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"I got to see Stephen Hawking in one of the university restaurants"

Miguel comes from Madrid, and moved to Stockholm after finishing his Bachelor degree in Spain. The quality of education and research at KTH along with a fascination of the Scandinavian culture attracted him to apply to KTH.

What made you choose Sweden and KTH for your studies?
I have always been very interested in the culture in the Nordic countries, and KTH being a top technical university, with renown experts in my field of interest felt like a natural destination. I felt that going to study where the cutting-edge research is done was definitely the right step for my personal and professional development.

Moreover, I chose Sweden and Stockholm for its very fascinating culture and international role. I have always wanted to see the place where the Nobel prize is awarded and living here has allowed me to experience some truly vibrating activities. Just to give an idea, on my first day at KTH I got to see Stephen Hawking in one of the university restaurants!

What do you see as the greatest aspects of your programme?
The mixture of theory and practice. Firstly we had some theoretical courses which set the basic knowledge needed in Fluid Mechanics, giving a great background for any practical activities, which I would say is fundamental in my actual work. Nevertheless, even these theoretical courses were also combined with laboratory sessions, where we could see some of the actual results of the theories presented in the lectures.

The programme then included more practical courses, where we got to apply all our theoretical knowledge and put it to use, understanding real-life problems, such as car aerodynamics or biofluid dynamics. I think that this was one of the most exciting times at KTH, where I had a project in which we collaborated with Karolinska Institutet to study the blood flow through some instrumental used in real operations.

What do you like most about KTH?
What I like the most about KTH is the international and open environment. I really enjoyed the fact that the discussion with the teacher is very open, and they are always willing to help and provide suggestions to focus on the topics that I felt more interested in. I also really enjoyed student life at the university, offering many activities outside the lectures, such as the language café or the events organised by the chapter.

What are your impressions of Stockholm and Sweden?
In general very positive. I find it to be a very tolerant and open country, which cares about things that are important to me, such as freedom of expression, gender equality or the support to the scientific community.

Coming from a relatively big city in Europe, I find Stockholm to be very charming and beautiful; it is almost impossible not to love the city when walking through Gamla Stan or kayaking in the lake Mälaren.

What do you like most about being here?
All the friends I have made from all over the world. This has opened up a whole new world to me and widened my horizons. I now know great people which I can't wait to visit all around the globe.

What is your best memory so far from your time at KTH?
The Firework Concert which takes place early in September. For me, it is the perfect ending to the Swedish Summer. I went to see it the first year, and since then I can say that among my friends it has become a tradition.

What do you think the differences are between studying at KTH and your home university?
For me, the biggest difference when coming to KTH was the flexibility to customise your study programme according to your interests. In my home university, we all had the same courses within a study programme, but here at KTH I have been able to choose the courses that best fit my interests. Apart from the studies, I have also found that the student life at KTH is much richer than it was at my university back in Spain.

What would you like to say to students thinking of choosing KTH for Master’s studies?
I would tell them to go for it! It is a decision that they will not regret. They will get an excellent education adapted to their interests in one of the top European universities. They will also be able to travel all around Europe and meet friends to share those memories with. All in a beautiful city which is full of life, even in the cold winter!

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Master's programme in Engineering Mechanics