From Beijing to Shropshire - how Nancy Han found her place at Harper Adams

Nancy Han’s parents studied in the United Kingdom and she wanted to follow in their footsteps, so Nancy soon found herself on route from Beijing to Harper Adams.

The 21-year-old International Business of Management student said: “I heard that Harper Adams was the best agricultural university in the United Kingdom, so when I found out that I could study there as part of my degree, I thought why not?

 “Everyone at the university is so friendly! Shropshire is very different to Beijing, but I have adapted quickly to the environment. The only slight difficulty sometimes is the language hindrance but, if I do have problems, Student Services are great.”

As an animal lover, Nancy admits that her favourite part of the university is having such a variety of animals on her doorstep.

“One personal highlight of being at Harper is definitely the animals. In my free time I go and see the cows, sheep, ducks and horses on campus. Seeing the wildlife and the squirrels in the morning helps me relax after a day of studying.

“The pace of life here is a little slower than back at home too. It’s very peaceful and the air is so clean,” says the award-winning Chinese National Taekwondo Association member.

“Besides, Shropshire and the nearby town of Newport has many facilities and amenities, so there is no problem finding something to do or places to buy necessities.”

Nancy is as enthusiastic about her course as she is about Harper’s location and inhabitants.

“I’m really enjoying my course as well. It’s very useful to learn about economics and finance, the knowledge you gain through the degree can help you solve the financial problems in your daily life.

“If I had to pick one module as my favourite, it would be ‘Supply Chain Management’.

“I am very curious about how things are produced, and it was interesting finding out how different food products are made and the journey they go on to meet the consumer.”

However, it is the Harper spirit – and the friendships which are forged at the University – which have helped provide Nancy with a further treasured memory.

She adds: “My other Harper highlight is quite a personal one. I live next door to a Dutch student and took her around the campus for a tour of the basic buildings. I'm not very good at dealing with strangers, but I wanted to try to break through myself, and I succeeded.  It was a very proud moment for me.”