Journey of a Muslim

The University of Warwick is a "plate glass" campus university established in 1965. Its reputation has rapidly risen to be regarded as one of the top 10 ranking universities in the UK and offers a wide range of traditional university courses.The University of Warwick is classified as Tier 2 university alongside with Imperial College, London School of Economics and Political Science(LSE) and University College London. Located on the outskirts of nice and delicate city of Coventry,the university isrecognised as an excellent place to pursue your study and developing your skills.

Academic Excellence

- Consistently in the top ten UK universities in the media league tables; ranked 3rd in The Guardian’s 2011 league table and 8th in The Times Good University Guides 2011.
- Ranked 7th in the UK for research quality in the government’s Research Assessment Exercise, 2008, with 65% of our research judged to be world leading or internationally excellent
- The university of choice for over 45 overseas governments and organisations looking to sponsor the best students to the UK; including Malaysia.
- Positioned in the top five UK universities for students having achieved the highest number of tariff points on entry
- Excellent academic staff, recruited from the UK and abroad, ensuring high quality, research-based teaching in the Humanities, Sciences, Social Sciences and Medicine
- An established reputation among business, industry and the public services as one of the UK’s most important sources of ‘intellectual capital’


Courses

There are 5 main courses that most of the Malaysian undergraduate students here in Warwick chose to focus their study on:

- Business, Accounting and Finance
- Sciences (Chemistry, Biology and Physic)
- Mathematics (MORSE, Mathematic)
- IT and Engineering
- Social Sciences and Teaching (Law, TESL)

However, the university also offer their vast array of options, giving you the flexibility to specialise in aspects of your subject that particularly interest you. You can also broaden your academic experience by learning a new language or taking an option in another academic department. The administration have also designed all of the courses so that specialisations and options all fit together into a coherent programme that is tailored to your own interests and also equips you with the skills and knowledge greatly valued by employers.

At Warwick – depending on your subject – you may learn through:

- Lectures : the most formal way of teaching a large group of students
- Seminars : a group of around a dozen students meeting with a member of staff to discuss a paper prepared by one of the group, or a group presentation
- Tutorials : small group learning giving you the opportunity for more individual contact, so that you can discuss a paper in more detail and review your progress with your tutor
- Laboratory/language classes in specialist facilities
- Performance : Warwick has nationally recognised expertise in using theatrical performance skills to enhance student learning
- Independent study :the key element of your transition to university – learning to work by and for yourself.

Don’t worry as your lecturer and tutor will help you make this transition – and your seniors too.



The Campus

The University of Warwick is located in the heart of England, on the edge of the multicultural city of Coventry and the border of Warwickshire. This “best of both worlds” location means one side of the campus faces a bustling modern city whilst the other overlooks beautiful English countryside. Its illustrious mediaeval past can be seen in its remaining timber-framed buildings, whilst its modern day fame as a centre for peace and reconciliation is evident in its striking modern cathedral. Just south of the University of Warwick lie Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon and historic Warwick itself, home to Britain’s finest mediaeval castle.

The University of Warwick campus provides a variety of day-to-day facilities and services for students. The area around the piazza and the Students' Union building are the central shopping spots where you can find a supermarket, banks, post office, pharmacy, bookshop, hairdressers and Oxfam shop.




Here’s the map of the campus.

To know more about the university, you can watch some interactive tour video here.


Facilities

The University of Warwick provide the students with wide range of facilities to help enhancing the academic excellence such as :

- One huge library – refurbished and remodelled to meet the needs of the 21st century leaner, consisting of millions of books and printed works, access to electronic journals and database and also subject librarians with specialised knowledge of your particular academic area.
- Huge and wide learning spaces for revising, reading or group discussing complete with latest IT equipment.
- A* rating facilities for the lecture hall, laboratory, classroom, and library. Plus, 24 hours working area for overnight students.
- Thousands of computers for the student to work on – including personal computer room for each department(only students from its own department can use).
- Also known among the Malaysians to have a confortable and pleasant prayer room facilities – offering 5 times a day congregational prayer including Jumuah and Eid prayers.
- Shops and restaurants around the university compound – serving halal foods for the muslims.
- Sports Centre with swimming pool, gymnasium and plenty of field to play on – indoor and outdoor tennis courts, hockey, rugby, football, squash, volleyball, cricket, frisbee and international standard athletic track.


- Tired of studying?? Go for a walk around the campus natural preserved landscape. You might even encounter with wild hare, squirrel and variety of bird and insect species. Click here for more info.


Accommodation
- On-campus

Warwick campus accommodation is second to none. Purpose-built residences provide over 6,000 rooms for both undergraduates and postgraduates, all within ten minutes’ walk of our academic and social spaces. Some accommodation is en-suite and some consists of study bedrooms with washbasins; there are traditional university halls, as well as flats, for between five and twelve students, with shared kitchens and bathrooms. All have network ports and high speed internet access, and all are furnished and maintained to a high standard. Each halls and flats have resident staff on duty to make sure that everything runs smoothly and look after their students’ welfare. There is also self-laundrette service provided in each residence. It cost about £2.00 per wash and £1.00 for drying.



Price range is from £76 - £145* per week depends on the type of the residence.

