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

Tomas from Sweden

What is your educational background? 

"Before coming to Lund to study, I studied in Malmö for 3 years, where I did a Bachelor’s in International Relations." 

Why did you choose Lund University? What was your expectations before coming here and have they been fulfilled?

"Lund University is one of the best ranked universities in Europe, and it has a reputation of being including for all, with an immense number of activities and opportunities beyond the programme itself. This makes studies at Lund university very fun, and you get to meet people from all over the world.

Having studied in Malmö for three years before coming to Lund I had heard a lot about how studying in Lund would be, and I didn’t think the difference would be that big. Now, a few months into the studies, it is clear to me that in the world of Lund university is bigger than in Malmö, and the opportunities to meet new people and do new things are endless."

What does the programme entail? 

"Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation (DRMCCA) is a programme for people who want to work with strengthening communities on a local, regional, national, or global level. This is something that becomes very apparent in seminars and lectures, where there are always real-world examples from both the professors and from the other students. You also get to learn real, applicable frameworks that can be used outside of the university world."

Has the programme met your expectations so far?

"The programme has exceeded my expectations so far, especially how much I have learnt from the other students. Because everyone comes from different backgrounds you get introduced to so many new perspectives, which is beneficial in studies that are as complex as the DRMCCA. Moreover, the level of enthusiasm and involvement from the professors to make sure you learn and are able to keep up with the studies is amazing. It really feels like a sort of community between all the lecturers, the students, and the alumni network. I also have the feeling that getting a job after finishing these studies will not be too difficult, because of all the help you can get from this community." 

What was your experience being a student at LTH (Faculty of Engineering)?

"LTH has a rich student tradition, the introductory period was intense and a lot of fun. I could then also get to know other LTH students outside of the programme, some of which have studied here for years, and they are always helpful if you have questions. I also feel like the level of ambition from the students’ side are high here. The programme itself is focused around how to resolve issues and challenges, and not just to academically discuss how to frame problems."

What do you do in your spare time?

"In my spare time I play a lot of football, almost every day. Other than that, I love to go hiking, cycling, camping, or basically any outdoor activity. I am also interested in climate related questions and try to engage as much as I can on a local level."

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

"Don’t let the fact that the programme is run by an engineering faculty scare you. It is more heavily weighted towards social sciences, and if anything, it being run by engineers just makes the whole programme more solution-oriented."