Studying Abroad - Expectations vs. Duties

The University of Richmond (UR) is a private university in the heart of Virginia, a state where
American history was being made at its very beginning. It is placed in the middle of a beautiful campus, full of trees, green fields and traditional Virginian brick buildings.
Campuses like this one are rare in Europe. University buildings are usually spread around the city, so that dormitories, library and class buildings are not in one place. Students very often commute to school. European universities are old institutions, mostly funded in medieval times and built in the city center. There usually is no place for campus of American style, because the place around the university is already taken. That is why campus is the thing that strikes foreign students first when they come to UR.
UR founded in 1830 has a very rich history period looks, but its approach to education is rather modern which can be illustrated by a rich international program this university possesses.
Many of the UR foreign students are Europeans. They arrive with expectations of exploring a
different educational system from the one they follow in Europe. They want to meet new people, come to know another culture, achieve a different point of view in their fields and to acquire new perspectives.
“ I have been looking for a different experience and it has been incredibly different so far,” says Judith Ziarrusta a Spanish psychology student at the University Deusto.
The semester started three weeks ago and, studying at the UR (and in America) has been a new experience for this year’s exchange students. The first week was dedicated to International Orientation and opening classes. The new international students learned what it is like to be a UR student and what are their opportunities as well as responsibilities.
“The first three weeks were great. Meeting new interesting people, getting to know each other, getting familiar with the campus and learning about the rules and duties we will have to meet,” says Pavel Hrbek, economics student from the Czech Republic: ”Then it was of course the first time in a class where I was full of expectation, paying attention to every word the professor says, trying to figure out whether that particular class will be the harder one or not. Then the first assignments came and the smile I always have on my face started to be a little more bitter.”
Hrbek majors in finance. He’s studied in Spain and the United States before, so he’s actually not surprised by the amount of schoolwork. But some of the students with no knowledge of American educational system have been shocked during their first weeks at the University of Richmond.
Allesandra Fumaggali, an Italian who studies business at the Bocconi University in Milan, was surprised how demanding American classes are: “The way of studying here is very difficult for me. In Italy we do not have much work during the semester, but we have to do a lot of work for the final exam.”
Most of European students concur. The higher education system in the United States is of different structure. It emphasizes on ongoing semester work, while in Europe you are demanded to do most of your assignments at the end of term. “In Europe, you are not overwhelmed with assignments,” confirms Pavel. “You have duties but it is not on daily basis. And sometimes it doesn't matter whether you attend the class or not, because it is your responsibility and stupidity if you don't."
Even though international students have problems adapting to the excessive study load, and long hours in the library, they see both sides of the coin.
"Despite having almost no free time," says Sara Caprioli an Italian classmate of Alessandra
Fumaggali: "I like this way of studying. I think it’s more interesting and efficient and you can deepen your long-lasting knowledge a lot.”
The differences in academic approach is not just the assigned work, but also in activities
students are expected to do both in and outside the class. Discussion sustains education. Debate over various topics allows students to explore other points of view and ideas and to respect them. Classes in European universities have high enrollment and that makes academic discussion almost impossible.
The average size of UR class is 16 students. Professors strongly encouraged students to speak up in in class and the participation is usually part of the final grade.

“We almost never have discussion in class in Italy. There are about 120 people in class and we don’t have the space to talk,” says Caprioli and Jessie Pascarelli , a U.S. national and UR senior confirms this. Pascarelli studied abroad at the Galway University of Ireland last year.
“What I missed the most in at Galway was the one-on-one connection with the professor. In the United States professors are trying to engage students in the discussion in order to further their education and not just dump knowledge on them and say: ’ Go, do something with it!’ The attitude of professors is the biggest difference I have encountered during my stay abroad.”
European students appreciate the open class conversations. And the emphasis on practical skills, applying theory and knowledge.
“Here the education is much more pragmatic and in Europe it is more deep, but also more
theoretical. People are more ready for real world and their career than in Spain," says Judith Ziarrusta, who has also attended a U.S. high school. She spent her junior high school in Colorado.
“The link between university and real world is what I miss at home,” echoes, Jone Garcia, from the University of Deusto in Spain: “The education is much more practical here .
European students often remark the helpful and open attitude of American professors and appreciate their encouragement. This might be influenced by the general American grain, that people try to be helpful and nice.
But Pavel Hrbek offers another explanation, typical for a finance major, "What I miss at my home university in the Czech Republic is the enthusiasm and energy that the professors have here in the United States. And I think the biggest incentive for this is money. Back home professors don't get paid very well. And I also think that money influences the attitude of students. Here families have to pay a lot of money for their kids to go to university and students take their studies more seriously then. While back home most of the schools are public, studies are free and so that students are not so motivated. I would like to pay for education back home, I believe it would increase its quality”
However motivation is not the only thing Europeans are concerned about while confronted with American students. They often mention their competitiveness and assertiveness.
“People are more competitive here than in Italy,” says Fumaggali, frowning. “They are more individualistic. Even though they are very nice and friendly outside the class, when they enter the door of a classroom, they just sometimes don’t even say ‘Hi‘. I also sometimes experience difficulties because of that when working in a team. The American students don’t always listen to me, because they think I don’t understand them, just because I can not express myself as fast as they do. That way I can not get involved properly.”
In Europe, a system called the Bologna Process has been developing since the late 1990’s. This
means that European countries are trying to specialize their systems of education, evaluation and degrees, so that education will be more compatible thorough whole Europe.
“I think that the Bologna process is going to be a good thing for European education, “ says Garcia. “It is going to allow us to have more global market. We will be able to go anywhere to work, because my studies will be recognized there. It might also bring us closer to American model of studies and allow us to draw the good principles it has to offer,” thinks Garcia.
Hrbek is a bit more skeptical: “ I think it is a great idea, but only if they really manage to keep
the exams in different countries on the same level. Because from my study experience in Spain I wouldn't say that the level is comparable and that the hard work is rewarded the same way."
A goal of the Bologna process is to develop compatibility of European and American education and degrees and intermediation of easier and more enriching thematic discourse between these two cultures. That’s basically the objective of studying abroad.
The difference in American educational culture is not just in the classroom. Housing and social life at is very different from home.
"University Deusto has just the building, where classes are held, then the library and cafeteria,” says Garcia. ." Students live either in dormitories or at home, the dorms, however, are usually not on the campus.”
“They did not have any on campus housing in Ireland," the American, Pascarelli, offers her perspective. "That was a very big difference for me. We had to live either in housing complexes reserved for students or hire an apartment in the city. I personally lived in an apartment with other American exchange students."
Given that campuses are rare thing in Europe, it is not surprising, that European scholars don't live in such close community like in the United States. They do not have fraternities or sororities, student clubs and organizations are rather uncommon as well as curriculum activities. University pride and spirit is not supported in Europe. There is almost no varsity sport.

Photo by Pavel Hrbek

When the international students arrived in Richmond, trees were green and the air was humid and heavy, it was a southern summer at its peak. The Europeans had many expectations and few duties.
Now the fall is coming. Soon trees across campus will turn red. Students will trade flip-flops for sneakers. Their expectations will suddenly be overwhelmed by duties. Even though they complain about hard work, you can see a little sparkle in their eyes, which very clearly says they might not be used to continuous work, but they appreciate what it is bringing to them.
International students are here to upgrade their knowledge and experiences. When Christmas comes and the University of Richmond and the formerly green and red trees might will be white with snow, they will end their stay.