Flinders University
Student Report, Flinders University
Name of the University: Flinders University
Exchange semester: Fall 2015
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before leaving Norway
The application process was pretty early on, the application had to be submitted in the
middle of april. The international office, both at Flinders University and BI, are really
helpful and answer you quickly on mail. It is a lot of documents and papers that must be
done, but at the end, it is all worth it. I did not encounter any difficulities that could not be
solved quickly in the process.
Applying for a visa
Applying for student visa in Australia is expensive. I paid around 5 300 kr, but it is really
easy to understand and a quick process as long as you have all your papers ready.
Travel
I ordered my flight early in May 2015. My departure from Oslo was the 14th of July and
arrived in Adelaide the day after. It was a 23 hours travel; I hade one stop in Dubai for two
hours before I flew directly to Adelaide. The ticket I ordered was a return ticket, as I was
afraid that the expences for tickets are higher from Australia in December, hence it is
summervecation there at that time. I knew that I wanted to travel after my exams was
done, so I therefore decided to order a flexible ticket, which made it possible for me to
easily change my flight dates without any extra costs. I payed 16 000 kr in total..
Housing
I was not sure if I wanted to live on campus or if I wanted to live in the city, as earlier
student reports had assumed that it was difficult traveling to the city, which made it easy
to miss out on things.
I applied to live on campus (at Flinders Deirde Jordan Village) in May. When I got the
approval I answered that I needed more time to think about it, which was okay for
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Flinders University
Flinders Living. I flew down to Adelaide without knowing where I was going to live for the
next 5 ½ monts. I used my first week to find out where I wanted to live. Under Orientation
Week I met some british girls that already had moved in to Flinders Living, and I briefly
understood how social it is living there. I looked at share houses in Glenelg and different
suburbs, but I quickly understood that as I only needed an accomondation for 5 ½ months
and I was traveling alone, I needed to live in a social environment.
If you decide to live outside campus, the international student service centre are really
helpful and can provide and help with different housing alternatives around different
suburbs and areas.
Costs
Rent
6 100 kr
Books
1 500 kr
Food
3 000 kr
Transport
500 kr
Other
4 500 kr
Total
15 600 kr
The aproximent cost in a month was around 14 100 as you only purchased books once.
The exchange rate was around 1 dollar to 6 kroners. I was lucky to have two housemates
with cars, who drove me where I needed and wanted to be.
Culture and language
As I left Norway with very bad English skills I had some problems in the beginning.
However, I did not meet any Norwegians at my stay there, wich forced me to constanly
speak English. Some of the teachers understood and where helpful when I told them I was
an international student, and some where not at all. I found it helpful that the lectures are
recorder, in that way I could watch it again and pause it if I had any problems
understanding the teacher.
The international office organizes a number of engelish courses wich last for 6 weeks,
both academical writing, grammar, reading, speak etc.
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Flinders University
ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Description of Flinders University:
The school are located 30 minutes with car and 45 minutes with bus from the city centre
in Adelaide. It is a big university and can not be compared with BI. Flinders university is
a university with a lot of different areas of study. Most of the courses have one small exam
that counts 40-50% of the total grade in the specific course, and other assignments wich
affect the rest. These assignments could be essays, participation in lectures and tutorials
and group projects.
Course registration
I registered courses before my arrival at Flinders University, and it was easily done on the
student system online. All information required to do the course registration is clearly
explained by the international office on email when the application is submitted.
Academic calendar
Arrival date:
14th of July
First day of the semester:
27th of july. But it is organized Orientation days and other courses helping
you understand the system, classrooms ect from around 17th of July.
Last day of classes:
30th of October
Examination period:
2. of November – 22. of November
Any special events/holidays:
2 weeks semester break, from late September to early October
Other:
Business exams are usually late, mine was 18th and 20th of November.
Arrival
Flinders Living and FUSA (Flinders University Student Assosiation) are working together
and organizes Orientation Week. This is a week where you get to know people living at
campus and other international students. You also get a mentor that you can contact
throughout the semester and are there to help you with the systems, assignments or if
you feel homesick.
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Flinders University
Promoting BI and Norway
I did not participate in any special activities or events to promote exchange to Norway
and BI. Yet, I think it is important to be kind and show respect for all the cultures and
people you meet abroad. It is important to rememeber that you are a promoter for both
Norway and BI when you talk to people.
