Month: March 2024

Abdulelah’s placement with the Temple Quarter Programme Team

Posted on by emily-may.roberts

Over the last few months, Abdulelah has been on placement with the Temple Quarter Programme Team as part of the BSc Business and Management course working with the leads for Civic Engagement and Social Purpose.

The Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus (TQEC) is the University’s new campus near Bristol Temple Meads Station. The main academic building at the campus will open in 2026, the TQ Research Hub will open in 2024 and the wider site is already home to the Barton Hill Micro-campus, Bristol Dental School and Engine Shed.

 

Abdulelah shares his experiences and reflects on his time on the placement so far.

 

Why did you choose this placement?

I first came across this placement before I became a student whilst I was taking my Kaplan Foundation Course. I was keen to gain work experience and this course stood out to me. From the module description and discussions with the unit leader, I thought this module would be a great opportunity to apply my academic knowledge in a workplace setting.

What have you been up to?

During the later parts of January and all of February, I’ve been developing the project idea of a business clinic for the local community.

I recently submitted and presented my proposal and have had regular meetings with Nick, who runs the Barton Hill Micro-campus, and the TQ leads for Civic Engagement, Jill and Tara, regarding this.

I also attended a tour of Bristol Temple Quarter provided by Bristol City Council. This tour helped me better imagine and visualise the possibilities of TQ beyond what has been highlighted in my reading.

What do you hope to get out of the placement?

From this placement, I hope to gain a firmer understanding of the inner workings of organisational efforts tailored to aiding the community. I have been on this placement for just short of four months and can assess that this goal is actively being achieved as I gain more experience engaging with the TQ work environment.

I am currently working on a business clinic proposal which has helped me understand how business cases are developed. By the end of this placement, I hope to continue using what I’ve learned in my course and apply it in real-world situations for the betterment of the community. I also hope that this will continue to enrich my learning experience and future work experience.

What skills have you developed throughout the placement?

During my time I have developed my communication, research, analytical and complex problem-solving skills. By proposing an idea of a business clinic, many factors needed to be considered, such as possible risks and consequences. By engaging with this I improved my complex problem-solving skills.

The most beneficial experience was presenting my idea, which required that I use all the aforementioned skills. For instance, to highlight the potential partnerships, I had to conduct research. To back up the reason for the partnership, I had to utilise complex problem-solving skills to highlight how the potential partners could fit in the umbrella of the business clinic.

How has this placement developed your future aspirations as a workplace professional?

During my time at Temple Quarter, I have identified more of my professional prospects, as I would like to work within the field of project management in the future. Specifically, I would like to work within the realm of community engagement and any sort of work in an organisation from a project management lens that caters to aiding and empowering the local community.

As an international student, this experience has helped me form a deeper connection with the city of Bristol by conducting research on the local area, the issues faced and speaking with businesses regarding their methods of operation. I feel this has enriched my experience at the University of Bristol.

Celebrating Southeast Asian Pride at SEADay 2024

Posted on by emily-may.roberts

Celebrating Southeast Asian Pride at SEADay 2024

By Mindy Liew

For the past three years, Southeast Asian societies in the University have come together to host SEA Day (Southeast Asia Day). Celebrating the region’s rich tapestry of history and culture. The annual food festival draws hundreds of students together to share in Southeast Asian pride.

This year’s celebration saw the joint effort of the Malaysian Cultural Society (MCS), the Malaysian-Singaporean Students’ Association (MSSA), the Brunei-Bristol Society (Brustol), the Vietnamese Society, and the Indonesian Students Association in Bristol and Bath (PPI).

Hosted in the grand Great Hall of Manor Hall, with the help of ResiLife, attendees were spoilt for choice with the range of national culinary treats on offer. From the sweetness of Singaporean soy milk grass jelly drink to the spice of Bruneian nasi katok, the room was set in a frenzy as everyone rushed to purchase their taste of home. Personally, my favourite was the various Malaysian desserts and snacks on offer, particularly the onde-onde (palm sugar glutinous rice balls).

Southeast Asian pride was at an all-time high as both attendees and event crew alike donned their best traditional wear, such as the sinuangga and cheongsam. Attendees were also treated to cultural performances throughout the evening. Jumpstarting the performance roster was the university’s Malay Martial Arts team, both young and experienced martial artists alike simulating sharp traditional combat. A live band performance featuring pop song classics brought out the romantics inherent in all Southeast Asians, quickly followed by a fun Indonesian game of gerobak dorong (wheelbarrow).

Of course, it wouldn’t be a roaring festival without the UoB Lion Dance Team. The red and yellow lion duo was once again a crowd favourite amidst the booming procession of traditional drum and cymbals. At the end of the night, the festival morphed into a concert as the crowd gathered before the stage for the final act – Beng and the Beats. The rock band’s setlist consisted of songs humorously dedicated to each country represented at SEA Day, one being ‘Style’ by Taylor Swift to commemorate her recent tour stop in Singapore. It was a sight to behold as the crowd collectively sang and danced along.

As the night ended on the band’s emotional serenade of ‘Yellow’, there was a renewed sense of community between us all. Being over 10,000 kilometres away from our home countries, many of us international students in Bristol were drawn to reflect on our connections to our culture. Encapsulating the essence of home, SEA Day served as a brilliant opportunity for us to reconnect with our roots amidst the hustle of student life in a new country.