Student Exchange Report
Exchange semester:
Fall, 2012
I GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
1. Describe the school and its surroundings – very short
Cass Business School incorporates two campuses in London. City University is located at
Northampton square, not far from Moorgate tube station. Here are most of the undergraduate
courses held. Cass building is located 20 minutes from City, at Bunhill Row, in the financial
district of London, near Barbican. Cass is consistently ranked amongst the best business
schools in the world:
Cass is ranked as 1st in London, 2nd in the UK for business, management and finance
degrees. (The Guardian University Guide 2013) Cass is ranked 4th in the UK and 15th in
Europe according to the Financial Times ranking of European Business Schools 2011Cass is
among the global elite of business schools that hold the gold standard of 'triple crown'
accreditation from AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS
2. Current faculty divisions and special areas.
Faculty of Actuarial Science and Insurance
Pensions
Social insurance
Life insurance
General insurance
Health insurance and long term care
Mortality and morbidity
Reliability, Maintenance and related topics
Dependability of Computer Based Systems
Faculty of Finance
Financial Markets
Regulation and Finance
Money and Banking
Investment and Risk Management
Econometric Analysis
Shipping and Transportation
Real Estate Finance
Faculty of Management
Strategy
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Human Resource Management
Governance and Pay
E-Business
Knowledge Management
Professional Services
3. Number of students - graduate and undergraduate – number of exchange students
City University has 21 000 students, where of 14 000 are undergraduate students, and 7 000
are graduate students. There are 3000 students at Cass Business School, whereof 1300 are
undergraduates. There were approximately 100 exchange students at Cass Business School.
4. Study structure
The study structure is fairly different from BI. There is a much greater emphasis on group
assignments and group presentations in class. Similarly, midterm exams require you to
work more continuously during the semester.
II PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Information before you left
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When did you receive the information package from the University?
I received the confirmation letter with some basic information in May. I also received a
pre departure guide, which revealed a lot of information about the school, its
surroundings, housing guide and a map of London.
Any difficulties?
Not at all, I received all necessary information by email.
Visa Procedure and travel experiences
 What problems, if any did you encounter?
No problems.
 Does the visa cost anything?
We don’t need any Visa to study in the UK.
 How did you order your ticket – any problems?
I ordered my ticket through Norwegian from Gardemoen to Gatwick the 1 of August. A
luggage of maximum 25 kg was included, this was necessary to bring my belongings for
five months abroad. It is very convenient to catch the airport train from the airports into
central London and the underground. The pre-departure guide from Cass contains useful
information about how to get into London from all the airports.
Academic Calendar
 Arrival date – introductory week
I arrived already at The 1 of August since I had internships in London during the summer.
The introduction week started at Wednesday the 26 of September.
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First day of the semester?
The semester started in the subsequent week, the 1 of October
Last day of classes?
13 of December
Examination period?
I had my Alternative Exams during week 10 and 11. From 3 of December until 13 of
December.
Reception
 How was the reception at the school?
It was a welcome reception the first day with practical information followed by a welcomeparty in the evening. Personally I did my compulsory Cass registration in advance, a day
before or so in order to avoid any queuing.
 Was the administration and faculty well prepared for your arrival?
Yes, and they were very helpful with everything.
 Did the school’s students participate in the reception of the exchange students?
Yes definitely, they provided us with flyers, guided tours at the University and answered
any questions.
Housing
 Did you have housing at your disposal or did you have to find your own housing?
I applied for a shared studio at Nido Spitalfields, in the beginning of June. Previous
students from BI recommended this student living accommodation and it was mentioned
in the information from Cass as well. Nido is really good and the best thing is its suitable
location in central London, next to Liverpool street station. Approximately 20 minutes walk
from Cass. Living in central London is a great advantage when you are here for a limited
period, moreover Spitalfields is a really great and popular area in the city.
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What support did you receive from the school in locating housing?
They sent me a lot of information about where preceding exchange students lived, also
some information average housing costs.
Any special issues or good ideas for prospective students?
My recommendation is definitely that you should attempt do find something in central city
of London. It is time consuming traveling during the busiest time in London, there is also
fairly expensive. With regard to the fact that the opportunities for exchange and short-
term students are bounded and the most popular opportunities running out quickly, I
strongly recommend you to apply for accommodation as soon as you can. Be prepared
for higher rent costs compared to Oslo, naturally depending of your choice of standard
and location.
Costs
 Describe the most important expenses such as rent, books, food, etc.
The rent is normally paid per week. I paid a total amount of £3800 and I had the room
from 1 of August until the 26 of December. I had my own room but shared kitchen and
bathroom with one girl.
The costs for books and school material are similar, or even lower than in Norway.
Additionally, you will be handed out lecture notes for all of your classes. Therefore, it will
only be in some modules that you will have to buy books for the classes.
The price for food is lower comparing to Norway, likely are the prices in restaurants and
bars. It is therefore more common to have dinner out and the possibilities are really
unlimited.
You are well advised to purchase an Oyster card for the tube and pay “pay as you go”.
First I paid £ 120 monthly but then I realized that, at least for me, it was cheaper with the
pay as you go tap up system.
I had an English Vodafone pay as you go chip during my time abroad.
The International Office
 Is there an international office?
Yes. It is situated at City University, in the Drysdale Building, 3rd floor.
 How does the international office function?
Perfectly fine, they answer your questions properly by email or if you prefer, you are
always welcome to see them at their office, 3rd floor.
