For Ms. Katie Hynes, a Biomedical Sciences student at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland, Thailand was not her first choice for her exchange study destination. However, a last-minute development made her decide to go to Thailand, specifically here at Mahidol University International College (MUIC): “I feel extremely lucky to experience what I feel is a hidden gem and hope that in the future more Irish students will follow (and come to MUIC). ..Thailand is a great place for both traveling and immersing oneself in a culture and society so different from the one I have grown up in.”

It’s now her second (and last) trimester now in MUIC.  Enough time for her to think deeply about her experiences in Thailand and the college.

Which leads us to our question: What are the three best things about MUIC?

1. Lots of Student Activities

Katie noticed that in MUIC, “There always seems to be something going on,” explaining that every time she enters the cafeteria area in Aditayathorn Building, she would always be met by an event or two, be it a club hosting a cultural activity or students selling goods in aid of local children and other causes. “It is really admirable to see so many active clubs and students taking such initiatives. It certainly reflects on the overall spirit that MUIC promotes in its student participation and engagement,” she said.

• Close Ties Between Lecturers and Students

“I noticed that relationships between the lecturers and students seem to be much more engaging on a person-to-person level. The class sizes are also smaller than my home university’s and I feel that this gives me a more personal learning experience with the lecturers being very approachable,” Katie said, adding that the full-time students were very welcoming and she was able to get to know more of them during her second semester. “It really added to my experience, giving me the opportunity to see daily life in Thailand upclose and learn about its culture in a way that other people who are just travelling may not get,” she observed.

• “Absolutely Stunning Campus”

Katie said she is impressed by the greeneries of Salaya campus, providing a home to a rich flora and fauna. “As I walk home from campus every day, I’m struck with moments of awe from seeing monitor lizards crossing the path in front of me to the tropical tapestry of the parks and green areas,” she said.

She may be concluding her two trimesters’ worth of studies in MUIC soon, but Katie is definitely bringing home with her a lot of good memories.

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One of the hallmarks of MUIC’s international education is its active exchange program. Every year, around 600 students from its partner universities in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Oceania come to the campus for their exchange studies. In turn, a similar number of MUIC students spend a semester or more abroad, further broadening their perspectives and enriching this worldview.

To learn more about MUIC’s Study Abroad Program, click here: https://muic.mahidol.ac.th/eng/study-abroad/