University hosts its biggest international festival
Tue, 22 Nov 2016 09:00:00 GMT
The International Food and Culture Festival saw students from around the world showcase their national foods, fashions and traditions
LARGE crowds enjoyed a wide range of activities, performances, traditional culture and national cuisines as the University of Huddersfield played host to one of its biggest student events recently.
The International Food and Culture Festival takes place twice a year and has become one of the most significant events that unites the University’s student population. The aim of the festival is to strengthen inclusion, coherence and understanding of different cultures, cuisines and celebrations.
Among the many nationalities celebrating were students from; Kuwait, Poland, Vietnam, Malaysia, Nigeria, Japan, France, Cyprus, China, South America, India plus many more. The event allows students from the UK and around the world to showcase their national foods, fashions and traditions which helps to bring people together and gain a wiser understanding of one another. Through this format long lasting friendships and experiences are made and shared.
Laura Wood is a British student currently studying Events Management at the University, she said; “I really enjoyed the festival. There was a great variety of cuisines I'd never even heard of before, the performers were also very talented and entertaining. I saw some styles of dance and traditional clothing I'd never seen before and it was an interesting experience. I can't wait for next year!”
Economics student Fahmida Nisa Karim from Bangladesh said; “Before I came to the UK, I searched the University online and discovered the video about this event. I had offers to go to university in Manchester or Leeds but I opted for Huddersfield after seeing the fun and opportunities to make friends while at university. This festival is full of positivity and makes studying in Huddersfield one of the best experiences you can imagine.”
The University has 25,000 students and with over 120 different nationalities on its campus, the institution is continuing to grow on an international scale, securing its reputation as one of the most popular universities in the world.
The University already has country offices in China, Nigeria, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Malaysia and India with further plans to open more offices in other countries in 2017.
Earlier this year the University was voted within the top ten institutions in the world for the student experience and best places to live and study in a global student survey.
Alan Tobi, the University's International Student Experience Manager said, “It has been a great chance for all of our students at Huddersfield of every nationality to learn and understand each other through their passion of food, music, fashion and culture. Where else would you see a mix of Polish hip hop, Burmese candle dancing, and a Czech Republic conga alongside British Morris dancing? This is what makes this event so special.
“We have brought them all together and it has been great to see how they have felt included through showcasing cultural exchange activity. Whether it was trying on sampling food from Hong Kong, trying some salsa dancing or watching a Moroccan performance, the whole campus witnessed a spectacular day of activities.
“It is through this event that the University of Huddersfield is growing its global appeal and we want to enhance that further by improving the student experience on campus.”