 Do you receive all relevant information?
Yes, all necessary information was communicated by mail.
Exchange promotion
 What kind of activity did you take part in to promote exchange to Norway at your
exchange university?
It was a Student Exchange fair event in November where I represented BI and promoted
BI as a host university for other students.
Social Activities
 How is your relationship with other students?
It was good, you are forced to perform and collaborate in groups during the semester. I
also had the opportunity to create a coursework together with fulltime Cass students,
which was good.
 How is the relationship among the exchange students?
You will connect with students from all over the world, which is lovely. Many students
came from North America, Spain and Italy. China and Singapore is also well represented
at Cass. I became friends with students from Saudi and Brazil, certainly interesting from a
cultural point of view. The Italian guys also created a Facebook group where events and
happenings were posted.
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Is there a student organization, and if so, are the exchange students part of it?
There is a Student Union at City University, but the exchange students were not a part of
the Union.
Are there any special activities and gatherings for exchange students?
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Yes particularly in the beginning. During the introduction week there were kind of “get to
know each other” events every night I think.
How do you like it at the school?
I enjoyed it; it was interesting with a different study structure where you had to rely much
more on other students work. The facilities are not as good as at BI. Given the large
amount of students at City, the school is very crowded daily. I preferred to study at Cass,
located at Bunhill Row. The facilities here are superior and more similar to BI.
Culture and Language
 Do you have any language problems with the faculty or other students?
Personally, no issues at all, conversely I do know students from other countries that
struggled a bit with the faculty.
 How are the possibilities to experience the country and the culture?
Normally I would have been pleased to see more of The UK than I did. The semester was
very short and rather hectic. On the other hand, I spent a lot of time to explore London
and its closest surroundings. I know that the opportunities for travelling are very good
and the infrastructure is comparable or even enhances compared to Norway.
Cultural and Social Effects from the Exchange Experience
 How do you think the exchange experience will affect you from a cultural and
social point of view?
Studying in a foreign country forces you to learn about the culture and the history of the
particular country. Personally I felt that this was essential from a social point of view. This
is necessary if you aim to follow the features in the newspapers (politics etcetera) and to
take part of discussions with native Brits. I have broadened my knowledge and
understanding of cultural differences and the importance of diversity in society.
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How do you think the exchange experience influences your future career
possibilities?
I am convinced that my exchange semester at Cass definitely will increase and expand
my future career possibilities. I will benefit from improved English skills, an advantage in a
potential interview session for instance. My internships in London, regarded as the world
financial center have been amazing, and a very useful experience.
III ACADEMIC INFORMATION
The Teaching situation
 In which language are the courses taught? Any problems?
All courses are taught in English. Some professors are not native Brits and may have a
different accent.
 How would you evaluate the level of study in relationship to the level at BI?
It is higher or similar, but as mentioned the structure is a bit different.
 Is the teaching primarily practical or theoretical?
Both, the lectures are normally theoretical, but you have tutorials in some of the courses
and they are highly practical. Furthermore you may have lessons where you have to
present your work and progress.
 Are the professors using cases, group work or lectures (or a mix)?
They use a mix of cases, group work and lectures.
 How is the workload compared to that at BI?
The workload is similar but requires more from you during the semester, conversely less
work in advance of the final exam.
 How is the relationship between faculty and students?
The professors are available through email or phone. They also have office hours during
the week if you need any assistance.
 What is the relationship between the students in the classroom?
The exchange students are mixed with the fulltime students since all courses are taught
in English. The fulltime students in the same module usually attend to the same type of
study program. The core modules are normally more crowded compared to their
electives.
Required Literature
 Is the literature in English?
All literature is in English.
 How do you estimate the level of the literature?
Similar to the level at BI. Likely the literature is very good.
 Is the literature used for detailed knowledge or a broad overview?
Mainly as a broad overview but the level of the literature is high and normally very
interesting
 Is exam based on the literature or on the lectures?
On both but the lectures are important.
Exams
 What types of exams were you given?
Written exams of 2,25 hours an one 24 hours at home exam
 What knowledge level was required to pass the exams?
Similar to BI, 40 % to pass and 70% to achieve an A.
Other
 Do students have easy access to the library and its resources?
All students have access to the library and its resources.
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How is the access to the computers?
Overall it is good but sometimes crowded. A disadvantage is that its time consuming to
log into the system, I preferred to bring my personal computer
How is IT used in the teaching or as a distributor of information?
IT is used in most classes for PowerPoint Presentations and coursework.
Description of Courses
BS 2100 Principles of Finance: Written exam 70%, 2.25 hours. Midterm exam 20%
Practical. Brilliant lecturer.
BS3100 Strategy For Business:. Theoretical. Written exam 70%, 2.25 hours. Coursework
20% ,Case presentation 10%
Good and a brilliant lecturer. Require participation and progress during the semester.
BS3102 Financial Management:. Written exam 70%, Coursework 30%
Practical and Pre courses taken in finance, accounting and statistics are recommended.
LA2017 Performing Arts in London. Written exam 50% course work 50 %
Recommended if you are interested in English culture, music and art. I enjoyed it a lot.
Any other experiences:
From my perspective London is one of the most exciting, terrific, spectacular cities in the
world. If you desire, the opportunities are limitless. Embrace the atmosphere, appear with an
open mind and do the very best out of it, as it is all up to you.