What Gabriele says about the Master's in Sustainable Energy Engineering

Gabriele from Italy

What is your educational background?

"I have a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from Politecnico di Milano."

Why did you choose Lund University? What were your expectations before coming to Sweden? Have they been fulfilled? What has surprised you?

"I chose Lund University for multiple reasons. Firstly, after researching and talking with some friends who had participated in exchange programmes in Sweden, I thought the teaching method used in Swedish universities would suit me. This has definitely been the case, and I’ve really appreciated the more practical approach to things, with a lot more individual/group work to be done throughout a course.

As for Lund University specifically, I was inspired by its reputation and prestige as a great university. This, coupled with the unique study environment of an international student city, made Lund a great choice for me. These expectations have definitely been fulfilled; living here has so far been great, very different from what I’m used to, and the quality of the teaching has been fantastic as well."

Has the programme met your expectations so far? What is the difference between being a student at LTH (Faculty of Engineering) compared to your previous university studies?

"The programme has met my expectations so far. Despite some of the courses overlapping with what I had previously done during my Bachelor’s, the individual projects and open and frequent interaction with the professors has allowed me to go much more in-depth on the course topics. These two things are exactly what impressed me the most about studying here in Lund as in my home university, I was used to having basically no interaction with my professors, and not really having many projects other than studying for the exams. Here, on the other hand, the student-professor ratio is much lower, allowing for greater, and more human, interaction. This, coupled with the number of projects that are required to be done throughout a course, gives a feeling of openness and respect towards the student. This way of teaching encouraged and allowed me to further research and work on the topics that interested me the most from a specific course.

Here in Sweden, there is also a big focus on work-life balance, and this is reflected in your studies; while the study loads are significant, if you manage your time effectively, it is possible to have a lot of free time to pursue other activities."

Do you get a lot of practical experience and lab work in the programme?

"While our courses in this semester weren’t really applicable to lab work, we have had a good number of practical projects. One example of this was the Automation Lab in the MKVN51 course, in which we had to virtually build, test and optimise an engine in a computer software, applying the knowledge we acquired during lectures. This was a lot of fun and was very helpful in understanding some of the more intimate details of an engine that one might have overlooked."

What do you do in your spare time? What is student life in Lund like?

"Lund has a vibrant student life, and an incredible wealth of activities to participate in, suiting practically every interest. Since I have moved here, I have spent a lot of time with my friends, as well as getting to know many new people. This has been a very enriching experience, as we all come from very different backgrounds (both in term of nationalities and study fields, frequently leading to very interesting debates). I have also been going on a lot of hikes, when the weather allows, exploring the beautiful nature around Lund, as well as dedicating myself to cooking (and eating, there are many cool, affordable places in Lund and Malmö). Because of my passion for racing cars, I have also joined the Lund Formula Student team, as well as participating in a number of nation activities such as sports events, sittings and clubs."

Any other thoughts you have, that you think could be interesting to people applying for this programme?

"I think it’s important to highlight once again the open and encouraging academic environment present in Lund University. Thanks to that, I have found myself going to libraries, doing in-depth research and even contacting companies directly when working on papers and for personal interest, which is something that I never even considered before coming here. This opens many pathways as well as exposes us to new technologies and projects that might have otherwise slipped under the radar. Furthermore, coupled with the many different faculties present here in Lund, this leads to very interesting discussions with friends about various topics and new perspectives."