What Oleksandra says about the Master's in International Development and Management

Oleksandra from Ukraine

Why did you choose this programme?  

"I was looking for different programmes abroad. I finished university in Ukraine several years ago and was searching for something that could improve my knowledge in management. I've been working as a project manager for 10 years, but I felt I was still lacking some insights and a more academic perspective. I generally wanted to have this pause in my professional life and to think about what I actually want to do in the future. And you know, people jokingly wonder, 'What will I do when I grow up?' This question came up to me a couple of times. I thought that, well, maybe it would be a good idea to find a field of study in which I'm strongly interested, and I started searching for management. I applied for management studies, but unfortunately, due to my previous educational background in law, I was not eligible for those programmes. 

So, I started searching for something more on the edge, something involving management, maybe from a different perspective. I didn't search for any other Swedish universities except Lund. I got inspired by other students, the LU graduates, and decided that I would focus my search on Lund. I do love the region, the south of Sweden, so it was a great combo. Also, Lund University is one of the oldest universities in Scandinavia which has tremendous, huge opportunities to explore any field academically. Not just within your programme – you can also research and find something interesting in different disciplines. That's why I chose it!"

How has the programme been going so far? 

"Entering the programme allowed me to broaden my perspective. I started seeing development not just from the individual point of view, but rather from a researcher's perspective, a specialist who seeks connections, sees interlinkage and analyses its impacts.  

The first year was super intense and was different from all my previous experiences and studies. It was more focused on self-studying – a lot of reading, a lot of academic writing. Also, it gave me an opportunity to analyse what is happening around the world, looking at the events from the perspective of my programme. The second year, which I'm entering now, is more practical-oriented. I'm doing an internship now, and then I'll collect the data and write my thesis. 

I would say that the programme provides me with interesting highlights from other regions like Central Asia or South America that I've never explored academically before. Different coursework allows me to look at different situations and their different sides. And there's still so much to learn about the world! I'm still in the process, it will be a lifetime of learning."

What is it like in the classroom in your programme on a day-to-day basis? 

"I think that there are a lot of benefits of studying in the classroom. What our faculty does – and I think it's like that across Lund University – they're trying to provide us with academic and practical perspectives alike. First of all, we had a literature list covering regions impacted by specific development challenges, though I'd say the entire world is facing them. We could dive into, let's say, whatever was happening in Indonesia without actually being there. Our professors were also development researchers, and as such, they brought their own experiences into the classroom. They showed us everything, photos, interviews, data, so we could see (and feel) what it was like on the research ground. It was usually followed by group work where we would analyse case studies and then compare and confront our perspectives with other groups.  

Sometimes it would change our views. In class, you are calm and straightforward. You think that your way is the way to go. But then, you hear the standpoints of classmates with different personal, professional, educational and cultural backgrounds. Thoughts, feelings and lives of other people end up impacting your views and decisions.  

In our individual assignments, we could dip into any topic we liked within the scope of the course. Let's say, you're taking a natural resources management course. In your assignments, you can focus on any natural resource you're interested in. You're not obliged to pick, for example, water. You can tailor your studies to interests you already have, or something you've learned about in class, or maybe something you've never even heard about before. It might be overwhelming in the moment, but then you get to see it up close and you think, "Wow, WOW." Let's take forest management as an example. It's a huge field. You've never learned about it. But then you go in the forest and see how it's done, and you learn how it impacts Sweden – which, by the way, has one of the best forest management systems. 

We also had group assignments. Those mostly focused on working together in a multicultural community, trying to combine and balance academia and practice and having an intercultural dialogue. These were strong benefits of my programme that come through in the classroom on a daily basis."

How international is your programme? 

"In terms of classmates? Well, quite a lot. We have everyone, people representing almost every region. We've got Asia, Central Asia, North America, South America, Africa, and Europe.

It is interesting to see the internationality of my colleagues, some of whom were born and raised in the Western European Union or the USA. They see development in different terms than people from the Eastern Partnership, countries like Ukraine or Armenia."

How is life in Lund as an international student? 

"I'm not sure I've experienced all of Lund's student life because I live in Malmö. I've missed out on the super intense student life in Lund, but I still have a lot of great options. I do love coming to Lund. Usually, I come two-three hours before my lectures and stay a bit afterwards to enjoy the city, the vibe, and meet someone. Lund feels like one huge community. When I first came to my campus, I didn't know anything or anyone, but some random students came up and said, "Hi, welcome! We'll show you the way." There's an atmosphere of friendship, and readiness to support others. You'll never be left without an answer. Everyone is trying their best to help you. That's something I've experienced and loved."

What is your piece of advice for someone who is considering your programme? 

"Go for it and see for yourself! Try it. Knowledge and experience will only broaden your perspective, never limit it. It will give you new opportunities, friends, and intercultural adventures. Embarking on this journey has a lot of benefits, not just in terms of studying. Staying here is also learning in an informal way.  

It's also not as scary as you might think. In the end, it comes down to your bravery and willingness to challenge and try yourself."