International students unite

Posted 8 February 2013

Harper Adams students from across the globe came together to celebrate the Chinese New Year, recently.

The students were invited to an international three-course dinner which comprised of a Chinese sample platter, British roast beef dinner and a French crème brulee with Scottish shortbread.

Countries represented at the event included Ukraine, Italy, Germany, France, United States of America, China (including students from both Beijing and Inner Mongolia) and the UK.  Local host families and a small number of staff were also invited to the meal.

Event co-organiser, Pam Thompson, said: “We have a strong international community here at Harper Adams and thought what better way to celebrate the Chinese New Year than to host a special dinner.  Bringing the students together in this way is a great way of introducing them to each other’s cultures.”

“We were delighted that some of our host families could also attend. We greatly appreciate the friendship and in-sight into British family life offered by our host families to Harper Adams’ international students and we felt that this dinner was the least we could do to thank them for their generosity.”

Harper Adams has a long standing relationship with Beijing Agricultural College (BAC), running joint undergraduate programmes in International Business Management and Food Quality with Retail Management since 2004. 

Sandra Turner, BAC Course Manager, said: “The event was a great opportunity for students on similar courses to mix socially as well as working well together academically, something we actively encourage at Harper Adams University."

Each year, around 80 final year students come from BAC in Beijing, China to study at Harper Adams, with graduation taking place in September.

For more photographs see the official Harper Adams University Facebook page.