Bermet Abaeva: “Spending a semester abroad was my dream come true”

October 4, 2022

Bermet Abaeva is a senior student of the Business Administration Department, who spent a semester studying at IESEG School of Management and living in Paris, France. Always having the vision to study as an exchange student abroad, she decided that the best place to fulfill her goal is to study at AUCA. “Before even applying to AUCA, I knew that the university offered exchange program opportunities to its students, this was one of the reasons why I chose AUCA”. In this interview, Bermet shares the story of how her vision became reality.

Bermet believes that the exchange programs are designed not only for academic purposes but also for cultural exchange and personal development: “Living in another country among many different cultures has a tremendous impact on a person. This experience develops communication skills, flexibility, and independence. It is also a huge step out of the comfort zone”. According to Bermet, the exchange program is a way to discover diverse cultures, explore new opportunities, and ignite inspiration.

The university of choice for Bermet was IESEG School of Management in Paris, ranked high among the top universities in France. Bermet shared that the educational system at IESEG is different from AUCA. The students have a choice to either complete intensive or extensive courses. The intensive courses last only one week with 4-hour long classes every day, after which the students take the final exam. The extensive course lasts the whole semester with 2-hour long classes once a week and the exam at the end of the semester. “I decided to take only the intensive courses. I took a new course each week, so I was able to complete 15 different courses with 15 different professors in one semester. It was a new and interesting studying experience for me. As a Business Administration student, I was able to gain invaluable knowledge in the field of business while at IESEG.” - shares Bermet.

Bermet highlights that one of the pleasures of studying and living in France was the opportunity to travel freely to neighboring countries: “Brussels was just an hour away by bus, my friend and I went there frequently on weekends. Later, while on spring break, we flew to Spain and spent time in Barcelona and Madrid. After the semester ended, we did a tour around Europe and visited Milan, Turin, Venice, Vienna, and Budapest. Also, together with the IESEG international club, we traveled to the west of France, to the coast, and spent a weekend in Saint-Malo and Mont Saint-Michel.”

“My experience at AUCA made an impact on making this semester go as successful as I wanted it to go. The knowledge I gained during my years of study at AUCA built a strong base for studying at the exchange university. I am deeply grateful to AUCA for allowing me to study abroad, travel, learn about new cultures, gain valuable knowledge, and meet people from different parts of the world. Spending a semester abroad was my dream come true. I would like to wish everyone who also wants to participate in the exchange program to dream, set a goal and strive to achieve it, it is worth all the effort.”

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