International master’s students at Örebro University: “We have a great time together”
Matilde, Fitri, Marta and Fabian on the Örebro University campus.
A fantastic campus, a welcoming town, dedicated teachers and great fellowship. Those are the words used by international master’s students at Örebro University to describe life in the central Sweden town of Örebro.
“Come and have the time of your life, meeting so many interesting people from all around the world,” says Marta Fernández from Spain.
It is winter in Örebro, Sweden’s sixth largest town and a two-hour train journey from the capital of Stockholm – almost half-way to Gothenburg. The students on the 11 international master’s programmes offered at Örebro University are making the most of the snow and the many winter activities on offer.
“We basically enjoy each other’s company. We have “Swedish fika” together or cooking nights when people cook dishes from their home countries. We also have movie and game nights and go to the food market and Christmas market at the open-air museum Wadköping,” says Marta Fernández from Spain.
Relaxing bike rides, hikes, weekend trips and going to concerts at the Örebro University School of Music are other examples of things that the students do together.
“In our group, many of us are from different countries, with completely different cultural backgrounds. However, what I find amazing is that, despite the differences, we all get along and learn new things every day,” says Matilde Veiga from Portugal.
“The programme offers everything I could wish for”
Fitri Nurandianti from Indonesia and Matilde Veiga from Portugal are both on the Master’s Programme in Strategic Communication at Örebro University.
“I’ve chosen this university because of the programme – it had everything that I was looking for – and because of the country. I’ve always wanted to experience life in Sweden. There is a very welcoming atmosphere here and communicating with anyone from the university is very easy,” says Matilde Veiga.
“I was actually looking for a specific programme before choosing to come here. And I saw that Örebro has the programme that I wanted, so in the end I chose Örebro. The university is cool. The facilities here are much better than at the university I attended for my bachelor’s degree,” says Fitri Nurandianti.
Fabian Schneider from Germany is also on the same programme. He appreciates the mix of Swedish and international students – and feels that the teaching is constantly challenging him to think one step further.
“Everybody has a different academic and cultural backgrounds, which means that we bring a variety of interesting perspectives and views to help us improve our skills and competences,” he says.
Another student very happy with her studies at Örebro University is Marta Fernández on the Master’s Programme in Public Planning for Sustainable Development:
“I’ve chosen this university because of the programme. It was very interesting to have a programme that mixed both sustainability and planning. I like the multidisciplinary approach, as it allows you to learn from different disciplines of social sciences, and you learn how related they can be and how necessary it can be to learn from different perspectives,” she says.
Supportive and helpful teachers
The students want to highlight the close contact with the teachers at Örebro University as a big positive – if not a little unusual compared to what they are used to from their home countries. They describe the teachers as supportive and helpful – and available if students have questions.
“The teachers welcome our input, and it feels like they really are interested in hearing our opinions on the topics from class,” says Marta Fernandéz.
The town of Örebro can be described as a small, big town with friendly people that make it easy to feel at home, according to the four master’s students.
“Everything is close in Örebro. There is proximity to nature, it is a “small big city” with a rich cultural and events scene and its location is good as a starting point for travels, particularly in Scandinavia,” says Fabian Schneider.
“The city is great! Coming from Jakarta to Örebro is definitely a big change. However, the city has a lot of events to see, especially now in December, and it is very friendly for foreigners,” says Fitri Nurandianti.
What would you like to say to anyone thinking about studying at Örebro University?
“Don’t be afraid to leave your comfort zone! Take a risk and you’ll have one of the best times of your life here,” says Matilde Veiga.
“Just do it. Broaden your horizon. Grow as a person,” says Fabian Schneider.
Fitri Nurandianti, recommends everyone to dare to be curious – and to enjoy the experience.
“It’s better to come without expectations because you’d be surprised by how many opportunities you can explore and enjoy, whether it’s academically or socially,” she says.
Text: Anna Lorentzon
Translation: Charlotta Hambre-Knight
Foto: Private