AUS Students

Why is it valuable to have study abroad students in your classes?

Yara Omar

Mass communication major with a concentration in public relations and a minor in psychology (College of Arts and Sciences)

Diversity, cultural enlightenment, new knowledge: these are all things that [study abroad] students bring to our university, and more specifically to our classrooms. Having [study abroad] students in our classrooms enables us to open our minds and listen to new voices that offer so much more than we know. These new voices are bold, adding what we need in order to eradicate ignorance and flourish. Their presence, thereby, allows the classroom to become a hub of different ideas, cultures, intelligence and understanding.

Ramez Said

Accounting major (School of Business Administration)

To me, [study abroad] students add a different and positive dynamic. They usually voice different opinions that are sometimes considered taboo here. They are very eager to learn about the culture and are very respectful to the people around them. I personally enjoy their company and am always happy to teach them about our culture, values and morals here in the Middle East. 

Rachana Pillamari

Finance major (School of Business Administration)

The significance of having study abroad students in my classes cannot be measured. They help us see things with a completely different perspective. Many of the students at AUS come from the Middle East region and they sometimes tend to have similar opinions on various matters, but with study abroad students coming to AUS and being inquisitive, we have started to explore the region with a new set of eyes. Having a study abroad student join the AUS community and internalize our culture is fascinating. They not only get to have an interesting experience, but they also educate us with their culture and their takes on many issues.

Youssief Radwan

Chemical engineering major (College of Engineering)

As a chemical engineer, [having study abroad students in my classes] enlightens me as to how students outside my community are taught the different principles and concepts we learn in class. They also ask questions from a different perspective as their education system is different from ours, which helps us understand the concepts better.”

Layan Abouchkaier

Mass communication major with a concentration in journalism (College of Arts and Sciences)

Having study abroad students in my classes brings diversity to the community around me. It introduces me to people from completely different cultures and backgrounds, which allows me to see how others are living and learn new things from them. It’s also really nice to have friends across the seas.

Amro Sawalha

Accounting major and management minor (School of Business Administration)

AUS houses around 5,000 students, whereas some universities abroad sometimes more than 20,000 students registered at one time. While diversity exists in AUS, it is still limited to the number of students registered. Being exposed to students from different cultures, work ethics and social habits can be a great advantage for us in our pre- and post-graduate lives. Furthermore, it is a great chance for us to show students from different countries our own values and ideas. All in all, it is a pleasant experience for both parties.

Ibtisam Abeid

Management information systems major (School of Business Administration)

Having study abroad students in some of my classes has exposed me to a broader range of diverse students, which always enhances my learning experience. It’s always amazing listening to [study abroad] students’ opinions and finding out that what comes across as shocking to them is something we find completely normal. For instance, having the lecture-based structure is the norm here in AUS, but hearing how other students from other universities learn differently through more group discussions and less lectures is something new I learned from having study abroad students in my classes.

Mohamad Al-Baik

Civil engineering major (College of Engineering)

Having study abroad students in my classes is extremely intriguing to me. They add diversity to our class discussions and give us different perspectives due to the differences between the cultures in the classroom.

Arpita Vyas

Accounting major (School of Business Administration)

[H]aving classes with study abroad students is important as it creates a more diverse culture within classrooms. It also enables us to interact and learn the differences and similarities between our learning styles. Overall, it gives us insight on how to work in a multicultural and diverse environment similar to that of organizations.