What Vinícius says about the Master's in Sustainable Urban Design

Vinícius from Brazil

Tell us a little bit about your educational background?

"I am Vinícius, 26 years old and I was born in São Paulo, Brazil, where I did a great part of my studies. I have a Bachelor’s degree in architecture and urban planning from the Fine Arts University of São Paulo. I moved to Lund in August 2020."

Why did you choose Lund University and why did this particular programme appeal to you?

"There are many reasons why I chose Lund University. When I discovered that Lund is a rich student town with so many students and a prestigious university, it sounded like a great experience. Not only when it comes to studies, but also the daily life where I could bike everywhere, have activities and easily meet new people. The location of Lund within Sweden, as well as the proximity to big cities as Malmö and Copenhagen, was also a good point to choose Lund.

Another point for keeping Lund as my first choice was that Sweden is well known for its unique approach towards urban design and sustainability. The fact that the programme had a strong international identity with projects and students from all over the world, also appealed to me as I thought that this environment would provide an enriching learning process and personal development."

What do you think of the teaching style and the way of studying here? What are the lecturers and professors like?

"I feel that the students here are very independent while receiving a lot of support from the professors at the same time. However, when I say that the students are independent it does not mean that we study alone. We work in groups and have shared responsibilities while doing study projects. Another thing that is frequently highlighted, and which I can confirm, is that there is no strong hierarchical division among professors and students.

The programme is very diversified and connects to different urban issues in the world and professional life. Most of the courses are structured with lectures, seminars and group work. Each semester there is a main design course. The design courses are divided into scales, starting with the local scale in the first semester, moving to the regional scale and finalising with the global scale in the third semester. My cohort had the opportunity to work on proposals in Helsingborg, Reykjavík and Prague."

What it is like to be an international student at Lund University and how international is your programme?

"Both the city and the university are very international. Currently, we are 17 students and among us, there are 15 nationalities. This diversity and the great amount of group work makes the study process very dynamic, with new perspectives and diverse knowledge."

What is studying in Sweden like compared to countries in which you have previously studied?

"During my Bachelor’s, I was used to having six or more courses at the same time during the semester. Here, I have only three courses during the entire semester which allows me to concentrate properly on all tasks and also have enough time to enjoy activities outside of the university. In my programme, we have the pass/fail system. I think this is the best system for a design-oriented Master’s programme as it lets you exercise and propose ideas the knowledge without focusing too much on grades."

What are you planning to do after your studies?

"I plan to be a university professor in the future, for this reason, I plan to continue my studies and pursue a PhD. In parallel, I expect to work as an urban designer in a private office or municipality."