“Focusing on real-world application has been really cool“
Robin Schäfer from Germany has been a boy scout since he was six, so he likes being close to nature and the outdoors. He’s always been keenly interested in Scandinavia and Sweden’s right to freedom to roam (allemansrätten), which he describes as paradise. And one of the reasons he was drawn to Örebro University.
“In my free time last fall, I walked in the forest near the university with a Swedish friend and learned to pick wild mushrooms, which was fantastic!”
Learn more about:
- the Master’s Programme in Strategic Communications at Örebro University
- the town of Örebro
- Örebro University
After spending time in West Africa, where Robin Schäfer remote-worked in public relations, he wanted to strengthen his studies in communications. After considering several universities in Sweden, he picked Örebro University’s Master’s Programme in Strategic Communications as his first choice.
“The programme fits my plans very well because I wanted to live in Sweden, and I hadn’t planned on studying for too long. But after two months here, I really like it here – and could see myself living and studying here longer.”
After finishing his bachelor’s in journalism and strategic communications and working in public relations, Robin Schäfer decided to advance his academic knowledge with a master’s. What he discovered in Örebro was something different – which interested him.
Mixing theory with a practical application
“Initially, I figured doing a master’s would mean building upon theory from my two bachelor’s degrees. Instead, I’m enjoying the practically oriented focus of the Master’s programme here in Örebro.”
During their first semester in the Master’s programme in strategic communications, Robin says students trained in practical elements like programming a website using WordPress, setting up a live stream and designing a multimodal communication strategy.
“I’m looking forward to learning more about crisis communication. After my personal experiences in Niger and seeing everything that went down there, I realised that is something I’d like to get into at some point in my career.”
A less formal hierarchy in Sweden
“The learning and studying environment here seems much more down to Earth than in Germany, where there’s still a strong sense of hierarchy. Here, we have a less formal relationship with our teachers, which is nice.“
“I’m used to a lecture-heavy programme with classes running parallel during the whole term. Here, the programme is organised in modules with group work sessions, allowing you to get to know your classmates better. Another thing I like is the feedback loops (class evaluations) after each module, which I’ve not experienced before.”
Although Robin didn’t know much about Örebro before arriving, he enjoys the town and student life here and says making friends has been easy.
“From my previous work experience with international programmes at universities in Germany, I know that getting acquainted with people in another country and culture can sometimes be complicated. So, I think it’s a good thing that our programme doesn’t only have international students but also many Swedish students. That’s been very positive – and made mingling between groups even easier!”
“It’s been my experience that everyone is willing to help you. I’ve been told Swedes can be a bit shy, but those I’ve met have been very friendly and polite. Everyone speaks so good English.”
Is there anything particular about Örebro University you’d like to share?
“I’ve found university services on campus, like the Info Centre at Långhuset and the tech department, very accessible, friendly and helpful. Stuff like that is great to have at a university.”
“Personally, I like that the university is somewhat new, like this building (Novahuset). Its modern architecture makes it pleasant to study here. It’s a nice change from the boring industrial style of universities back in Germany. And as I said, being very close to nature, the trails and those Viking burial mounds is great!”
Robin’s best tips
“As far as housing, I got started too late. To get a flat, you must get your name on municipal housing and private companies’ lists early on. K2A is perfect for international master’s students who do not have a personal ID number (personnummer). Still, I found a great flat via ‘Blocket’ with a private landlady. I love it!”
“The other thing is, especially for Germans and I don’t know maybe other Europeans, is that Facebook is big here and is used for communicating with classmates. And university Facebook groups, even for housing.”
“Opening a bank account is complicated even for EU residents and will likely require a personal ID number (personnummer), even when applying for many apartments. The personal ID number can take up to three months and can only be applied for in Sweden, not beforehand. Otherwise, I’ve heard Google Pay and Apple Pay work here.”
Text and photo: Jerry Gray