One of the most fulfilling aspects of my stay was teaching. Working with my Chinese students was a pleasure. They were hardworking, creative, and eager to learn, often bringing fresh perspectives to our discussions. Their enthusiasm made every class rewarding. My teaching assistant was an invaluable partner, bridging cultural gaps and ensuring smooth lessons. Their professionalism and kindness made my work much more enjoyable.

Minjiang University frequently organized entertaining events that showcased the vibrancy of Chinese culture. These activities allowed me to bond with students and colleagues while gaining a deeper appreciation for the university’s lively academic environment. From cultural festivals to music and dance evenings, these moments added joy to my routine.

Living on campus brought back a sense of nostalgia, reminding me of my university years back in the day. Having my own room provided comfort and privacy, and the freedom to explore Fuzhou’s lively streets, markets, and parks was invigorating. The camaraderie among colleagues was fantastic, and we often gathered for meals and outings, creating a warm, supportive community.

Exploring Fuzhou was another highlight. The city’s blend of history and modernity fascinated me. Wandering through traditional neighbourhoods, admiring ancient architecture, and sampling the local cuisine—especially its diverse and flavourful dishes—was an adventure. Fuzhou’s tea culture offered moments of tranquillity amidst the city’s energy.

Being in such a different environment fostered personal growth, challenging me to adapt and embrace new ways of thinking. The kindness and hospitality of the people I met—from students to strangers—made me feel welcome and valued, adding a human dimension to my experience.

In summary, my time in China was a period of immense joy, learning, and growth. The combination of a fulfilling teaching experience, vibrant university life, and immersion in Chinese culture made it an unforgettable adventure, reminding me of the beauty of embracing the unknown.

Tasos Anastassiades

Tasos Anastassiades is the Vice-Chair of the Department of Arts at European University Cyprus. He is an Associate Professor for Graphics, Visual Communication, Illustration and Comic Book Design. Tasos is the artist and co-creator of The Traveller, a graphic novel that explores themes of exploration, mystery, and human resilience. Created in collaboration with writer Neil Gibson, The Traveller combines Tasos’s artwork with Gibson’s storytelling.

Volume 1 of The Traveller introduces readers to a unique world, blending elements of fantasy and science fiction. The graphic novel invites readers to follow a journey filled with challenges and discoveries.

In 2025, the story will continue with the launch of The Traveller: Volume 2. The new volume will build on the story from the first and expand the world further.

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5 Tips to secure Your First Job after Graduation

Your graduation is approaching and you are preparing for the next chapter of your life: to enter the job market and take the first step in building your career.

This likely brings about feelings of anxiety, as is common with many new beginnings and life changes. However, there’s no need to worry. We’re here to offer guidance and support every step of the way, helping you develop a strategy that will accelerate your job search process!

Step 1: Think about what you want and do your research

Your degree is the key that will unlock career opportunities. But which path do you want to follow? What kind of business do you want to work in? Where is the greatest demand and what qualifications open doors in your field?

Being at the beginning of your career, you may not yet have decided where you want it to take you. However, by setting goals with direction from the start you will be able to focus your efforts on achieving them – even if they change along the way.

Gaining insight into the job market will help you in this process. The EUC Career Center is a good place to start. Its Career Advisors will guide you with personalized advice, while through the CSM employment platform, you will receive information on jobs and internships.

Of course, it’s also worth researching job opportunities through other online job search engines, such as LinkedIn. By gathering information about available prospects, you will be able to set realistic goals and make informed decisions.

Step 2: Create a strong resume

Wondering if you can build a strong resume without work experience? The answer is yes! A strong resume will make you stand out among the candidates competing for the same position. To achieve this:

Keep it short

Do not exceed two pages – one may be sufficient. What matters is the quality of the information, not the quantity. Make clear the elements that make you suitable for the position of your dreams.

Follow proper structure

1. Start with your personal information (name, contact information and optionally your LinkedIn).
2. Write a short summary, only 50-70 words with your strongest characteristics and your professional goals.
3. Continue with your education, your degree, your educational institution and the duration of your studies. Include your courses, workshops and academic achievements that document desired knowledge and skills.
4. If you’ve done an internship, share evidence from your experience that shows you’ve lived up to your responsibilities and gained useful skills.
5. Include a list of your most important hard skills, one of your strongest soft skills and another of the foreign languages ​​you know (separate sections).
6. If you want, enrich your CV with any volunteering you have done, hobbies related to developing valuable skills and, finally, recommendations.

