Masters student delighted to be studying in Scotland

A Nigerian student has spoken of his passion for the Common Good and the important part it played in his decision to study at GCU.

Dr Temple Nwosu works as an optometrist at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Lokoja and was granted study leave to complete the MSc Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Research course at GCU.

Following his arrival in September, Temple spoke to us about his decision to study in Scotland and how it ties into his work providing eyecare for some of Nigeria’s most disadvantaged communities:

Just to start us off, tell us a bit about yourself and your professional background?

“I’m an optometrist by profession and have a Doctorate of Optometry from Abia State University in Nigeria. I work as an optometrist in a hospital in Nigeria and I’ve been there for 15 years. I’m very grateful to the management of the Federal Teaching Hospital for giving me this opportunity to come and improve myself academically.

“As well as being an optometrist, I’m also the National Vice President of the Nigerian Optometric Association.”

What was it that initially made you choose a career in optometry?

“I have an uncle who was blind as a result of glaucoma. He became blind without knowing because he didn’t have access to eyecare. Access to eyecare and healthcare is a big problem in developing countries because most of the hospitals are saturated within urban areas, meaning rural areas suffer. That prompted my passion and interest in going into eyecare - I didn’t want anyone to be blind.”

Why did you decide to study at GCU?

“GCU is one of only two universities that offer the MSc Investigative Ophthalmology. The University of Manchester also offers it, but they don’t have the Vision Research part that GCU offers. Research is one of my interests and that was one of the reasons that brought me to Glasgow.

“I also enjoyed reading about the university’s commitment to the Common Good. I’ve been running a charity called Dr Temple Nwosu Eye Care Foundation for the past ten years. My foundation is involved in taking eyecare to indigenous population living in the rural areas of Nigeria through the charity arm of the organisation, Carewell Eye Clinic. The university’s goals and dreams aligns with mine, which is really important to me.”

What’s it been like living in Scotland?

“The Glasgow environment has been awesome! The city is very different to what you get in Nigeria. The transport here is interesting because everybody drives a car in Nigeria, but in Scotland you see a lot of people taking trains or buses.

“The Scottish people are also very nice and everyone always holds the door open for me, which is very nice. The weather is maybe not as friendly as I would like it to be but that’s to be expected!”

Have you been impressed by GCU so far?

“I love the university and how welcoming it is. Students are made to feel part of something here and I think that’s very special. There also so many side attractions at the university, like the societies and clubs, which helps the mental health of students.

“The learning environment is top-notch as well. Everything from the Learning Development Centre to the IT Support, to the Library is fantastic. I also really like the GCU Learn system which has made things easier for me.

“There are so many things at GCU that helps students integrate properly into the learning environment. Another example of that would be the International Welcome Event for SHLS students in November. It was a very good platform for us to learn about Scottish culture and meet other international students.”

Find out more about life as an international student at GCU

By Ross Clark      
Got an SHLS or GSBS story? Email me at Ross.Clark@gcu.ac.uk or message me on Twitter