What Andra says about the Master's in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation

Andra from Romania

What year did you graduate?

"I graduated in June 2020."

What is your current job and where is it located?

"I work as Preparedness and Climate Coordinator for the municipality of Ljungby, Sweden."

How did you find your job and how long did it take?

"I found my job through the amazing network of students within my former Master's programme, Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation at LTH. I highly recommend this programme to anyone interested in feeling like the work they put in actually influences change and the life of many."

Favourite thing about your job?

"My colleagues. They are like a second family to me, they lift me up when I feel low and always make sure I get the support I need in the questions that might seem overly complicated. I love the challenges this job brings. I had quite recently graduated when I started the job so I did not have the experience to solve most of the problems but I had the knowledge and the confidence to think that 'where there’s awill, there’s a way'."

How are you changing the industry or the world (in a large or small way)?

"I think the changes I see are in the small world of Ljungby and the even smaller world of my department within the municipality. My department has increased its resilience and since we work with plenty of vital societal functions and critical infrastructure, this aspect is of utmost importance for our citizens to thrive and feel safe. "

What was especially useful about the programme that you use in your everyday work?

"The diversity, the broadness of the subjects we were studying, the complicated stories we’ve heard from practitioners and simulation exercises we had to solve. The programme is like a Swedish “Smörgåsbord”, which in this context refers to the variety of courses we were offered to choose from. Oh, and let’s not forget the internship period which was so rewarding and useful in the long run. Choose your internship wisely and you will feel like you start making changes even as a student." 

What do you miss most from your time at Lund University/The Faculty of Engineering (LTH)? What were the highlights?

"What I miss the most is the colleagues and the student atmosphere on campus. Life was less 'adultish' in there but it also entailed great preparation for the future so I am really grateful for the time spent at LTH."

How international was your programme?
"It was really international, we only had one Swedish student and then we were all mixed from the North and South Americas to all 'corners' of Europe."

What was the focus of your thesis?

"The focus of my thesis was on school-based disaster preparedness, aiming to understand whether implementing this concept in Sweden – a concept so highly regarded in countries most affected by natural hazards such as Vanuatu and Japan – would be a useful tool in increasing societal resilience."

Why do you think prospective students should choose this programme?

"It is the best choice you can make now which future you are going to thank you for. A Master's degree in this uttermost broad, inclusive and complex programme is going to open up an unlimited number of doors for you later on. You can choose to work for private companies, become a consultant or analyst in risk and capabilities, work for municipalities/regions/national bodies or work for international organisations. These are just a couple of areas where your knowledge will fit in, but the palette is endless. "

Do you have any advice for prospective students coming to Lund?

"Learn the language if you want to stay in the country afterwards. Sweden has a lot to offer and jobs are easy to find if you speak the language. Take the two years this Master's programme offers you to complement it with language lessons, this will help you navigate the job market afterwards. Enjoy nature and benefit from the 'allemansrätt' – the Swedish freedom to roam and immerse into the amazing landscapes this country has to offer. "