Pay attention to appearance

Use an easy-to-read font, make sure the individual sections stand out from each other, keep consistent formatting throughout the resume, and check for spelling or punctuation errors.

You can use this resume builder CVwizard, which will help you create your CV easily and quickly, guiding you step by step, taking care of formatting and offering you modern CV templates that will impress employers.

Step 3: Apply for a job

Having chosen the type of jobs you want to apply for and having a well-made CV in hand, start applying.

In most cases, applications are made via email, while in some cases you are asked to fill in an online form of the company. Unless otherwise instructed, please send your resume in PDF format to ensure a professional appearance.

To strengthen your application, write a cover letter supporting your candidacy and send it with your CV.

Advice from CVwizard’s career experts:

Don’t send the same resume everywhere. Study the job advertisement and see what the required qualifications are. Customize your CV, highlighting the knowledge and skills they are looking for, to show that you are a good candidate for the position.

Step 4: Network – online and in person

Networking can open you up to new job opportunities, as it gives you the chance to learn about jobs that aren’t widely known and get noticed by people in the market.

Attend seminars and conferences in your industry and visit career fairs to meet established professionals and business representatives.

Edit your LinkedIn profile, follow business pages that interest you and develop your professional network on the platform. Make your presence visible by interacting with professionals and company executives and publishing content that boosts your profile.

Step 5: Prepare for the interviews

Before any interview, do as much research as you can about the company, its culture, and its goals. Think about what makes you a suitable addition to the company and what you have to offer. Also, prepare your answers to common interview questions that you can find online.

The EUC Career Center offers mock interviews to practice and get useful feedback to help you improve. However, as important as the practical preparation for the interview is, it’s just as important to prepare for the reality of rejection.

In case you are not selected for the position, don’t take it personally. Rejection is in the game for everyone, newbies and seasoned pros alike. The point is to manage it constructively, identifying any weaknesses, investing in the development of your skills or acquiring new ones and continuing to vigorously and confidently claim the opportunity you deserve!

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How to land your dream job after University studies

Graduating from University is a major achievement, but it often marks the start of a new, challenging chapter: finding and securing the job you’ve always dreamed of.

The job market is competitive and the job search process can seem daunting. With strategic planning and preparation, you can increase your chances of success.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore key aspects of the job search after graduation, from understanding the job market to writing a professional CV and preparing for a successful interview.

Start by doing a little research on the job market

Before moving forward with your job search, a good first step is to get a realistic picture of the job market in your field. Research industry trends, demand for specific skills, and the types of companies that match your career goals.

Identify potential employers, keeping in mind the culture and values ​​that fit you. This simple survey will help you adjust your job search strategy and make informed decisions throughout the process.

Create a professional resume

The curriculum vitae (CV) is probably the most important tool in the job search process. It is the first introduction to the potential employer, providing information about your education, experiences and skills.

Make sure your resume is well organized and easy to read. Use clear headings for each section, use an appropriate font and pay attention to spacing and margins. Now, you can choose one of many ready-made resume templates to ensure a professional result.

Include your name, phone number, email, and LinkedIn profile (if you have one). You can also write a sentence or two that highlights your professional goals and qualifications. Highlight this section prominently, such as under your name at the top of your CV.

Focus on your educational background, including your degree, university, graduation date and any relevant academic achievements. At this point you can include any projects you were involved in during your studies, highlighting the skills you acquired based on your role.

If you have done an internship or volunteered, you can include these experiences in the work experience section. At the same time, if you have any hobbies that highlight your specific skills, you can mention them in a separate section.

Search for jobs and network

After editing your resume, start looking for positions that match your goals with the research you’ve done as a guide.

Take advantage of university career services, such as the EUC Career Center, job sites, such as CSM, LinkedIn and various networking opportunities to identify potential jobs. Reach out to your university’s alumni network, attend career fairs and attend industry events to expand your professional connections. You can also connect with professionals in your field through platforms like LinkedIn by joining relevant groups and discussions. Networking can provide valuable knowledge, mentorship opportunities and potential job information.

