Professor Sharon Huttly
Dean of Studies
Improving health worldwide www.lshtm.ac.uk

– LSHTM as a study environment
– Returning to study
– Maths introduction
– Student support
– Safety and security matters
– Careers service
– Library
– IT services
– Student Representatives Council

LSHTM as a study environment
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical
Medicine is an ___________ institution
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical
Medicine is an international institution

• Provide you with an opportunity to consider:
– That the LSHTM is an international institution
– The potential benefits and pitfalls of studying in such an environment
– Strategies to maximise the benefits, to prevent pitfalls and to deal with problems

Australia
Austria
Barbados
Belgium
Brazil
Cameroon Republic
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Cyprus
Denmark
Eire (Ireland)
Egypt
Ethiopia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
India
1
1
9
1
2
2
2
6
7
1
2
3
1
25
1
1
12
1
22
8
7
9
Italy
Japan
Kenya
Korea, South
Laos
Lesotho
Lithuania
Malawi
Mali
Malaysia
Malta
Mexico
Myanmar
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Pakistan
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
3
1
3
2
2
1
6
18
10
10
1
1
1
1
5
2
25
3
3
3
1
7
Romania
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Turkey
U.S.A.
Uganda
United Kingdom
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
5
5
1
1
3
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
5
1
4
2
63
5
269
1
2
2

Opportunities for learning about:
• British culture
• Many many other cultures

Buzz exercise 1:
What are the potential pitfalls of studying in such an international environment?

• Misunderstanding
• Giving offence
• Loss of social identity
• Language, communication difficulties
• Different approaches to shared tasks
• Different lifestyles
• Don’t know what is acceptable/not acceptable
– jokes, personal space
• Interpreting non-verbal language
• Assumptions and stereotypes
• Retreat into “polite behaviour”

Buzz exercise 2:
How can we prevent the pitfalls?
How can we deal with problems which arise?

• Do not assume shared • Be prepared to give cultural norms feedback
• Remember your culture is one of many cultures
• Be prepared to receive feedback
• Approach people with an open mind – see the individual not “the typical…”
• Ask for help: fellow students, course reps, tutors, course directors,
Student Adviser etc.

Buzz exercise 3:
What are the potential advantages?
How can we maximise these advantages?

• Learning about other countries
• Learning about other cultures
• Becoming more flexible and understanding
• Making friends in many countries
• Developing a network of contacts for future work

• Make the most of social occasions
• Create opportunities for interaction
• Be aware of what restricts people socially
(expense; time and distance; perception of danger)
• Home visits
• Keeping in touch when your studies finish

• Make the best of this challenging and exciting new environment
• We cannot assume shared cultural norms
• Be prepared to give and receive feedback

Buzz exercise 4:
What excites you about returning to study?
What makes you worried about returning to study?

• The challenge ahead
• Learn new skills for professional development
• Get away from routine work
• Be my own boss!
• Rich academic and cultural environment
• Time to think and discuss
• New things, ideas, people
• Opportunity for fun!

• Financial matters
• How to organise and prioritise study
• Balancing work and study (part-timers)
• Missing family and friends
• Homesickness
• Assessment, exams

• People – staff, fellow students, family and friends
• Key skills sessions, for example English classes, maths refresher classes – look out for other sessions later this term and beyond
• Written sources – handbooks; study skills guides

• This is likely to be one of the busiest periods of your life
• Your studies at LSHTM will be finished much sooner than you think
• You will hopefully experience a lot of happy times here but maybe some difficult ones too
• But we hope this will be one of the best periods of your life!