"I truly admire the fact that the learning at KTH is very close to the challenges of the real world"

What made you choose KTH?

Choosing KTH to pursue my master’s studies was very much based on the process of elimination for me. Back in India, I was working for ABB, which is a Swiss-Swedish company. During my tenure, I gained valuable insights into European culture. While scrutinizing the universities to pursue my MS, I came across KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

In addition to the good ranking of KTH and the TELPM programme, I have chosen this master’s programme at KTH because it is unique among its kind. Having work experience in a techno-commercial profile, I was looking for a programme that has the mixed flavour of technical and commercial aspects. This programme offers courses starting from the technical aspects of a conventional power grid to a smart grid along with their economics. It also offers seminar courses where one gets an opportunity to interact with speakers from industry regarding ongoing development trends. Some of the courses also offer study visits that enable one to correlate concepts with their practical applications. I feel that the programme at KTH is constructed to address future challenges and that it works in close collaboration with industries. After finishing one year of study at KTH, I feel that I have made the right choice to come to KTH and be a part of this exciting programme.

What do you like most about your programme?

One of the many things that I really like about my programme is its flexibility and encouragement to make your own study plan. I am passionate about making my future career in the field of power systems and electricity markets. My study programme provided me the opportunity to customize my study plan so as to put me a step closer to my ambitions. I am studying courses like power systems stability and control, which provided me with conceptual learning about the complex operation of electric power system, while I learned a lot about the functioning of energy markets from the course electricity market analysis. This year, I am also studying a couple of courses in industrial management.

What do you like most about KTH?

I truly admire the fact that the learning at KTH is very close to the challenges of the real world. I remember my first class when the professor came with the data from a rooftop solar plant at his home. It really makes the learning experience exciting. KTH provides limitless opportunities to its students for their career as well as for their academic growth. The professors are approachable and really inclined to listen and motivate you. There are guest lecturers, seminars, and industrial visits in the courses that provide an opportunity to talk with experts from industry and to build a professional network. I am taking a course called wind power systems in my second year, and it has a number of guest lecturers. We will also have a study visit in this course. I am certainly excited about it. KTH also organizes small open sessions about many exciting topics like space and science, the environment, and the earth. It is really interesting to listen the speakers from completely different areas than my own.

What are your impressions of Stockholm and Sweden?

Sweden is a county that changes its colours throughout the year. The climate conditions are different from the place where I come from. I have never seen such a visible change in the climate throughout the year. When I came here, it was autumn, the colourful season, followed by the beautiful fall and then the white snowy winter. Being a photographer by passion, the best part about the winter was that I did not have to wait for the sunset in order to capture beautiful city lights. After the winter, the sparkling spring with beautiful flowers all around and the bright sunny sky with comfortable temperatures was just the icing on the cake.

The lifestyle in Stockholm amazes me on a regular basis. I really appreciate the way it promotes equality in a true sense. I was really surprised to see the infrastructure to support physically challenged people to a mother carrying her child in a trolley. On weekends, I could see one different aspect of this lifestyle, which is work hard, party harder. People go for winter sports, and they bask under the sun. Once I saw a family of four, all with their bicycles. To me, this reflects excellent work-life balance.

What is your best memory from your time at KTH so far?

As such, I have made many good memories at KTH; however, my best memory from my time at KTH is our welcome reception at Stockholm City Hall. I came to Sweden on the 20^th of August, 2017. It was my first time out of my home country of India. Like most of the students, I was also a bit nervous about starting. Our welcome reception was on the 27^th of August, 2017. The City Hall is a standing legend. It is the venue of the Nobel Prize banquet. The welcome reception was so royal in this sense. I must say it was one of my best birthdays. Yes, it was my birthday and the university was going to start on the next day. I could not really ask for a better start at this new place.

Are there any differences between studying at KTH and your home university?

There are some considerable differences between studying at KTH and my home university. Back in India, I used to have a semester system that runs about five to six months at a stretch, and there used to be final exams at the end of the semester. However, at KTH the academic year is divided into four study periods, which means that the I have to study the courses in one study period. It was a really interesting experience to adapt to this new study system.

At my home university, we used to have the concept of college placements where the companies come to the college for their recruitment. There is no concept of campus placement here; however, KTH provides some great platforms like Armada to interact with people from industry and to grow a professional network.

What would you like to say to students thinking of choosing KTH for master’s study?

I am really happy that you are considering being a part of KTH. Believe me, you are likely to start one of the most memorable journeys of your life. KTH is a very international place. You will likely have classmates from all around the globe, and that makes the study experience more cherishable. Studying at KTH is certainly exciting, but it also demands a considerable amount of work, but don’t be scared. With proper planning, you will sail through all of the challenges, and do not worry about the Swedish winter. I guess that you will hear a lot about it, but winters are also exciting, especially when you are excited about seeing the northern lights and trying some winter sports. Last but not the least, enjoy your time in Sweden and Europe along with your studies. I wish you all the very best for your future plans, and feel free to reach out to me regarding any of your questions or thoughts.