Exchange Spotlight: Lola Barigand

London College of Communication (LCC) is proud to be international. Home to a diverse community representing over 100 nations, we share UAL’s belief that the world needs creativity - and creativity needs the world.

Through activities ranging from collaborative projects, academic partnerships and international networks, we focus on connecting the College with universities located across Europe, Australia, Hong Kong and North America. Together, we share knowledge, insights and international perspectives across design, media and screen, enabling us to foster positive relationships while shaping the future of our disciplines.

One of our key international initiatives is our exchange programme, which enables staff and students to experience life at leading, like-minded institutions across the globe. Empowering participants through a range of academic and social activities, exchanges provide the opportunity to grow skills while experiencing different cultures.

Lola Barigand

Based in Belgium, Lola Barigand is a Public Relations student at l'Institut des Hautes Études des Communications Sociales (IHECS). Having first visited London when she was 8 years old, Lola has since been inspired to build both her life and her career in the city.

In 2022, she applied to study at LCC for a semester through an exchange programme established between the College and IHECS – enabling her to connect with a creative community while further developing global networks in a city that aligns with her aspirations.

We caught up with Lola to discuss her experience of the exchange application process, integrating into both a new city and university, and her advice for prospective students who might be interested in studying abroad.

Tell us about your creative practice.

Writing is my thing. For as long as I can remember, I've been scribbling in notebooks, on restaurant napkins, on tables... Everything is filled with notes, texts and thoughts.

I've always loved writing and expressing myself on paper, and that’s what I aspire to do. It's the practice where I feel most skilled and inspired, and I’d like to work within a field like journalism or press. I've also developed a real passion for fashion, which fascinates me and sparks my interest on a daily basis, so my life goal would be to combine these fields and make a career out of my interests through working for somewhere like a magazine.

Besides that, I think I have an artistic personality by nature, and my studies in Brussels have reinforced that feeling. I've learned skills ranging from graphic design and video production to podcasting, and I never tire of learning new things about different types of media.

When did you first become interested in your subject?

Since always! I started writing at a very young age and never stopped. It probably comes from my grandparents, who were both journalists: my grandmother was Editor-in-Chief of a magazine in Belgium, and my grandfather presented the news on television. My uncle hosts a radio show and is a film critic, so I've been immersed in it for a long time!

My interest in fashion is more recent, but I find that it allows me to flourish and express my creativity through outfits.

Why did you decide to study your subject at degree level?

It was always going to be communication - I love it! I never thought of doing anything else, and nothing else appealed to me, as since I was young, I’ve known that I’m skilled with speaking, writing and sharing with other people.

My parents are both very artistic and creative: my mom illustrates children’s books and my dad is graphic designer. When they told me about IHECS, my uni in Belgium, I liked it right away. You get to touch everything and you practice a lot... I’ve never regretted my choice to study there!

How did you find out about the exchange opportunity?

My uni in Belgium organises the Erasmus exchange programme with third-year students. Learning that LCC collaborates with IHECS triggered my decision. I’ve always dreamed of living in London, so I jumped at the chance! I didn't second-guess my decision for a second, and was determined to work tirelessly to get the marks I needed to be selected.

We could apply to about 20 different schools around the world, yet I only applied to 1: LCC. I didn't want to go anywhere else, as I had my dream at my fingertips. Being selected by my school and validated by LCC was the best news of the year - going to study in London for a semester was the goal of a lifetime.

Why did you decide to apply, and what was the process like?

The application process at IHECS was very organised and supervised, so I just followed the instructions exactly. We had deadlines, a lot of documents to hand in, and paperwork to complete, but everything went by very quickly.

The process started in March about a year ago, so I was quickly in contact with my London references, and the application went smoothly. A few months later, in September, I left Brussels for London.

Overall, it was all really simple. It was long, but everything was perfectly organised by the 2 partner universities: LCC was very attentive, responded quickly and helped me with any difficulties. It was difficult to do all the paperwork in English, which I didn't speak well, but in the end, everything went smoothly.

I was accompanied from A to Z, which was very reassuring for such an experience - especially when you’re 20 years old. Everything was very clear, and I had little difficulty in enrolling and being integrated into the College community.

What kinds of activities did you take part in while you were at LCC?

I tried to participate in as many activities as possible organised by the College, such as the Walking Tour of Elephant and Castle, the Study Abroad and Exchange Autumn Welcome Event, the LCC Library Induction, and Big Welcome. As I didn't know anyone, kickstarting my journey with these activities allowed me to meet people from the College and begin to make friends.

Beyond that, I attended (almost) all the classes and tried to get involved in my new school, which was very important to me.

What did you most enjoy about your time here?

As well as loving the city, which has inspired me for so many years, I loved the people at LCC. I was only in London as a tourist before, so I didn't really get to know any locals. Thanks to the exchange partnership, I got to know students, teachers and workers... I learned a lot, and the encounters were all so enriching.

I also loved the mentality and general state of mind of the city. There were so many things to do, so many places to visit, so many corners to discover, so many activities to enjoy…so many people to meet! I was filled with happiness.

The classes were very satisfying too - I loved my tutors and the units they taught us. I think I’ve grown a lot during this exchange, and it was without a doubt the best experience of my life. LCC contributed a lot to this!

How did your exchange experience help you to develop both personally and as a creative practitioner?

LCC gave me a lot during my exchange semester.

First of all, I learned to be autonomous: I was on my own but well-supervised by the College, so I always had resources to help me. This pushed me to open up, and to talk to other students or teachers. I never felt helpless.

Beyond this human aspect - which I liked a lot at LCC - I loved the way of teaching, which I cannot find here in Brussels. The lectures in the morning, the seminars in the afternoon... I’d never experienced that, and it helped me to learn and understand the subject so much. It's a much more pedagogical way of learning, which suited me!

I was on the BA (Hons) Public Relations course in London, and I learned a lot about my field. As a result, I developed new knowledge and felt very proud to do well in a foreign school, and in a language that isn’tmy own.

Overall, I think the experience has helped me to develop a lot – I feel confident, capable and, most of all, fulfilled!

What advice would you give to students who are interested in studying abroad?

I would tell them to go for it, no questions asked.

Studying abroad is an absolutely unique experience. You push your limits, you constantly challenge yourself, you get to know yourself in completely new situations, and above all, you grow.

The experience teaches you so many things: academically, since you’ll be in a brand new university, with maybe a brand new way of teaching, which will greatly develop your knowledge and skills; but also human-ly, as you’ll meet absolutely extraordinary people who will be your friends for life. The group of friends I made in London are still in my life now, and we plan to meet again in London soon.

Studying abroad will open you up to the world and allow you to learn so many new things in all areas of life. So go ahead, go for it, and you won't regret it!

Related links:

• Learn more about Study Abroad opportunities at London College of Communication.
• Explore the work of our International Team through LCC Global.
• Find out more about our BA (Hons) Public Relations course.