Sára Kozáková joins the third cohort of #WeAreInternational Student Ambassadors following a highly competitive selection process. From an original pool of 235 student applicants representing 68 countries and regions, Sára impressed the judges enough to make the 30-strong shortlist of candidates. Sára was then successfully appointed as one of ten International Student Ambassadors who will take up their posts in January 2022.
The programme empowers international students to be key contributors in shaping a quality student experience, using their first-hand experience and knowledge of studying in the UK to influence policy, lead the #WeAreInternational campaign and develop an inclusive global student community.
Sára, who is currently completing her final year of a BA Applied Languages degree, said: “I applied to be an ambassador because I consider it a role which could really benefit me professionally and personally. I strive to become a better, more educated me, and saw this as an opportunity for further growth.
“My main objective as an ambassador is to continue to promote the UK as an interesting study destination, especially when it comes to potential European students. Due to the changes we have gone through in the UK related to Brexit, I feel like European students got lost somewhere in translation: not really quite home students, not really quite international students. I have observed a lot of confusion among prospective European students as they are unaware of their rights and/or requirements and I feel like it's a shame for them to miss such an exciting opportunity to study here.
“I hope to educate myself on policy-making in education in the UK as well as become more aware of the challenges international students face. I am also looking forward to acquiring and improving valuable soft skills, like leadership or teamworking, as well as meeting other ambitious international students.”
#WeAreInternational
The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has been running the the #WeAreInternational Student Ambassador Programme since 2019, which officially relaunched this year with the aim of celebrating the UK’s global student community and the value of international education to the UK.
Dr Claire Reid, Associate Head (Students) in the School of Languages and Applied Linguistics said: “The School of Languages and Applied Linguistics is delighted to announce that Sára - enrolled in her final year of a BA (Hons) Applied Languages in Spanish and German - has been selected to become a #WeAreInternational Student Ambassador.
“Sára is an outstanding student and this will undoubtedly enable her to gain valuable experience working with a highly esteemed organisation to influence education policy. We are all incredibly proud of Sára and wish her all the best.”
The programme is UKCISA’s student network of global future leaders: an education policy and leadership development scheme for exceptional individuals from around the world who are currently studying in the UK.