jobs. The work of the “VIU Career Department” leaves nothing to be desired in this regard, if you want to.
The Writing Center is a very helpful facility for getting good grades on term papers as an “international student” and for improving your English writing skills. Located on the fourth floor of the library, homework can be discussed and corrected free of charge by making an appointment.
Negotiations
Or also called negotiation management. This involved mediating the entire negotiation process. From preparation to negotiation strategies to the follow-up to negotiations.
Entrepreneurship
The course included the study of the risks and benefits of start-up companies as an independent business person or the framework of a company. The focus was on the development and evaluation of business opportunities, the realistic establishment of a company and the creation of a business plan.
Human Resources Management in Canada
This course was designed to recruit, manage and develop human resources with a strong Canadian focus. In particular, occupational safety, further training and succession planning were the focal points of this course. Canadian labor law was of particular relevance to this.
International Business
The focus of this subject included theories of international economics, intercultural issues, the legal environment, trade theories, transnational corporations, exchange rate effects and foreign direct investments.
Vancouver Island University is located in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Until 2008 this institution was a college, the Malaspina University-College until it was accredited as a university in 2008. The main campus is in Nanaimo, but other courses are also located in southern Duncan, northern Parksville and Powell River.
19,780 eager students are currently studying at all locations. A large part of it is also international. Mainly Asian and German. The campus in Nanaimo covers around 84,000 m² and includes a newly renovated and well-equipped library, two cafeterias and a Starbucks-like coffee shop “Java Coffee”. In addition, the university has its own bookstore, where all school books and school supplies can be bought. In addition, a small “fan shop” is integrated in which sweatshirts and much more can be bought in the university layout.
In addition, the “International Education” team ensures the well-being of the international students here in Nanaimo. Excursions are also offered on a regular basis. For example day trips to Victoria, in the south of the island, or on Halloween for pumpkin carving, hay cart rides or around Christmas time to the Christmas parade or festival of lights in the town of “Ladysmith” 20 minutes south. In addition, the university’s “gym” offers numerous activities. In addition to participating in volleyball, soccer, football, baseball or hockey teams, there are numerous other sports such as yoga, squash or the gym itself. In addition, the “Gym” offers trips to Tofino for surfing, to Mount Washington for climbing or to Vancouver for the Vancouver Canucks ice hockey game.
Life: 2.3
Vancouver Island, in the province of British Columbia, is on the west coast of Canada. The island is 450 km long and 100 km wide with an area of around 31,000 m². The climate is very mild by Canadian standards. So it rains a little more, but it never gets really cold like in the middle of the country. Slight minus degrees, if at all, are to be expected in the dead of winter.
Life in Nanaimo is very calm and relaxed. The Canadians here are very friendly and helpful. In general, many Germans live and study in Nanaimo, so it is a testament to the tremendous effort not to cluster in the same groups and actually learn something of the Canadian culture. One way is to stay with a host family. Another way is to live in the dormitory of the local university. People live there alone, in four or twenty shared apartments. I decided to share a flat with three other flatmates. Here, too, the majority of Germans predominate, but I was lucky to have a nice Canadian from Alberta as a roommate. She celebrated Halloween with us and prepared a traditional meal for Thanksgiving. In addition to turkey with cranberry sauce,
The food in Canada is very expensive. It can happen that a backpack-sized purchase can quickly cost between 100 and 200 dollars. Ordering a pizza from the pizza service costs between 20 and 25 dollars for a medium-sized pizza and depending on the topping, without taxes, tips and delivery service.
The bus system is reasonably well developed. In order to get from A to B, the bus routes sometimes have to be changed. Attention: The bus drivers do not give change. Better to have $ 2.25 ready before you start your journey. An alternative is to buy a bus ticket for the entire semester. When the journey is over, thank the bus driver when you get off and wish you a nice day. A very nice custom.
Visits to pubs or clubs are possible from the age of 19 with two ID cards each. Otherwise one will be denied entry to the club or the alcoholic drink in the pub or restaurant.
Fun: 3.0
Canada, and Vancouver Island in particular, has a wide range of amazing wildlife to offer. From numerous orca families, humpback whales and dolphins, to black bears, salmon migrations and sea eagles. Numerous adventure tours leave nothing to be desired and make it difficult for you to have an unforgettable day. In Campbell River or in Cowichan Bay, all sorts of animals can be marveled at in summer. However, the high cost of the tour is well worth it. In addition, excursions to the mainland: to Vancouver, the Okanagan Valley, Whistler, Banff National Park or even Seattle in the USA are popular excursion destinations that can be controlled from Vancouver Island.
Typical student party life is very limited in Nanaimo. There are nice restaurants and pubs and also a few clubs, which take some getting used to. Otherwise, the VIU has its own pub on campus, where the “Open Night Mike” always takes place on Thursdays. There you can meet many of your fellow students and spend nice evenings.
Benefit / reference: 1.0
The semester abroad in Canada was an extraordinary experience for me. Even though I’ve already spent a semester in Australia, it was culturally and intellectually a completely new and exciting experience that I wouldn’t want to miss. In addition to the initial “setback” of not being able to take courses for which I had applied early, I was surprised by the content of my alternative courses and I am enthusiastic about all the new things I was able to learn. The semester at VIU was the perfect way to finish my master’s degree.
I would recommend organizing the semester abroad with “College-Contact” at any time and to anyone who wants to go abroad. They helped me with the application and were always interested in the health of their “emigrants”. They could be reached at any time and they helped to solve problems quickly and in a friendly manner.
Cost: 3.0
The tuition fees for a semester abroad at Vancouver Island University are currently around $ 6,300.
The dormitory comes to $ 2,340 a semester.
Add to this the monthly living expenses of around $ 700. This calculation also includes leisure activities such as eating out or going to the cinema. If you opt for accommodation in the dormitory, there are additional costs for bed linen and covers, towels and kitchen equipment (cutlery, plates, etc.) of around $ 300.
The cost of studying at university is between $ 400 and $ 800 for textbooks. In some courses books can be shared, but in some also not. For example, a book such as International Business may charge you $ 240. The books can be bought in the university’s “bookstore”. At the beginning of the semester there is a small inventory of used books, but they sell out quickly.
Travel costs are calculated individually. It is generally worth renting a car with several people and planning trips together. This is not only cheaper but also more entertaining than on your own.
