Murat Muhaciroglu is a proud family man. When he received the news that he’d won the
Outstanding Graduate Prize for achieving the highest grade-point-average of his
Diploma of Business cohort, his wife and children (aged 9 and eleven) shared his feelings of achievement. “They all felt proud with me,” he says, “it was a nice feeling, to share the pride. My family supports me all the time, especially my wife – she supports me so much. I think I’m a lucky man.”
The facts surrounding Murat’s journey to UTS and UTS College are sensitive. He had originally travelled to Australia from Türkiye for work. During his first year here, his circumstances changed unexpectedly. Suddenly it was unsafe to take his family home. “UTS offered me the opportunity to study under the
Humanitarian Scholarship Program,” he says. “I didn’t hesitate to accept, even though I didn’t have much experience of UTS when I applied. But I quickly learnt it’s a very good university – one of the best in the world.”
Transitioning back to student life He may have been returning to study after a long break, but Murat says UTS College helped him make a smooth transition back to student life. “I learnt some technical skills, of course, like statistics and refreshed some information. But more than that, UTS College staff showed me how to learn new things in Australia, in a modern Australian way. I learnt how to research – how to get information. And the College helped me adopt the idea of improving myself constantly. I think that’s the best thing I got,” he says.
Despite his hectic schedule, Murat makes time for the things he enjoys. Having already studied business in Türkiye, he decided to stay on that pathway, opting to start with a
Diploma of Business. “I thought that would make it quicker and easier to adapt to my new life in Australia. Also, business is improving. Things are changing – technology is changing. I was planning to study in the field of accounting tax,” he says. “I’m happy I completed the diploma. Now I’m studying
Business and Law at UTS. My focus is to be an expert in this field, either in the academic area or in professional life.”
Learning to ask more questions Murat found the Australian approach to teaching and learning suited him well and he enjoyed that it was less formal than his previous studies. “For example, I remember when I was at UTS College, one of the teachers said, ‘While I’m speaking, if you have any questions, please ask me right away.’ I was shocked because in our culture you usually don’t interrupt elders or teachers,” he says. “That was a turning point for me. It made me ask more questions and helped me learn better.”
Learning.Connected, the UTS College way of teaching and learning, also worked well for Murat. “For me, it was perfect. I had limited time, but there was a recording of the teacher explaining the lesson to watch before coming to the tutorial. I must admit that I sometimes opened it in a ‘speed’ format to save time,” he says with a laugh. “I wouldn’t recommend that to every student. But if you’re very disciplined and motivated like I was, it’s perfect.”
An inspiring model Now at UTS studying
Bachelor of Business Bachelor of Laws, Murat has fond memories of UTS College. “I like UTS, but I miss UTS College sometimes. In many ways it was like a small family. Even though I’m very busy, I plan to visit my teachers again. I don’t want to lose this family,” he says. “But it’s not just the College. At UTS too, the academic staff are always open to help students. I feel very lucky to study. I wish I could see the same opportunities in my country for young people, but I don’t think it’s the same. I think institutionally and for all staff, UTS is an inspiring model.”
There is always a solution Although Murat appreciates all the support he’s received from UTS and UTS College, his road has not been easy. He says the answer to every challenge is to remain positive and focus on solutions. “Whatever happens in life,” he says, “I believe if somebody else can do it, then I can do it too. There is always a solution. So, I make a note in my mind, ‘What is the best thing to do in these circumstances?’ And I think you have to be prepared to give something, whether it’s time, your energy, whatever. Whatever it is, I do it.”
He stresses how important his family is as a source of motivation. “Whatever I’m doing, I don’t give up on spending time with my wife and kids. I just try to use my time more efficiently,” he says. His example in turn motivates his children. He says, “I think my kids know I study more than them. When they see me succeed, they have no reason to say, ‘I can’t do it,’ or ‘I don’t like to study,’ because they see what I’m doing, and they know they should study too. It’s become a family habit.”
In the middle of all this study and hard work, Murat also makes time for fun. “I can’t do it as often as I’d like, but I play tennis, and I like soccer and fitness. I also ride my bike with my kids every weekend and we go swimming as a family. I try to engage my family so we can spend time together.”
As for the future, Murat has no plans to slow down. “I’m starting my CPA (Chartered Public Accountant) qualification next year, or maybe in six months. What I’ve realised is that if you want something – if you spend enough time – you can do it just as well as a person whose mother language is English.”
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