![]()
1
Introduction: Living and studying in the UK
Being successful
Congratulations! You have made a very good decision to study abroad in the UK. This book will help you to study successfully so you should read it and keep it with you while you study.
Studying in the UK is a very exciting and valuable experience for you. We know that it is very important to you, and your family, that you are very successful in your studies, and very happy with your life in the UK. Being successful while you are in the UK can mean many things:
1. Getting a good qualification.
2. Feeling happy with yourself and the new experiences you will have in the UK.
3. Improving your English language skills.
4. Gaining a wider knowledge of the world, and UK society in particular.
5. Being independent for the first time since you left China.
6. Making new friends and finding out about their countries and their lives.
7. Preparing yourself well for a good career, either back in China, or internationally.
So success can mean many things, but all of these things can come from using this book to make sure that your studies achieve the results that you want.
Chapter 1: Xiangpingās study tips Read Xiangpingās tips about settling down well in the UK, managing your time well, and things that you might find strange at first about UK culture.
The United Kingdom: A multicultural society
What exactly is the UK? It means the āUnited Kingdomā, but why āUnitedā and what is a āKingdomā? You might be confused by what exactly the āUKā means. UK is a short form (or acronym) for the āUnited Kingdomā, which is also called Britain. Its full name is the āUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Irelandā, which indicates that it is a sovereign state consisting of two main islands: Great Britain and the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland. This is different from China, which is considered to be one country. Even though they are part of these two islands, England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland have all been regarded for centuries as nations, with their own languages and cultures, and this is still the correct way to refer to them. So we can talk about the English nation, the Scottish nation, the Welsh nation and the Irish nation. Each of these nations has had kings or queens to rule them in the past. This is why we still use the word āKingdomā.
What does āBritishā mean?
You will hear this word quite often when you are in the UK. You might hear people say that they are British, or that they prefer British food for example. It is the established term for anything which relates to the UK. So if you have a British passport, you are a āBritish citizenā. Sometimes, the word āBritishā is shortened to the word āBritsā to refer to British citizens.
The UK is a multicultural society with people from many different nations, ethnic groups, cultures, and religions. In the UK, the word āforeignerā is not a polite word to describe people from outside the UK. People can be referred to by their country of origin ā so you are Chinese, but not a āforeignerā. It is government policy to treat all citizens fairly and equally under the law, regardless of their country of origin.
The UK is regarded as a monolingual English-speaking society, and the main originator of the English language. The English language is the only official language used in central government. It is one of the most widely spoken languages globally, particularly in business, and is also one of the most popular foreign languages learned and used in the world. The global use of the English language brings many international students to the UK, and China provides one of the largest groups of international students in the UK.
The European Union
The UK and Republic of Ireland are also members of the European Union (EU), which is an international organisation (not a state). It has its own laws which member countries must obey. Citizens of all the member countries have the right to settle in any member state. You will find many European citizens living and working in the UK.
THINK 1.1
What differences do you think you will find between your education experience in China and your new study home in the UK? Write some notes in the reflection box at the end of this chapter.
The UK Higher Education system
In the UK, many students go on to āhigherā education from āsecondaryā education. As in China, good final exam results are essential for all British students who want to go on to further study. However, students also enter Higher Education from many other different routes. Since learning is regarded as a lifelong process, many adults enter Higher Education after years spent in other careers, often enrolling on ādistanceā modules wh...
