Plan your Semester Abroad at Dalhousie University

by Sajanika Sivanu

Does the pandemic blues have you itching to travel to far away places? If so, a semester abroad at Dalhousie University might be for you, studying in a wonderful landscape close to the ocean, following famous alumni’s footsteps. Dalhousie University (Dal) is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia; one of Canada’s most Eastern provinces bordering on the Atlantic Ocean.

Dalhousie University: Situated close to the Atlantic Ocean in Halifax/Nova Scotia. Photo: Halitecture

By the way: Locals also know Halifax, as Mi’kma’ki – the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq. The Mi’kmaq are the First Nations people in Canada’s Eastern provinces who were and continue to be the original owners of the land.

So how close is the University to the Atlantic Ocean? Only 300 metres. This makes water sports such as sailing and surfing easy to enjoy during the summer months, and this transforms into an ice rink suitable for skating and hockey during the winter months.

In addition to their access to the Atlantic Ocean, Dal has a few hidden gems within the campus. The Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science is home to the oldest Planetarium in Canada which projects images of stars and galaxies on its 24-ft diameter dome. The Collins building encompasses an indoor sanctuary that includes a vast array of plants, a fish pond and two turtles who wander freely through the building. Close to the Collins building, you’ll find a Community Garden that works to be a sustainable source of produce for students and the local community.

Agreement with the Department of Computer Science

If you aren’t sold by impressive features of the campus, Dal is home to a wide range of academic programs that provide students with access to experiential learning opportunities in their field. And better yet, Dal is a partner school of Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (Computer Science) so coordination is made so much easier. To ease your transition to Dal, their International Centre can guide you with information on immigration and providing orientation sessions for your family and friends, to planning for your arrival and finding a place to live.

Enrolling at Dal also means you can join some of Dalhousie University’s many notable alumni such as: three former Canadian Prime Ministers, the current President of Fiji, the first American women to walk in space, a Nobel Prize winner and a former CEO and President of Xerox.

German heritage in Nova Scotia

The Harbour of Lunenburg/Nova Scotia. Photo: Maritime River Photography
About 50 kilometer away from Halifax: Lunenburg, the oldest German settlement in Canada. Photo: Maritime River Photography

If you’re worried about feeling homesick and yearning for German culture and sights, they’ve got it covered. You can lean on the history of German migration to Nova Scotia for comfort. During the 1750s, over 2000 Germans migrated to Nova Scotia though settlement incentives from Britain. Here, they established the town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, only 100 kilometer away from Halifax, that has since been designated a Unesco World Heritage Site. Closer to Halifax, you can find relief in joining the German Canadian Association of Nova Scotia that helps promote the preservation of German heritage in Nova Scotia. In addition to providing a comprehensive information guide and assistance navigating the local job market, they also hold regular Stammtisch and even host Karneval in February.

So, what are you waiting for? Apply today. For more information, please consult the International Office in Sankt Augustin.

Links:

International Office

International Partnerships of Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg

Dalhousie University

District of Lunenburg

Lunenburg in Nova Scotia (Wikipedia, deutschsprachig)

Artikel vom 11.03.2021

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Plan your Semester Abroad at Dalhousie University

Agreement with the Department of Computer Science

German heritage in Nova Scotia

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