KTH — a window to Europe
Zhou Jing left her native country China to study at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. After hearing about KTH and Sweden from students at her university, she decided to see for herself what exchange at KTH is really like — and hasn't regretted the decision since.
Why did you choose to come to KTH?
KTH is famous for its excellence in ICT. I was also able to match a lot of courses with the ones I have to take according to my degree programme in Singapore. Sweden is also a very international country, and I have been able to travel around Europe from here.
Why did you want to go on exchange?
I think going on exchange is very important. It’s a great experience to study in a different environment, meet new people and get acquainted with a new culture.
Why did you decide to go to Sweden for your exchange studies?
I chose Sweden because I had heard good things about the country. And KTH ranks high among technical universities worldwide. I had friends from my university who had been on exchange here and they said they had enjoyed their time at KTH.
Describe how you began to settle in in Sweden.
It took only one week to settle in here! I met friends through THS International’s [the international section of the KTH Student union] orientation activities during the first few weeks.
There is lots of practical works and labs in the courses at KTH. Working as part of a team is something that is very important here.
Describe your first few months in Sweden.
It was very cold when I arrived here in January! But the people here make you feel warm. I have got to know people from all over the world, and locals as well. I took an interesting course on leadership where I had a Swedish partner.
We interviewed a senior engineer at Plan Sweden (http://plansverige.org/) as part of the course. It was really interesting to see how Swedes work. I got to witness a relaxed working environment compared to what I am used to.
What are the differences between studying at KTH and in Singapore?
Here, I am taking master’s courses as an undergraduate student. That is a challenge, but the professors are very approachable and make it easy to follow the course. There is lots of practical work and labs in the courses at KTH. Working as part of a team is something that is very important here.
What do you do during your spare time?
I socialize with my friends. We organize a lot of multicultural potluck dinners where everyone brings a dish from their home country and we all get to try new food. I have also been able to travel around Europe with my friends from here. During three weeks, we visited the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Greece.
What would you say to students thinking of choosing KTH for their exchange period?
It’s a great choice to choose KTH. Prepare to work hard, enjoy a different culture and travel around Europe!
