Studying abroad has become an attractive option for many young people. This is the case of Mateo, a young student, who, since high school, knew that he would pursue his university degree outside of Peru. Thus, after an arduous preparation and being admitted to more than 3 international educational institutions, he entered the University of Calgaryin Canada, where he has been specializing in Civil Engineering.
Now, in an interview for the Educa College Prep YouTube channel, the outstanding student, who is in his first year of college, shared the differences he has experienced between the university education provided in Canada and Peru. What did he say?
Young Peruvians reveal differences in university education between Canada and Peru
According to the new Peruvian student, one of the main differences he noticed when entering the University of Calgary was the curriculum presented by the Civil Engineering degree. While in Canada students take subjects related to their profession, in Peru, most higher education institutions offer a year of general courses where the new student must develop in areas such as Language, Mathematics, Philosophy or History.
“The approach is different in several ways. In Peru, at least, you arrive (at university) with the idea that you have to take almost two years of general studies in which you take (courses) in language, basic mathematics and more. There (in Canada) no, they give you career courses (from the first class) and (for me) the shock is strong because the knowledge you can take from high school (to university) is very little,” commented the university student.
Mateo is currently studying civil engineering at the University of Calgary, Canada. Photo: Educa College Prep
Another difference, according to the Peruvian student, is related to the amount and time that teachers dedicate to a subject of study. In Canada, teachers cover new content in their classes every week, which forces students to keep up with the pace of the subject in order to successfully pass the course.
“In Peru, teachers move slowly. Over there, things get faster. There, you see a topic every week. Sometimes, there is no relation to the topics and you have to keep moving forward (studying) (…) because otherwise you can fall behind and fall behind (compared to your other classmates),” he explained.
What is the salary of a civil engineer?
In Peru, the Civil Engineering career is considered one of the most attractive options because it offers its graduates a high economic remuneration. According to the report presented by the Ministry of Labor and Employment Promotion (MTPE) on the Mi Carrera website, a civil engineer would receive an average monthly salary of S/3,899. However, depending on their years of experience, this income could increase to S/6,858.
