UTS Bachelor of Arts in International Studies 25th Anniversary

Harrison Boudakin, BA IS/ B Design (Integrated Product Design), ICS Germany

For anyone trying for a firm grasp on what the Bachelor of International Studies program is, let me give you a simple explanation: it is about gaining a window into the world that you might not have otherwise had before. Everyone has a different experience of BaIS, but the common thread is surely that exposure to truly global thinking; to the textures of the thoughts and ideas and arguments and ways of doing things that shape nations other than our own. And that all but guarantees BaIS – and particularly the year of In-Country Study – represents an exclamation point in one’s education, a reference marker from which new academic and career opportunities flow abundantly. Put simply, if you have an inkling to find out more about the world in which we live and to put a bit of fire into your career prospects along the way, I absolutely recommend the BaIS program.

Harrison studied a Bachelor of Design in Integrated Product Design, and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies.  He has a passion for automotive design and innovation, and was able to study during his In Country Studies year at one of Germany’s leading universities for engineering, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.  During this time, Harrison pursued a research project on how the German car industry was meeting the challenge of electric cars. He was also able to continue to write articles for his Australian employer, an automotive digital tech firm.

International Studies has undoubtedly been a great accelerant for my career opportunities. Having ‘in-depth’, real knowledge of German socio-political and business trends (in the automotive space especially) allowed me to pursue my dream of working in the auto-industry. My experience in Germany has been particularly useful to the automotive digital technologies firm I now work for in Australia, as they seek to expand globally into the European market. In other words, International Studies has made a real difference to how I approach and am perceived in, the global jobs market.

Harrison Boudakin