How Humoud is Making the Most out of his Time at Salford

Fulfilling a dream

“From a young age, I always dreamt of studying in the UK. As I began to look for universities to study at, I knew I wanted somewhere near a bustling student city and what better place than Manchester with 99,000 students and 19,000 of those being international students. I had travelled to Manchester multiple times before deciding to study here and so I already felt quite at home in the city.

When selecting a place to study, a welcoming environment was an essential factor for me. Every time I visited campus during Open Day events, I felt welcomed with open arms. There are also multiple food outlets, a large library, and unique study spaces all on campus – what more could you want?”

Studying BSc Business Management

“When I arrived in Salford, along with a sense of unchartered territory, I immediately felt that I had a massive opportunity to make the most out of all the new experiences I was about to have.

I quickly understood that at Salford Business School I would not just be sitting reading textbooks and listening to lectures, instead the learning would be very interactive. From the minute I arrived, I was thrown into a hands-on learning experience, from discussions with my peers to debates with our tutors and interactive assessments, to name just a few.

Throughout my first year, I have learnt the ins and outs of businesses, what makes them tick and, my favourite, how to lead them! The key themes that have run through all my lessons have been communication, teamwork, problem-solving and leadership. During almost every class, we are pushed to discuss our thoughts and showcase our ideas in a clear and succinct way. Quite often, we are challenged to do tasks in groups, and this has pushed me to be able to work with different people to solve problems and lead a team effectively. All of these skills are preparing me for my future career.

I am looking forward to undertaking a work placement in the third year of my studies. Throughout my second year, I will be exploring the different areas of organisations, and which interests me the most. This will allow me to decide where to complete my placement.”

Life outside of the classroom

“There are so many different things for international students to get involved with at Salford to enhance your CV, to help you meet new connections and to explore your interests further.

When I arrived in Salford, I registered with Unitemps, the on-campus student recruitment agency. They helped me find a part-time job as a Student Ambassador for Salford Business School. During this role, I help the school with the smooth running of Open Days, chat with applicants about everything the school can offer them and give presentations about my experiences. This role is ideal for me as it fits seamlessly around my studies whilst further developing the skills I am learning during my course.

I also volunteer for the Students’ Union in two roles. The first is as a Student Trustee of the Students’ Union where I take part in Trustee Board meetings to ensure our union is run effectively and the interests of current students are being heard. I also volunteer for the Rafiki service which is a peer listening service led by students for students. During this role, I talk to students who may be struggling with a problem and point them in the right direction to get the help they need. At the end of the academic year, I was thrilled to win the Volunteer of the Year award at the University of Salford’s Students’ Union Awards 2023 for my volunteering efforts this year.

Finally, I am in the process of establishing the Salford Business Society. At Salford, there are so many different societies you can get involved with, however if there isn’t one quite right for you, you could always start your own and that is exactly what I have done. I have been elected as chair of the society for the coming academic year and will be helping to get it up and running – watch this space!”

Words of wisdom

“Whilst it may feel daunting moving to another country to study, you are going to have so many wonderful experiences that will truly shape who you become. My advice would be not to fret, there will always be someone at Salford  to give you a helping hand if you need it. Make the most of your time here and enjoy yourself.”