Dusyanth Papdeshi, VIT University Semester Abroad student

"I saw the Semester Abroad Program as an opportunity to get some international exposure and improve my skillset. The University of Plymouth has a world-renowned course in Information Security. So I was sure that I would be able to improve my skills here. I was also certain that it would be a great first step towards a career in cybersecurity.

The University of Plymouth was able to guide us during the whole application process and helped us settle down once we reached Plymouth. We were given all the information needed to make decisions and had we had plenty of support from the University. The student accommodation, in particular, helped find me a home. They gave us a list of all the guesthouses available for a temporary stay and a list of all student lettings who helped us find a home for four months. The International Student Advice (ISA) office also arranged a great orientation program that helped us easily settle more quickly.

The best thing about my project at the University of Plymouth was the freedom and availability of resources to work on my project at any hour of the day. This allowed me to work at a comfortable speed and also to fit in leisure activities around my work schedule.

Plymouth is a small historic city, has friendly people, a hub for events in the South West of England, strategically located near beaches, national parks and other cities. What I like most about the city and the University is the diversity. I have met people from all over the world and had some really great experiences.

What I hoped to gain from my time at Plymouth was to meet new people and improve my skill set in the security field. I also wanted to get out of my comfort zone and experience living and studying in a completely different culture. The University of Plymouth allowed me to do this and I will take this experience with me in my future aspirations, which is to study my master’s at New York University."