A story of student life in Orkney has won Syed Suhail the title of Scotland’s International Student of the Year 2008.
The 29-year-old PhD student from Pakistan is now preparing to challenge for the UK’s prestigious International Student of the Year 2008 title run by the British Council.
Syed, who is studying with higher education network UHI (the prospective University of Highlands and Islands), is one of 12 regional winners. They will all be treated to a trip to London on 23 April, where they will meet a final judging panel before going on to have their extraordinary achievements honoured in a national awards ceremony.
He was one of more than 1,500 students, representing 127 nationalities, to enter the sixth annual International Student Awards - the UK’s biggest competition designed to shine the spotlight firmly on international students and their unique contributions to life in the UK.
Syed's first year in the UK was spent studying for a master’s degree in Sustainable Management of Natural Resources at the University of Leicester. While living in Leicester, he helped teach children to sing and worked for the Red Cross as an interpreter for refugees.
He then came to the Agronomy Institute based at partner college, Orkney College UHI to start his PhD research project. Syed will be investigating the effect of different soil types and agricultural inputs on plant growth, grain quality and economic return of Bere Barley grown in Orkney.
The International Student Awards are different from other student competitions. The awards focus on the virtues of living and studying in the UK, not solely on academic achievements, and aims to celebrate diversity and creativity within UK institutions.
From school pupils to postgraduates, international students at all levels entered the competition by writing a personal ‘letter home’ in English, detailing the out-of-class achievements that help make their time in the UK so rewarding.
Other regional runners’ up were Nigerian Susan Ayodele Morocco-Clarke and Malaysian Ravindran Manoharan. Both postgraduate students at the University of Aberdeen.
A judging panel from the Scottish Government and British Council, met to discuss the merits of the short listed entries. After careful consideration Syed’s letter was judged to be the best and he will receive a £1,000 prize. The ultimate winner of the title International Student of the Year 2008 will receive a £2,000 prize at the glittering competition final, to be held in London in April.
Margaret Irving, of Higher Education and Learner Support at the Scottish Government, commented: 'The Scottish Government is delighted that one of Scotland’s international students has been successful in reaching the finals of the Shine awards.
'These awards are an excellent way of recognising the positive impact our international students have on their local community.'
For more information telephone +44 (0) 131 524 5739 or e-mail andrew.borthwick@britishcouncil.org.
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