Edit your application

Once you’ve identified the jobs you’re interested in, you’ll want to edit your application before sending it off. As for your CV, prepare the file properly: save it as a .pdf and title the file with your full name and “CV Note”.

A good practice is to create a cover letter as well, which you will send along with your CV. In this letter you can highlight your strengths and various aspects of your personality. Tailor your cover letter and resume for each application, addressing the employer’s needs and explaining how your experiences and skills make you the ideal candidate.

Approach the interview correctly

The interview is a pivotal point in the job application process and preparation is key. Start by researching common interview questions in your industry and practice effective answers. Use online resources, career services or virtual interviews with friends to improve your communication skills and gain confidence. You can even participate to the Career Interview Boost & Acceleration Program (CIBAP) organized by the EUC Career Center.

Consider the company’s culture and values ​​when preparing for an interview. Present how your skills and experiences align with their mission and be ready to discuss how you can contribute to their team. Familiarize yourself with the company’s recent projects, achievements and challenges to demonstrate genuine interest and enthusiasm.

Additionally, anticipate questions that assess your problem-solving abilities, adaptability, and teamwork abilities. Reflect on your past experiences and accomplishments, and be prepared to share specific examples that highlight your abilities. Employers often appreciate real-world scenarios.

Prepare for any rejections

Job hunting can be challenging and rejection is a natural part of the process. It’s important to approach rejections with resilience and a growth mindset.

Seek feedback when possible and use rejections as learning opportunities to improve your approach. Assess your strengths and areas for improvement and consider additional training or certifications that could enhance your qualifications.

What else can you do to land your dream job?

Self-improvement and learning never stops. Throughout your job search, there are steps you can take to make your application more appealing.

More and more employers and HR managers are taking a look at the social media profiles of top candidates in an attempt to understand which candidate would be the best fit for the position. So, pay special attention to your social media profiles, keeping in mind that they should align with your resume and personality.

Another step you can take is to enrich your resume with the most in-demand skills you’ve found in job postings for your industry. You will certainly find many courses offered either by universities or professional educational units such as the Future Skills Hib of EUC, or even online sources.

Finally, participating in competitions related to your subject can provide you with valuable experience while enhancing your resume.

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Here are the platforms that are going to help you with your studies as well as to gain new expertise in the unknown field.

Udemy

The leading platform in online learning (features more than 80000 video courses from experts). Here you can learn literally anything and for a reasonable price.

LinkedIn Learning

The strongest online companion to your professional development is LinkedIn, and this app has gathered industry experts in leadership, management, marketing, IT, design and much more to provide you with valuable input in more than 4000 online courses.

Coursera

The application hosts more than 2600 courses in 11 topics, degrees and specializations created by the crème de la crème of the Academic field. You can stream video lectures, connect with a mentor and the best part is that courses are taught in multiple languages.

Let us know if you ever used those platforms and what was your impression?

The post The best learning platforms to enhance your skills appeared first on European University Cyprus.

You will rightly ask, ‘OK, what more do I have to do, what should I improve so that a future employer can see me as a potential business asset’? The answer on how to increase your employability lies in the work values that employers seek. Values that you have the luxury to practice at the university campus.

Commitment.

It’s one of the virtues that not only get you a job, but it can also create opportunities for an outstanding career. Not giving up on a project you’ve started, understanding that learning is a commitment you made to yourself, to evolve. Not because you want to be the best but because you want to be at your best, every single time. Being committed is a mindset that can only grow in time. Doing that academically, at a university will surely help it flourish.

Flexibility.

Being able to learn by implementing various learning techniques and completely different tasks for different subjects in unique ways can become very difficult at first. But it also helps you to understand the ways a class or a project can be addressed which will enable you to look for different solutions when a problem appears. And being a problem- solver rather than a problem pointer is highly valued in successful companies.

Team playing.

Just like a university, a working environment is a live mechanism where people must learn how to communicate and cooperate with each other for the common cause. If one of the gears moves slower or towards a different direction, then all will flop. Remember this. Learning together and working together means achieving together. And teamwork starts in our classrooms.

