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Joshua Chan was frustrated with the Chinese education system as it didn’t give him the space to excel academically. Having an overbearing workload and being understimulated, his grades suffered. Transferring to Hills International College changed that.
“My first week was chaotic as I was faced with a different educational system and culture, as well as the challenge of making new friends,” he says. “These struggles were very quickly overcome by the welcoming and supportive community at the College, which greatly eased my transition into a whole new environment.”
Current student Joshua receiving awards at an academic assembly.
Source: Hills International College, Joshua Chan
Inclusive and warm, the people at Hills encouraged him to come out of his shell. “Before I had arrived at Hills, I was quite anti-social, preferring to keep to myself,” he says. “Now I find myself easily able to make conversation with anyone in my grade and I am now confident that I would have no trouble finding friends in university.”
A more confident Chan is now exploring his interests in technology and mathematics — turning his curiosity into good grades. Through extracurricular activities, he’s developing leadership and organisational skills. “Hills’ STEM Ambassador programme has allowed me to organise and run events related to STEM, which has allowed me to share my passion for technology and mathematics with the College,” he says.
Such experiences train Chan to be independent and more prepared for university and beyond. He plans to apply to Queensland University of Technology for a Bachelor of Engineering (Software) and a Bachelor of Business (Management). “The College is helping me through every step of the application process and is committed to finding a program that suits me best,” he adds.
Graduate Rizal Redzuan credits his career success to the many “small skills” he mastered at Hills. Source: Hills International College
Hills graduates go on to achieve great things. Take Rizal Redzuan, a Malaysian alumni who attended the school between 2009 and 2011. He earned a Bachelor of International Relations at Bond University — an accelerated programme that he finished in two years and three months. He then secured a role in strategic communications and state-holding relations at the Malaysian Ministry of Finance-owned Mass Rapid Transit Corporation. Here, he was the youngest employee — even interns were older than him.
After three and a half years, Redzuan landed a social media role with Malaysian multinational low-cost airline Air Asia, working in social media. Since then, he’s been promoted to become internal communications lead. The Hills graduate attributes his current success to his education at the school.
Redzuan understands cultural nuances by spending his formative years at Hills. As a Muslim, he was afforded every respect and given the space and understanding to carry out his beliefs. These attitudes became easy to reciprocate and he is able to appreciate different perspectives. “It’s a small skill which I learned 15 years ago, which has helped me all the way until today,” he says. “I would say interacting with others and understanding different cultures of what the expectations are and what the mannerisms in general.”
So impactful were Hills faculty on Rizal Redzuan that he makes it a point to stay in touch with them a decade later. Source: Hills International College
These small skills add up. From independence by living on your own in a dormitory or homestay situation, to being yourself and not being afraid to ask for help when you need it, these are life lessons that have served Redzuan well. “The educators would give us the freedom to speak our mind and also taught us many life lessons,” he says. “These small life lessons, which might not be too academic, but more personal, are meaningful. It is something that Hills has compared to other places because of the small College size and relationships that we build until today.”
Redzuan still interacts with his peers and teachers today. In 2019, he even visited the school and caught up with some staff. “At the end of the day, they just tried to guide you, and they want to see you succeed,” he says. “After you graduate, maintaining those relationships can build them into friends and maybe even help you by providing recommendation letters.”
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