Social activities
The relationship between native students and among exchange students were really good.
Students are interested in you, where you are from and where you have been. If you live
on campus there are a lot of activities throughout the semester. In addition, the
international student center also organizes activities such as wine tours, kajaking, trips
around Adelaide, etc. I know that the business school also organizes one event after the
midsemester break, this year it was a masquerade ball.
ACADEMICS
In the classroom
The teaching style are different in all courses. Most of the topics uses cases to discuss
theory. In addition, some of the courses (specially business courses) uses real life
businesses as examples. You often are assigned the business so you do not need to find it
yourself. Essays and assignments that are handed in are required to have an academical
and formal language, however, this is not that important on participation in class and on
written exams.
I found the theory and the content easier at Flinders than BI, but it is a lot more work.
Below, I have made a description of the workload in the courses I had, wich easily explain
how much to expect if you decide to study abroad in Australia.
Course materials
In some of the topics, the teachers have made a portfolio of all the lecture notes and all
the information needed in the topic, this is really helpful. If the teacher have not made it,
all the information and lectures with recordings are up on FLO (the same as It’s learning).
Most of the topics requires that the students purchases books and also find additional
literature online. Books are expensive, and the book required are usually with a price
around $600 AUD (1 200 kr)
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Flinders University
Exams
Some exams are based on the lectures, others are based on the tutorials or theory.
Regardless of what courses, all the teachers do explain what the exam will look like and
what it is based on. As you can see below in the description of courses I did not have any
big finals. The two exams I had was two hour written exams without any utilities.
Library and technology
The universitiy’s buildings were under construction, so it was constanly under change.
The constructions are done in February 2016 and will be ready with a huge foodcourt and
a rooftop bar. The library have a lot of computers and study room, but it is also a lot of
students, so it is a good idea booking room if you are meeting groups etc.
Both booking rooms and refill the printercard are easily done and it is staff there that are
happy to help.
Description of courses
Course code & name
Master/
Exam form
Bachelor
BUSN 3026 Business-
Bachelor
Approved
Comments
as
20 % two multiple
Mandatory
This course was really relevant for me as I
planning for new
choice tests
am studying Entrepreneurship. A lot of
ventures
30 % weekly diary
work to do, but it was absolutely worth it.
50 % Business-
The teacher had many good discussions and
plan
arguments in class. Although you had one
huge assignment throughout the semester,
the topic was practical in lectures
/workshops
BUSN 3055 Strategic
Management
Bachelor
10 % Tutorial
Mandatory
Greatly educated teacher, that knew what
participations
he talked about out of experiences and
40 % Group
education. My tutor started the first tutorial
project
by saying that he did not wanted any
50 % Final exam
international studens in that specific
course, which made the turotials highly
uncomfortable. Throughout the semester I
felt unfairly treated, which also affected my
final grade. Both practical and theoretical
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Flinders University
BUSN 3052-BUSN 9031
Master/
10 % Class
Leadership in Business
Bachelor
participations
you can see, a lot of work but again totally
20 % Two
worth it. The lecture was fair and
multiple choice
understood that we are students with a lot
teste
of other courses to handle at det same time.
25 % Critical
He did not mind the bad grammar in the
analysis (Essay)
beginning and perfectly understood that it
25 % Group
is not as easy when you are an international
presentation
student. Even though you had a lot of
20 % DVD
essays throughout the semester, was the
analysis (Essay)
topic practical in lectures/workshops
and Society
BUSN 2020 Consumer
Behaviour
Bachelor
10 % Tutorial
Elective
Elective
Excelent teacher! Same as in BUSN 3026. As
Teacher with a strong
participations
Italian/English/Australian accents which
40 % Group
made it hard to understand sometimes. But
project
all lectures was recorded. Interesting topic
50 % Final exam
with good and exciting toturials. Very
theoretical topic.
OTHER
On a final note, how will you sum up the exchange experience?
I do not know how it will effect my career yet, but I had a truly amazing semester and
really grown both professionally/academically and within my self. You should absolutely
take advantage of the chance to study abroad now that you have it. It is an amazing chance
to experience Australia and get to know people from all over the world.
By studying in Australia you have an amazing opportunity to travel the country. I truly
had the time of my life, and would not change anything for it.
Please, do not hesitate to get in touch with me through the international office if you have
any questions about studying at Flinders University or in Australia, I am happy to help!
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