Special guests from Switzerland took a tour of HSDC Havant Campus for an insight into international students’ experiences studying abroad.
On Wednesday, the 13 Swiss students who are spending a year with us at HSDC were pleased to show some familiar faces how their studies are going.
HSDC Havant staff welcome the Swiss visitors
Aidan Macdonald, deputy headteacher and director of the French-English Matura programme for the Canton of Vaud, and Manuel Donzé, headteacher of Renens High School, spent the morning meeting with their students, visiting classrooms and seeing everything Havant has to offer.
The group of A Level students are spending a year studying at HSDC, living with host families in the local area and experiencing life in England, thanks to our partnership with Swiss district Canton de Vaud.
Angelica Cruz, International Student Coordinator, said:
“Aidan and Manuel were very pleased with the students’ feedback, it was great to see happy faces when they talked about the experience on our campus. They had the opportunity to talk with one of our Biology teachers about UK education and EPQ and at the end both sides were pleased with the plan for the students.
“I’m delighted to have a rich cultural addition from the Swiss students, they are friendly, polite and their level of English is amazing. The visit from Aidan Macdonald and Manuel Donze is just the beginning for a long partnership between Canton de Vaud and HSDC.”
Our 13 Swiss students are among 34 international students spending time at HSDC this year from a variety of countries including China, France, South Africa, USA, Italy, Germany and Austria.
During his visit, Aidan Macdonald said:
“For the students, when they come back from their year abroad they come back with more confidence, they’re able to work more independently. They’re so much more resilient.
“We love our classes when they come back because they perform better. It’s a unique experience because the students are in a regular college with local students and experiencing aspects of British culture which they wouldn’t otherwise experience.”
HSDC is very proud of its partnerships with schools and colleges across the world. Visit our International Study page to discover more about our study programme.
Swiss international students proudly wearing their HSDC jumpers