Semester Abroad Evaluation Form
Please answer the following questions on your experience abroad after first reading the
questionnaire from beginning to end. We understand this evaluation form is lengthy;
however your replies will render an almost complete understanding your experience abroad
and be valuable in preparing future stays abroad for your peers. You may also feel free
to incorporate any of the answers provided in this evaluation form into your field report.
Please return this form and the field report (electronically) by the end of the semester
you did spend abroad – please note that we need this information in order to approve
your grades.
Thank you for your time and effort!
General Information
First Name
Tim
Name
Pinsdorf
Age
23
Host Country, City
France, Nancy
Host University
Université Nancy 2 (since 2012 part of Université de Lorraine)
Which Semester did you spend
abroad?
Winter semester (‘premier semestre’) 2011-12
1) Prior to the semester spent at your host university, had you lived or travelled abroad before?
Yes
X
No
2) If a CUAS student interested in my host university wishes to inquire about my experience abroad, I
hereby grant CUAS staff permission to provide them with my contact information.
Yes
X
No
a) If you affirmed, please specify which contact information we may hand them:
[email protected]
b) If you declined, might CUAS staff send you their contact information instead?
Yes
X
No
3) Courses attended at host university:
Analyse conjoncturelle (M1) ; Croissance et développement durable (L3) ; Dynamique économique (L3) ;
Economie des organisations (L3) ; Economie du risque et de l’environnement (L3 with tutorial) ; Economie
du travail et de la répartition (L3) ; Economie publique (L3) ; Macroéconomie approfondie (L3) ; Marchés
et actifs financiers (L3 with tutorial) ; Stratégies d’entreprises (L3) ; [M1 = first year Master Economie ; L3
= third year Licence Economie]
University Fact Sheet and Other Basic Information
1) Size of host university campus:
7 faculties located in Nancy
2) Number of students attending host university
54000 (total of the Université de Lorraine)
3) Number of students enrolled at host
department
4000
4) Student-teacher ratio at host department and
university
Department: 13,33 ; University: 14,21
5) Average class size
10 - 130
6) Please rate the quality and/or availability of:
a) Public transportation system surrounding host university campus
excellent
good
X
fair
poor
b) General infrastructure surrounding university/in host city (theatres, restaurants, shops, etc.)
excellent
X
good
fair
poor
c) Care provided by host university staff (including orientation, professor office hours, response
emails, etc).
excellent
good
X
fair
poor
good
X
fair
poor
fair
poor
time to
d) Library facilities
excellent
e)
Computer rooms and internet access
excellent
f)
good
(if applicable) housing provided by host university
excellent
g)
good
good
X
poor
fair
X
poor
medical and dental services
excellent
i)
fair
Laundry facilities (near dorm or private residence)
excellent
h)
X
good
fair
poor
Comments on any of the above or anything else interesting you might want to add?
e): computer rooms sometimes occupied by courses
f): application for a room in a dorm via the Service des Relations Internationales of the university before
the semester
g): only 1 washing machine for 2 buildings (Cité universitaire Monbois Nouveau)
h): medical and dental services not used during the semester in Nancy
Life abroad in General
1) Where did you live while abroad?
X
Student housing (dorms, flat provided by university)
Private apartment or room (shared or by yourself)
Host family
Other - Please specify here :
2) In relation to the city centre and university campus: where did you live (district name, urban or
suburban or rural, etc?
Urban district of Nancy
3) How long would it take to get from the city centre to …
Your host university
Your home
Public transportation
5 minutes
10 minutes
Car
3 minutes
< 10 minutes
Bike
5 minutes
15 minutes
Walking
< 10 minutes
> 20 minutes
4) What mode of transportation (in terms of reliability and expense) would you recommend? Where
would you recommend peers visiting your host university in the future live or start searching for a home
(e.g. lists at university housing office, newspaper, website, real estate agent, etc) and where do you
recommend they be careful?
