Leicester expands international offer for student placements

Leicester students will be offered even more global opportunities to enhance their studies in the next academic year, funded by a major UK Government project.

The University of Leicester has been awarded expanded funding to deliver an increased number of international study and work experiences in the 2022/23 academic year as part of the Turing Scheme, supported by Capita.

Hundreds of Leicester students from a wide range of degree types and levels – from undergraduates through to PhDs – will be offered the opportunity to broaden their horizons through flexible study and/or work placements between four weeks and 12 months abroad.

Internationally-relevant funded opportunities are to be offered in up to 35 destination countries, spanning the globe from Colombia to Australia. 

This offer further expands on Turing Scheme opportunities offered to Leicester students in the project’s first year of operation in 2021/22.

Freya Wills, a Geography BSc undergraduate student, described her time in the USA as ‘invaluable’. She said: “The year abroad has been one of the best experiences of my life and I would do it again in a heartbeat! The skills I have developed are and the personal growth I have experienced are invaluable and ones that I would not have experienced otherwise.”

PhD researcher Khadija Koroma taught literature in Sierra Leone during her Turing-funded opportunity, and added: “Teaching African literature in Africa gave me the skills, knowledge and confidence to teach anywhere. This placement has ignited a passion in my global community and in finding ways that I can positively contribute to said community.”

Professor Elizabeth Jones, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education at the University of Leicester, said: “Offering global opportunities through projects such as the Turing Scheme not only provides our students with unforgettable experiences, but also helps to develop their key skills and forge new relationships.

“Being able to learn lessons outside of the classroom or lecture theatre is truly priceless. My own year abroad was a fantastic experience and I’m delighted that Leicester students will have these opportunities in future.

“We are pleased to see our funding to the Turing Scheme boosted for the next 12 months in order for us to further expand our opportunities to students from a wide variety of backgrounds.”

Philip Horspool, Director of the Centre for International Training and Education (CITE) at the University of Leicester, added: “The many benefits of students having an international experience as part of their degree are well documented. This funding will enable us to offer this opportunity to those who wish to take it irrespective of their background. This will enrich their student experience and our University.”

The Turing Scheme supplements the existing EU-supported Erasmus+ programme, which the University of Leicester will participate in until the end of 2023 following the UK’s exit from the European Union.

More information on the University of Leicester’s Study Abroad Unit, which enables international opportunities for students and staff through the Turing Scheme, Erasmus+ and further exchange programmes is available at le.ac.uk/cite/study-abroad-unit.