Congratulations to Martin Henderson

Congratulations to Martin Henderson, (Computer Systems Engineering with a Year in Industry), who applied successfully for one of only 53 undergraduate scholarships in an open competition run by UKB for International Mobility Funding, organised by the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Kent. Winners were selected on the basis of grades and an explanation of how they expected to benefit. The Faculty of Sciences kindly funded 6 scholarships.The scheme gave Martin the opportunity to broaden his studies and experience the “European-ness” of the University of Kent’s Brussels and Paris campuses from 3rd to 14th June 2013. Reflecting on the experience, Martin enjoyed the opportunity to learn about how the EU works from a political, economic and legal perspective, as well as working and interacting with students from diverse disciplines. Points which were discussed included how the UK benefits from being part of the EU, European relations with the US and China, and how migration is necessary for the global economy to function. Whilst away, Martin went on two excursions: he visited the EU parliament and spoke with an MEP (Rebecca Taylor). He also visited the WWI battlefields in Ypres, and attended the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate.Martin’s main objective in going was to comprehend how the EU affects industry (particularly engineering) in the UK and how industry professionals can be influential in the formation of EU directives. Beyond this, Martin learned that UK businesses can benefit hugely from exporting their services to other EU states, and that this is not difficult for a small business to do. Overall, Martin enjoyed a busy two weeks with many highlights, but the main benefit was that it broadened his perspective on international business and politics, and he now understands more of the issues being discussed in the news.Martin is due to commence his PhD study in September and no doubt the international exposure will add to his overall student experience and contribute meaningfully to his continued studies.