UNH’s College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (CEPS) has several exchange programs, one of which allows our students to study a semester at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BUTE). On Saturday (3/5/11) I had a chance to introduce the ECE perspective of the Budapest exchange program to an impressively large (80+) group of students and parents. My presentation was part of the CEPS Study Abroad Information Session organized by Bob Henry, CEPS associate dean for academic affairs, and his staff.

My favorite part of the information session was the student panel. Bob Henry invited five students who spent time abroad (three in Budapest and two at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland) last fall to answer questions from the audience. As in panels I’ve seen in the past, the students gave the exchange programs glowing recommendations.  However, this year Bob Henry added something I haven’t seen in the past: the parents of a student panelist were on hand to answer questions from their perspective. This strikes me as an excellent way to make the parents of prospective study-abroad students feel comfortable with the program, and prepare them for the inevitable stress of their children moving to another continent for a few months.

Several UNH ECE students were at the information session and I hope they take advantage of the opportunity to study in Budapest. Carol Perkins and four other ECE juniors are currently in Budapest and, according to Carol, they are adjusting very well.

For more pictures from the event visit Flickr.