Dinkar Kashyap

Country: India 
Degree: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Mechanical and Aerospace) with Bachelor of 
Mathematical and Computer Sciences 
Faculty: Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology.

Hi, I am Dinkar and currently in my 4th year of my studies. I am currently pursuing a double degree in aerospace engineering and Mathematics and worked on a research project at the university over the summer of 21/22. Currently, I am undertaking part-time research activities while studying. 

What motivated you to start studying at Manipal ICAS India (a partner university of the University of Adelaide)?

Manipal ICAS is a unique program where a student gets the opportunity to complete the degree overseas by transferring the credits obtained in 1 or 2 years depending on the degree chosen. I have always wanted to study overseas but also needed some exposure before travelling and I knew that the ICAS program in Manipal had the perfect bridging program where you complete your first year in Manipal and transfer credits overseas. Manipal, being a student town taught me to be independent before taking that one step further to travel overseas. As a result, I got motivated to start studying at Manipal ICAS India. 

Why did you choose your degree?

A deep interest in aircrafts along with a curiosity to learn mathematics motivated me to pursue a double in aerospace engineering and mathematics. I was deeply interested to work on aircrafts (design and simulation courses) ever since my first visit to the airport. Curiosity for mathematics came about mostly in my latter stages of my schooling as I was curious on the statistical aspect of sport (mainly cricket and soccer). It was also my belief that mathematics is crucial in engineering and studying together would potentially help me learn better. 

Why did you choose the University of Adelaide?

One of the main reasons to study at The University of Adelaide is that it is one of the best universities in Australia for research and ranked very highly around the world. The curriculum offered is well-balanced, unique and closely related to the present research linked to industry. Adelaide University is also ranked highly when it comes to employment and the skills needed to work in industry. Various support centres located within the university offering help in the event of a difficulty. The university has plenty of open spaces within the campus and is located opposite to the river making it a beautiful place to study and take a walk around when taking a break from studies. 

What is appealing to you about the city of Adelaide?

It was clear that I did not want to go to a busy city (I love some peace and quiet) which made Adelaide a natural choice. Being a multicultural city, it meant that I could meet a lot of people from around the world and work with them. The public transportation system in Adelaide is one of the best I have seen and very affordable. One of the biggest advantages in Adelaide is the ease of getting around the city which can get tricky in some places around the world. My deep interest in sports, curiosity to explore events along with affordable living expenses meant that Adelaide was the perfect place to live in.

What did you enjoy most about your studies?

Pursuing my career in an area I am passionate in has been extremely satisfying. The things I enjoy most about my studies: 

• Projects: Working on project components in different courses was challenging but also extremely rewarding as the entire responsibility of the project lies on the student/group working on it. The projects and practical components of the courses offered hands-on engineering experience which was very interesting. 
• Working in Groups: There were several components within the course that needed group work. The experience was enjoyable as it gave me an opportunity to meet different people from around the world and the opportunity to work with them. 
• Teaching Staff: The teaching staff at the university have been excellent in delivering the course content while developing new tools helping students to maximise their learning potential. The staff have also an extreme understanding of the problems faced by students at different stages in the university. 
• SELT (Student Experience of Learning and Teaching): I believe that this was one of the best aspects about studying at the University of Adelaide as it gave me the opportunity to give feedback on the courses. 
• University Events (Student Clubs): There are a number of events conducted at the university. I found these events a big part of studying at the university as it gave me the experience to engage within the university culture as well as meeting lots of people along the way.
• Industry Nights: Lastly, the industry nights at The University of Adelaide was one of the best things as it gave me the opportunity to interact with people from the industry along with potential employment opportunities. 

Did you undertake an internship/placement as part of your studies? How did the University support with employability skills development?

 Yes, I have undertaken a summer research project (internship) as part of my studies and the university employability skills development team were extremely helpful in building the skills that were required. I also received a lot of support and personal attention from Careerhub (the University’s career centre) in building my resume and cover letter which helped me strengthen my profile. The resume writing and other career workshops by the University’s CareerHub was extremely helpful in developing the necessary employment skills needed to work in the industry.   

What advice do you have for future/prospective students who may be considering studying your chosen program?

 A few words of advice for the future students who may be considering to study the program I am in: 

• Plan a few weeks ahead of time, be caught up to the content every week and don’t leave any work to the last minute as it can get stressful. 
• If you don’t understand anything, ask questions as the teaching staff and support centres are always there to help you. 
• Always important to enjoy what you are studying. 
• Start looking for internships as soon as possible as there is no right or wrong time to do an internship. 
• Get involved with the university community.