Adaptability.

Remember your first day at University, how awkward and unfamiliar everything felt and how far you’ve come since then? It’s a distant memory now and that’s because of the extra effort you’ve put in. This is the exact same feeling you’ll get on your first day on a new job. And it will take the same amount of time and effort.

Are you ready to take on your dream job yet? Stay loyal to your purpose, believe in you and you’re halfway there!

The post How do employers evaluate employees? appeared first on European University Cyprus.

What are soft skills?

Communication skills, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, leadership, being able to take responsibilities, determination, time management, and the competence to work under tension, everything that has to do with the manner you interact with your colleagues, your fellow students, and teammates in an interpersonal environment falls under this category. They’re a set of talents that show expertise, intelligence, artistry, originality, and trustworthiness. And the more you practice them, the better!

Calling them soft is underwhelming. And that’s because these are skills that are hard to master and they’re only obtained with experience, hence they require time. Improving them is also never-ending and they are massively important to the success of anything really. Can you imagine running a business, succeeding on a project without them? A Harvard study recently found that one’s success in a workplace is 85% attributed on soft skills and just 15% on technical skills. Soft skills are hardly gained and are invaluable.

Practicing your soft skills at EUC.

How are the above applied at a university campus? How about that research project, doesn’t that have a strict deadline? Or that student club you wanted to join, doesn’t it need a leader who everyone can look up to? Don’t you have to work together to assign and complete the chores of the dorm and let’s be honest, when was the last time that complaining about an exam really helped you more than setting a studying timetable and sticking to it?

There are endless examples of how your academic performance helps build and strengthen these skills and yes, you should find a way to put soft skills on your CV. It’s a reason to get that interview call you’ve been waiting for!

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What and Why: Always follow your gut instinct and choose the subject that you will enjoy studying. What happens with most of the student is the fact that they decide to listen to someone’s advice or follow the trend. Even though your parents might not support your idea, always listen to your inner voice. At the end of the day, it’s your life – and you are the one responsible for it.

Where: If you have a chance, visit the open days at the university you are interested in. It will give you some perspectives such as: Am I feel comfortable here? Is it the place that is going to give me a profound student experience? What about professors? It is important to learn about the university since you are going to spend there 4-5 years, so you have to make sure that this decision will reflect your expectations!

After studies potentials: Make a research on what you can do after your studies. Read articles about people who have finished the university you selected. Was it easy for them to find the job? Did university help them with the process of job searching?

Check the university’s tie-ups with both the market and with the international community. Note that a university that has international cooperation’s e.g. with the MIC (Microsoft Innovation Center) means that it is recognized on a global level for its services and that it provides its students with a multicultural environment that transcends the traditional confines of academic education itself.

Good luck!

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The obvious benefits gained by completing an MBA are the multitude of specific, work-relevant skills a student obtains that are even more translatable to the job market than any other degrees. An MBA is an accumulation of all the ammunition a future corporate employee will need to launch their career but even more than that it showcases the commitment and perseverance of its graduate students since it’s not a walk in the park. You’ll work on real business cases, learn how to operate within a team under pressure and test yourself in juggling an array of disciplines.

The potential rewards at the end of the journey are plenty. MBA graduates are eligible for high-level jobs in marketing, technology, energy and of course, any kind of business corporations. Additionally, it’s a great tool to have if you’ve got plans to engage in start-ups on any capacity, from starting your own or acting as a consultant for others.

MBA programs offer great benefits to working students in advancing their career within their current industry and/or company. A great number of MBA candidates are already employed and by entering a high-level program they are almost ensured advancement upon its completion.

Whatever kind of student one might be, either employed or just finished his first degree,  choosing the right course is of utmost importance. When you are researching for an MBA make sure to look at the scheduling of its classes so as for it to be feasible for your time schedule. Research it’s employability percentage in terms of its graduates being employed in relevant fields. Finally, see all the disciplines it will offer and make sure that they fit your professional needs and interests. An MBA like any other degree is always a plus if done correctly, but unlike any other, it offers a true inside into the world of business management.

So, are you ready to take the next step and start building your way to business development and future high-level employment? If so the importance of an MBA cannot be overstated!

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