How did you find out about the programme at Lund University?
Firstly, I selected the countries I was interested in: Norway, Sweden, USA and Canada. Then, I looked for the top universities in each country went into the details. For a chemist, it's very important that the equipment and the professor's work in your field. That's why I searched for the professors and the facility in each research group. My first choice in Sweden was Lund University, because I found a research group in analytical chemistry and that’s my area of interest. I found a student working in this research group to ask them some questions I asked some questions and I found that also the facility and the equipment was very good. If I'm going to mention in detail for chemists, it's they have LC GC, SF E and different various variants like MS mass spectrometry. So, that is very good. Lund very good facilities nad that’s one reason why I choose Lund!
What is it like being an international student in the classroom?
I think it is half international students and half Swedish people in the programme. It is a very good experience to study in a more international environment, because we have students from different countries such as: Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and Poland. I didn't expect it to be so international, and it was a new experience for me.
What do you think about the relationship with professors?
The professors are really good. They're very friendly. When I came here, I saw one of my friends, for example, call our professor Peter. I was confused. Because in my country it is not common to call your professors by their first name, right? It is a very friendly thing to do. So that was a good thing that I found here. Students call their professors by their first name. That's one of the other advantages of studying here.
How does studying in Sweden compare to studying in Iran?
Here in Sweden, you're sitting in a multinational environment in the lectures. But in Iran, it was not like this. All of the students are from Iran or Afghanistan, and very few people from other countries. But I will mention that the social intimacy in Iran is related to the culture. In Iran and Afghanistan, people are so much dependent on each other. But it is not like that here. Sweden also has more facilities and the more advanced equipment. So you will gain this kind of experience that I couldn't get in Iran. Right now, I'm working with instruments that are advanced, that are very good, and that are professional.
What is it like to live in Lund?
My corridor, my first accommodation, was also six people from six different countries, including Germany, The Netherlands, China and Iran. So, living in this environment was so strange the first time. We talked about our cultures, talked about our programmes and about our countries. It gives you a new experience of gathering information from different countries. We were talking a lot about how their courses were in their home country and how the educational system is different here. How do people behave with international students or international people? Since I'm also a student ambassador, I'm also working in an environment in a multinational environment. It's a very amazing experience.
What is some advice that you would give to somebody who is from Afghanistan or thinking about studying chemistry at Lund? What would you tell them?
Try as much as you can. Don't give up. One of the good things I learned here is being independent, especially in my research. I think it is one of the best things that I learned here in my study. So, I'm going to advise them to be independent from now on. Search yourself and find the best thing that suits you and then apply.
