What Anurag says about the programme in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
Anurag from India
Could you please tell us a bit about yourself and your educational background?
"I was, and still am, a virtual reality developer. I did my Bachelor’s in computer science and engineering, in India. Graduating from college, I was a game developer/gameplay programmer but I later transitioned into the extended reality technologies."
Why did you choose Lund University and why did this particular programme appeal to you?
"During my search for courses, Lund university’s Master’s programme in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality attracted my attention as it was the only university offering this particular programme. While most other universities offered VR/AR as a specialisation along with a more mainstream Computer Science Master’s degree, this programme seemed to offer a much deeper and fuller VR/AR course."
Why should prospective students choose this programme? Do you have a favourite course?
"I think there are multiple reasons why you should choose this programme; the course infrastructure, programme structure and content quality, as well as the research-oriented course content and, of course, the Swedish culture and the education system. My favourite course so far has been the ‘Interaction design’ course. The course covers the basic design thinking that is needed while building any solution. It tries to hack into the human mindset and psychology to understand how we perceive things and then use that information to build products or services."
What do you think of the teaching style and the academic environment? What are the lecturers and professors like?
"I feel the teaching style is very organised and current. The course content is very well updated and helps the students to stay relevant in the industry. The lecturers and professors are very friendly and approachable and there is no feeling of power divide and hierarchy.
The university creates a very warm and strong learning environment. The lectures, workshops and fairs give you a great opportunity to learn, apply and connect with your peers. You are also constantly pushed to become a better version of yourself through the assignments, projects and examinations. Equal importance is also given to personal development and other extracurricular activities that are a crucial part of student life."
Have you been able to gain any practical experience during your studies so far, such as lab work?
"Yes. All the lab work are constructed to be very relevant to the current industry trends and requirements. Apart from this, there are a lot of companies that are situated in and around the university that offer internships and Master’s thesis work. In addition, there are also a lot of networking events and career fairs happening in the university for you to take advantage of. I came to Sweden 3 months ago, and I am currently working for Sony as a student worker with interactive content development. My work involves building content for VR/AR/MR headsets and other forms of immersive technology solutions including cave systems, 3D displays etc."
What is it like to be an international student at Lund University and how international is your programme?
"Lund University has been very welcoming for me as an international student. All my classmates are from different countries and there is a lot of information and cultural exchange happening. This greatly adds to the student experience I was looking forward to when I decided to move here."
What is studying in Sweden like compared to studying in your country/other countries you studied in?
"I come from a country where education is given the highest importance and respect. While both the countries (India and Sweden) are on the same lines regarding this, they take a very different approach on how it's delivered. For instance, in both places, the goal is to make a student proficient in a subject. However, while my country focused more on testing our understanding by giving lots of examinations, the Swedish education system focuses more on practical work like assignments and projects."
What are you planning to do after your studies?
"I would love to continue working here after my studies. The Swedish work culture is known to be able to strike a balance between work and personal life, which I appreciate, and of course, I would like to also be in the thick of innovation in general – especially in immersive technologies."
If you would recommend Lund to someone, what would you say?
"Lund really is a student city. It has a high living standard while keeping the cost low which is great for students who are usually on a budget. Lund also has a lot of places to visit, like museums, and most of them are free for students and there are student discounts on almost everything. Lund also has beautiful summers. It is close to beaches and has a lot of nightlife activities."

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