As Nancy is not too big, walking or renting a bike is the best mode of transportation. A room in a dorm is
not really expensive (167,80 € a month); best rooms in the Cité universitaire Médreville, quite acceptable
in Monbois Nouveau bâtiment A, Cité universitaire Boudonville not acceptable !
5)
What did you eat most of the time while abroad?
Home prepared meals
TV dinners
Restaurant food or meals delivered to my home
X
Meals provided by host university café or restaurant
6) What advice or warning would you offer to students regarding housing, meals and life in your host
city?
7) On average, what were your monthly
expenses for food and rent?
500
8) How much did the semester abroad cost you
in total (including flight, housing, meals and basic
needs but excluding money spent on private
travel and leisure activities)?
2500
9) Comments on any of the above or anything else interesting you might want to add?
Overall Assessment
1) Overall, were you satisfied with the host university and your semester abroad? Why or why not?
Satisfied because of the opportunity to really improve the French language skills, to get to know students
from every corner of Europe and to experience more theoretical courses at a university. Dissatisfied with
the learning workload: You need definitely more than 5 courses to achieve 30 ECTS, the courses are
mainly not interactive.
2) In what way did your expectations prior to leaving overlap with your experiences on-site and in which
areas were you surprised positively or negatively?
Surprised positively by the European experience.
3) Would you recommend the host university and department to your peers and/or friends? Why or why
not?
Yes, in order to improve French language skills and because of the city of Nancy.
4) Was the academic program right for you?
All in all, it has been feasible, but many courses to cope with.
5) Do you think it made a difference that you studied abroad in terms of academic and intellectual
progress made?
Yes, to study completely in French represents a significant difference.
6) Did you gain a greater sense of independence or self-confidence as a result of your semester abroad?
Yes.
7) Any professors you recommend peers attending your host university in the future meet?
Monsieur Fenoglio, Monsieur Fontaine
8) How would you compare the experience gained abroad with the one you gained at CUAS?
much
more
valuable
X
more
valuable
about
the
same
less
valuable
much
less
valuable
9) Did you feel that your previous studies at CUAS and other institutions prepared you enough and
adequately academically or personally for your semester abroad?
Courses at a French university are clearly different from the ones at CUAS, but they are feasible.
10) Which information do you wish you had known prior to leaving and which advice would you give to
CUAS students attending your host university in the future?
One should already have a good knowledge of the French language before the semester starts.
11) What do you consider the most desirable and least desirable trait of your experience abroad?
Most desirable: Building European friendships. Least desirable: Maintaining some stereotypes about the
French.
12) What were the primary benefits of choosing this particular university and country?
Improving French skills because only courses in French exist at this university and getting to know the life
in a typical French city.
13) How did department and courses differ from those at CUAS (more or less course discussion, different
assessment of academic performances, less or more workload, higher or lower standards for papers and
exam-preparation)?
Need of more courses to obtain 30 ECTS, they are more theoretical, more ‘frontal’, different grading
system, no papers/ presentations to prepare for the attended courses.
14) How international was the faculty and the department as a whole (global outlook of course material,
number of international students and faculty)?
International aspects and comparisons during some courses; around 30 ERASMUS students at the
Faculté de Droit, des Sciences Economiques et de Gestion.
15) What advice or warning can you give students to enable them to make the most of their semester
abroad academically and personally in general and specifically for your host university, city and country?
Did you feel safe?
Do not choose Boudonville as dorm. Try to speak French as frequent as possible even with your
ERASMUS peers. Nancy is a safe place, no personal experience of a crime in this city.
16) Which type of students would you recommend your host university to in particular and who would you
recommend choose a different host university?
Good level of French is a prerequisite. One should be capable, prepared and willing to learn for more than
5 courses in order to obtain 30 ECTS.
17) Did you have difficulties adjusting to the different culture and/or language? If yes, how did you cope?
Some little difficulties at the beginning of the semester concerning the language. It is really helpful to
expand constantly the French vocabulary.
18) Did you miss a question in this questionnaire or think an aspect of your experience was not covered
enough in order to render us a full understanding of how your experience abroad went? If so, please
elaborate below.