An exploration of MacEwan’s exchange program

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to attend school on the other side of the world and immerse yourself in a new culture? This is the reality for MacEwan’s international exchange students. As part of MacEwan’s global outreach and its promotion of diversity, it offers students an international exchange program through Education Abroad. MacEwan has partner universities which will send students to MacEwan; in exchange, MacEwan sends its students to these partnered universities. There are currently 20 schools that offer a student exchange with MacEwan from 12 different countries. 

One school that is partnered with MacEwan through the program is Linkoping University, located in Linkoping, Sweden. Linkoping University is where visiting international exchange student Ludvig Söderberg comes from. 

I spoke with Söderberg about his experiences so far to understand what life as an exchange student at MacEwan is like. “I couldn’t be happier with my experience so far at MacEwan,” he says. “People are really friendly, and the school’s cleanliness is top-notch.” In addition, he says that as he’s here for longer, he’s come to appreciate the school more and more. He gives a glowing review of MacEwan’s hospitality and international program. 

MacEwan hosts events for visiting exchange students like Söderberg. These events include laser tag, movie nights, and a trip to the legislature. Söderberg explains that MacEwan guaranteed him a spot in residence, which was a pleasant surprise. During his current stay, Söderberg shares a room with three roommates. They are responsible for preparing their own meals which leads to frequent trips to local grocery stores like Save-on-Foods. For Söderberg, classes start at 2 p.m. for four days per week, which means he has plenty of free time in the mornings. He shares that exchange students are responsible for engaging with other students in order to step out of their comfort zones. One way that MacEwan can improve these relations is by having exchange students introduce themselves in their classes, leading to them to meet locals easily. 

Does exchange student life pique your interest? Söderberg shares some reasons why he believes doing an exchange program is a valuable experience while providing some tips. 

“Networking is one of the best things about the exchange program,” he explains, “Make an effort to get to know people [and] be fairly outgoing.” Homesickness is an inevitability when you are studying away from home, so Söderberg recommends: “Don’t keep to yourself, find people to talk things through with, and [turn it into] something to embrace.”

Interacting with exchange students is also encouraged for MacEwan students as we can learn from them, just as they can learn from us. 

Diversity is an important value here at MacEwan. Through programs like the student exchange, MacEwan students gain a more well-rounded worldview while visiting exchange students learn more about both Edmonton and Canadian culture. If you’re looking to study abroad, are a current visiting exchange student, or are a student at MacEwan (so you!), then you should embrace MacEwan’s diversity and look to expand your worldview. 

Do you want to learn more about MacEwan’s education abroad opportunities? Visit their website.

Photo by Joshua Woroniecki via Pixabay