For more info about on-campus university accommodation, click here.

*Price is correct for 2011/12 academic year application.



- Off-campus

There are three choices for you to pick when planning to stay off-campus; university accommodation, private accommodation or rent a house.

For university accommodation, you don’t have to worry as Warwick Accommodation(manage by the university) will help you find off-campus accommodation.The university manages around450 houses (over 1,800 rooms) in Coventry, Leamington and nearby Kenilworth. In this way, we ensure that all properties meet local authority accreditation standards relating to health and safety, furnishing and maintenance, and that the rents are suitable for student

For more info about off-campus university accommodation, click here.

For private accommodation, I’m sure that you already received some newsletter about it such as Liberty Park, Study Inn, Paradise Place and many more. The price usually a bit higher from the university accommodation and you has to pay for the travel cost to the university.

If you prefer to stay off campus in a bachelor house, we can arrange itfor you and when you finally arrive, your house is ready for you and your friends.Sweet rite? All you have to do is contact us as provided at the end of this review. No worries, no sweat.


Shopping

As mentioned above, the University of Warwick is just 30 minutes away from the Coventry City Centre. There’s a lot of shoppingoutlets to look at from branded clothing to stationery. There’s also a shopping complex in Coventry that provides all sort of product, thus you got nothing to worry of.

If you love doing all sorts of crafting, knitting or models, there is Hobbycraft’s branch in Coventry. You can stock up there with variety of crafting material to suit you desire. Believe it or not, there is a huge IKEA complex here in Coventry. You can buy all sort of furniture at affordable price and seek advice on how to decorate your room.

If you still not satisfied, you can take a train to UK 2nd largest city, Birmingham. In about 20 minutes, you can dwindle around the Birmingham City Centre for lot more choices.



Halal Food

All campus accommodation is self-catering, with well-equipped kitchens and common rooms and is close to supermarkets to stock up with food. However, when you don’t feel like cooking, there are plenty of restaurants and food outlets on campus(serve halal food) where you can eat well. There more on foods!Eating @ Warwick scheme offers discounts on food and groceries at outlets across the campus.


In order to get more choices at a cheaper price, you can just walk about 15 minutes form the campus to TESCO. As the main customer is from the university, the store operates 24 hours per day except Sunday(close at 4.00pm). If you don’t like TESCO, you can go to other stores like Iceland, Wilkinson which situated in the same building to pile up your food stocks.

To get a halal meat, you get buy pre-cut chicken and beef at TESCO. You can also buy halal meat at the Coventry market situated in the heart of Coventry City Centre. There are fresh vegetable, fruit and spices available at the market.

If you crave of the Malaysian taste, you can get some Malaysian product at the Asian Market; there is one near to TESCO and another one at Coventry City Centre.


Transportation

All University properties are within easy reach of bus stops, and there are frequent buses connecting campus to Coventry, Kenilworth and Leamington Spa. You can buy bus passes on campus which are valid for the full 3terms(about £215* by National Express).

Ifyou are planning to stay off-campus, I personally advice you to have it. Depends on where you might stay, you can try other alternative way such as walk or cycling to the campus.


If you’re planning to stay on-campus, then you might want to know the ticket prices:

Single journey : £1.60 per travel
Day saver : £3.40 unlimited travel for one day
Family saver : £7.50 for 5 people(need to use it together), unlimited travel for one day

*Price might slightly change for next academic year.



Student Life in University

As a muslim man and women in a Christian country, you might need to prepare yourself well. There’s no abah or ummi to remind you every day. Your flatmates don’t even care about your religion. They got their own faith and believe, they got their own culture. The world is not on your side. Your class, seminars, group discussion clashes with the prayer time. Sometime, you even end up finishing your labs when the sun is not there anymore. So, what can you do??

University life is tough and getting tougher. If you are not mentally and physically prepared, you might find yourself failing in the exam and sent home to Malaysia. Readings, tutorials and self-study need a high discipline and motivation to get through.

We are here to help. Meet us at our FREE pre-departure program organised by IKRAM UK & Ireland to ask and share the experience of studying at the UK top universities. Once again, it’s FREE!!

Arriving at Warwick, United Kingdom

Upon your arrival at London Heathrow Airport, there are various ways to get to the university. You can travel by bus, trains or pay for a taxi with some amount of money. Most importantly, London is not as small as other cities here in UK. It’s the largest city and you might even find yourself lost in the hectic atmosphere of the concrete jungle. With all your bags and belongings, it is a situation you don’t want to get in!!

Don’t worry as we can fetch you right on your arrival. We’ll take you to the university as voluntary deeds. You don’t have to pay us. All you have to do is contact us, tell your arrival date and the problem solved!!



Contact person

Any questions and queries, do not hesitate to contact usat:

NaufalJailani
BSc Chemistry 12’
+44(0)7500868279
watercress_blue@yahoo.co.uk (e-mail, FB, ym)

ShahidaTomiran
Bsc Accounting and Finance 13’
+44(0)7584284814
shahida.tomiran@gmail.com (email,FB)

They are superbly nice persons. If you call them(or just leave a message) and ask for helps, you can just consider it as job done. Thus, it’s up to you guys whether to take the opportunity or not.

See you at Warwick!!