Learning beyond borders: students’ exchange experiences across Europe and Asia
Juno, standing second from the left, says exploring outdoor pedagogy in breathtaking national parks and trying sports such as skiing and curling gave him a fresh learning experience.
The faculty encourages students to embrace the challenges of studying and living in a foreign country which fosters independent learning, broadens their horizons and sharpens their skills. To promote this message, the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Sociology and Community Studies (BSocSc(SCS)) programme organised a sharing session on 29 January. During the session, three students from the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies (SSPS) who had completed their exchange programmes in the 2024/25 academic year shared key concerns during the application process, their experiences of student life in their host countries, and the main learnings gained from their exchanges.
Henry Chan Chun-Hung spent a semester between January and June 2025 at Roskilde University in Denmark during his second-year studies in the BSocSc(SCS) programme. “I chose this university because I wanted to experience what it is like to live in a Western democratic country, and I enjoy riding bicycles. Another push factor is that Danes speak good English, which makes life much easier,” he told his fellow juniors from FLASS during the session. Even before setting off, Henry was determined to make new friends during the exchange. “I lived on campus during the exchange so that I could have more opportunities to interact with others. Throughout the semester, I spent time with other exchange students after school and during weekends, and visited them in their home countries after the semester ended,” Henry said.
Henry chose to go on exchange in Denmark because Danes can communicate well in English, making daily life during his stay easier. In the photo, Henry, left, and his friends are enjoying a summer day in a publicly accessible forest near his campus. “It is a place I regularly visit to relieve stress and to maintain a fulfilling life through studying, travelling, and immersing myself in local culture,” he says.
Henry completed his exchange programme at Roskilde University, a Danish public university founded in 1972. The university is located in the eastern part of Roskilde, a city about 30 km west of Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen. In the background is one of Roskilde University’s main buildings.
At the Danish university, Henry studied Global Humanity. “You should find out whether your target university provides the courses you want to take for exchange students,” he advised. In addition to sharing his social experiences, Henry offered practical advice on visa applications, cost of living, and credit transfer. He spent one month travelling to 10 different countries, including the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Belgium, France, Czech Republic, Finland, Norway, Ireland and Canada after his exchange. “I visited many of the friends I newly knew from the exchange programme during the travel,” he said, highlighting that wandering around to explore the unknown was the most memorable part of the entire exchange experience.
Located in the far south of Sweden, Malmö is not very cold, where Hong Kong students should be able to adapt to.
Juno Chan Ka-chun, also a student of the BSocSc(SCS) programme, went to Sweden between January and June 2025 for his exchange. “I chose Malmö University because Sweden is a very safe country. As the city is located in the far south of Sweden, Malmö is not very cold, which Hong Kong students should be able to adapt to,” Juno said. During the exchange, Juno travelled frequently to Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, which is just a 30-minute train ride from Malmö. When time allowed, he also visited Amsterdam and other European cities, making the most of his time in Europe.
Juno, front, says outdoor pedagogy and physical education, the two courses he studied at Malmö University, are a perfect combination for a lover of outdoor activities like him.
Academically, Juno took two courses—outdoor pedagogy and physical education. The pedagogy course held lessons in national parks and forests, while the physical education course introduced sports such as skiing, ice-skating, and curling. “Learning in nature and practising unfamiliar sports were eye-opening,” he said. Juno also reminded his juniors to pay attention to insurance and credit card arrangements, adding that the cost of living in Sweden is very high.
Exchange students are very friendly. During weekends, I cycled with friends along the Han River and went to karaoke bars at night.
Also presenting at the information-packed session was Austin Leung Chung-chi, a student of the Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Geography) (BEd(GEOG)) programme, which is also managed by SSPS. He completed a four-week exchange programme in June and July 2025 at Hanyang University International Summer School (HISS) in Korea. During the summer exchange, he studied advertising and badminton. Beyond his studies, Austin actively participated in various club activities, where he made many new friends from other universities in Hong Kong and around the world. “Exchange students are very friendly. During weekends, I cycled with friends along the Han River and went to karaoke bars at night,” Austin recalled joyfully.
Austin says that although it was only a four-week exchange, interacting with people from different cultures made him more open-minded and independent.
Austin, far right, loves hanging out in Seoul with other students during the exchange. He says dining out is generally affordable in Korea and there is no shortage of places for hanging out in Seoul.
on his experience, Austin shared that the summer exchange helped him become more open-minded and independent. He emphasised that he did not only learn academic knowledge from the programme, but also gained new cultural experiences. “Learning in a foreign country stimulates personal growth,” Austin said. He encouraged his fellow students to seize opportunities for overseas exchanges, saying: “If not now, when will I get such a chance?”.
Around 20 SSPS students attend the information-packed sharing session by Henry, Juno and Austin in January 2026.
Apart from sharing exchange experiences, the three presenting students gave many practical tips to around 20 SSPS students. They emphasised that aspirants need to be aware that different universities have set different application deadlines for their exchange programmes. They also highlighted that students need to sort out whether they can transfer credits for the courses taken during the exchange, and whether they can apply for visas in Hong Kong. “Students need to check emails frequently during applications so that they will not miss any important message from EdUHK, the target universities and visa offices,” Henry remarked.
Dr Izzy Jian Yi, Programme Leader of the BSocSc(SCS) programme, said EdUHK encourages students to go for global exchanges and offers various sources of financial support, including those from faculties, the Global Learning Enhancement Fund (GLEF) and Student Exchange Scholarships. “Applicants need to keep a watchful eye on various application deadlines regarding exchange programmes, visas and funding. It might appear tedious to follow all these application procedures. But when students complete their exchange programmes and carry back a load of good memories like Henry, Juno and Austin, they will find their efforts worthwhile,” she said.
Click here to understand support for global learning available to EdUHK students.
