City uni offers more overseas trips than any other university

COVENTRY University offers its students more overseas trips than any other university in the UK.

The university came top of the leaderboard for international opportunities for the third year running.

Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that in 2016/17 Coventry University provided a total of 3,482 student experiences abroad.

Last year 436 students at the university studied or lived abroad for between three months and a full year, and almost 3,000 students across all of its four faculties went on shorter international trips of up to a month.

The data includes study trips, year-long placements at overseas universities, volunteer schemes and field trips.

Top 10 destinations for students have included America, China, the Netherlands, Turkey, India and Malaysia - with many also travelling to major European destinations where Coventry has long standing links that will continue post-Brexit.

The university hopes that by 2020 more than half of its student population will take a trip abroad as part of their course.

Klaudia Kordowska, an aviation management student, has travelled to Paris, Switzerland and Hong Kong thanks to course contacts and university funding.

She said: “International trips are definitely a highlight of my time at university. I had an opportunity to attend the Paris Air Show, take part in International Winter School in Switzerland and undertake a course field trip to Hong Kong.”

The latest figures reflect the success of an ongoing effort at Coventry University to ensure that all students have the opportunity to travel and learn abroad to help boost employability and personal development while preparing them for the global world of work.

Dr David Pilsbury, vice chancellor for international development said: “Acquiring personal and professional skills necessary for the global world of work is invaluable for our students, and we are pleased that so many are taking up the chance to travel and experience opportunities all over the world.

“Our plan is by 2020 more than half of our students will take advantage of the opportunity to study abroad with all the benefits it brings.”