​“I CHOOSE GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY”.
Yuho Okitagraduates this month with a Bachelor of Exercise Science, after commencing in 2013 in the QIBT (now “Griffith College”) Diploma of Health Science.Yuhowas one of the first students to choose the Diploma of Health Science. So how did it go??
Yuho’s study went so well he has been accepted to stay at Griffith University to start an honours program in 2016 with the plan of researching or perhaps doing a PhD in the area of neurodegenerative diseases (like Parkinson’s or Alzheimers disease). “I actually have the academic results now at the end of my degree to switch to older universities in Queensland or Australia but I prefer to stay at Griffith due to the high level or research and the health faculty facilities on the Gold Coast campus”.
It wasYuho’s parents who encouraged him to leave Japan and study in an overseas university. “My father is a professor in a university in Kyushu and he thinks the quality of education for overseas is high, particularly for a career in academic research. I might end up completing a full Phd in Australia or the UK and then who knows, perhaps work overseas long term, or back in Japan”.
Yuhofound time to chat during the lunch break of his shift at the Sushi Train restaurant in the Harbour Town shopping complex, located a few kilometres north of the Gold Coast campus of Griffith University. Like many Japanese students,Yuho has a relatively a well paid part time job (over $20 per hour), and the many shops and restaurants on the Gold Coast offer a variety of job opportunities. In addition to part time work,Yuhoplans to spend the summer break assisting other PhD students at Griffith with their research projects, including live animal testing of therapies. His schedule sounds very busy but he has time to spend with many friends from countries including Australia, Singapore, Korea, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia. “I am very happy, I have many friends, a car to get around, and a girlfriend. I live in a share-house with other students which is a cheaper option.”
I askedYuhoif he had advice to help future students decide which university to study at. Should they go for the famous one, the best ranking one and so on? “It depends on the major. With the new Gold Coast Hospital right next to the university, Griffith Gold Coast campus has become the superior university for many health-related majors for a start. Griffith University is the best university for my area of research”.
It is impressive to see how the QIBT/Griffith College and Griffith University programs help Japanese students evolve into confident adults, focused on their careers and mixing comfortably with people from many cultures and backgrounds.
*Adapted from original article from Peter Anderson, Navitas Japan
