California

Another reason why it is great to study Engineering at the University of Queensland (UQ) is that the university encourages its students to undertake a semester or two overseas as an exchange student. And the established reputation of UQ globally enables its students to undertake exchange in some of the most prestigious and renowned universities in the world.

As part of my Engineering degree at UQ, I am attending the University of California at Berkeley. The engineering faculty at Berkeley is arguably one of the best engineering colleges in the world. It consistently ranks among the top 4 engineering schools globally. Berkeley has had 21 Nobel Laureates in its faculty: 8 of whom are currently teaching.

The picture above is the Doe Library - the main library of the campus. Completed in 1911, the library houses some of the University's most prized collections. Just below where I was: a four-story underground structure consisting of 52 miles of bookshelves.

And the cultural diversity, intertwined with its vibrant and rich history, becomes quite apparent as you simply walk through the campus. From the Free Speech Movement to the opposition of the Vietnam War, Berkeley embraces its proud heritage of student activism.

This semester surely promises to be the most exciting one yet. Stay tuned.