Baher Ashour
MSc in Audiology for Ear, Nose and Throat practice, University College London
Looking back on this period has always brought a smile to my face. I have wonderful memories of my first friends, grassy fields and lazy summer days. Ever since, I have always had an urge to go back and visit England.
After that I moved to the United States with my family for a few years then we settled back in Cairo where I finished medical school at Cairo University. After three years training as a resident, I was appointed Assistant Lecturer of Ear, Nose and Throat diseases. During this period, I gained invaluable experience at Cairo University Hospitals and completed my masters degree but I still felt that something was missing. It was time to travel to expand my knowledge and skills which had reached a plateau in Egypt. My personal belief is that travel is essential to human development and progress
During this period, I ran into an old friend from university who had just returned from the UK. He introduced me to the Chevening programme to which I applied, hoping for the best. Soon I realised that I was one of the lucky few to be selected for this once in a lifetime experience.
London was my primary choice for a number of reasons; the main one being that London is home to University College London (UCL) Ear Institute and the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, two of England’s top institutions in my field. The other reason is that many of my friends were already there and I thought it would be comforting to have a few familiar faces around.
The course I selected was a full-time MSc in Hearing and Balance Disorders which proved to cover all of my interests. It was hard work, much harder than I expected but I managed to graduate with distinction. Since I returned to Cairo this degree has helped me immensely with my work especially in the fields of child deafness, cochlear implants and environmental noise reduction.
London is a unique and wonderful city, vibrant and cosmopolitan, truly a great microcosm. There are always too many things to do which can be a bit of a problem especially when trying to study. With a little time management however, I soon realised that one could fit so much into each day.
While in the UK, I met people from all over the world. This was a mind expanding experience in addition to the educational aspect. There are few places in the world where one can be exposed to so many cultures, nationalities and flavours. It is the perfect place to learn to embrace diversity, break negative stereotypes and open new horizons.
Since my return to Egypt, apart from my full time job as an Ear, Nose and Throat Consultant, I have tried to maintain contact with the network of friends I made in the UK. I am also currently the UCL alumni representative for Egypt and we are in the process of organising the first alumni event which will take place this month. Many potential postgraduate students from Egypt contact me with inquiries about studying at UCL and it is my job to give them advice and direct them according to their interests.
All in all, the Chevening experience was fantastic. I would strongly recommend postgraduate studies at UK universities.
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland)
Our privacy and copyright statements.
Our commitment to freedom of information. Double-click for pop-up dictionary.
Open the original version of this page.
Usablenet Assistive is a UsableNet product. Usablenet Assistive Main Page.