Hello everyone! I’m back with more information about my time here in Sydney! Today I’ll be talking about my experiences in the classroom as a student in the Global Business Institute. Without further ado, let’s get right into things!

First to add some context, students who participate in the Global Business Institute study with our partnered program provider, CEA CAPA (or just CAPA for short). CAPA works with Pitt to provide students with all of the “on the ground” resources necessary for a successful semester abroad. That being said, CAPA is the primary provider for all classroom and educational resources here in Sydney. Each course is Pitt approved, but the learning experience has certainly been a change from what I’m used to.

I’m currently enrolled in four classes for the semester here: International Finance, Managing Global Supply Chains, Australian Literature, and Cross-Cultural Communications. Each class is taught by a local professor from varying universities around the city. Further, each professor has a unique background and years of experience in their respective fields, making their lectures interesting and their ability to answer any questions unmatched.

There are many skills needed to succeed in this style of academic environment, but there are two in particular that I’d like to highlight. The first skill is the ability to self-study. Every course here only meets once per week, meaning there is much to learn outside of the classroom. Students on the program should be comfortable learning independently and working for extended periods on their own. This also requires a level of discipline and responsibility. The second skill I’ll highlight is the ability to operate in an ambiguous environment. The courses here have less structure than that of typical Pitt courses, so the ability to think on your feet and guide your way through new instruction styles is essential. During my time in Sydney, I’ve found this second skill tested the most.

Finally, I’ll touch on the academic culture here in Australia. Compared to Pitt, the classroom is much more casual than what I’m used to. Professors here prefer to be called by their first name, which in most cases is not respectful in US universities. Professors here also rely more on in-class discussions and written papers. I haven’t written an academic paper in almost two years, so here’s to hoping that the ones I write this semester are up to par!

That’s all I have for this week! I don’t have any pictures of the classroom to attach for this blog, so here’s a picture from the Lego store in downtown Sydney! Every Lego store around the world is themed for their host city, so this one featured Lego sculptures of all things Australia. Until next time!