Zanwer's goal is to break the common stereotypes in engineering

How did you decide on which programme to choose?

Students tend to choose a programme that relates to their previous studies to specialise more on the subject. However, students can choose a programme that only partially relates to their previous studies, as in my case. Introducing a new field to your studies causes an increase in one’s knowledge, interests, and career opportunities.

I chose the Real Estate and Construction Management programme for several reasons. I completed my bachelor’s in Construction Engineering and took a few management courses in between. Through teamwork and my management courses, I decided that management would be something I would be very successful at. Hence, I wanted to continue my career in a subject that lies between Construction Engineering and Management, which is Construction Management. However, Real Estate would have been a completely new subject for me, but that’s what made my programme more challenging and interesting. 

Besides my interest in this field, there was another dominant factor that pushed me for it. Unfortunately, women in some professions are constantly judged and underestimated, such as female engineers. In the Middle East, where I am from, management and construction professions are still male-dominated. Hence, a female manager on a construction site would be almost unbelievable. Even though I am still at the very beginning of my career, I hope to prove to other women that we can manage as well as men, even on the construction site. In general, I would like to see students, especially females, around the world, choose a subject or career path based on their own desires and not based on biased stereotypes.

What do you see as the greatest aspects of your programme?

One of the greatest aspects of my programme is the amount of work our professors put into making sure that the students comprehend the theoretical studies. This is achieved through many guest lectures by famous and successful companies or individuals. These are not only beneficial for learning, but also for building connections for the future. Moreover, students get to work on existing cases to make the lectures more challenging. Depending on the course, professors might take students on tours and site visits to help them recognise actual complications in a specific field.

At the beginning of my first year, students were randomly asked to introduce themselves and tell where they come from and what they have completed so far. I remember being so surprised to see students coming from so many different countries and universities while others were returning from work. Observing so many differences, I was worried about not being well prepared and not being able to keep up with the other students. However, this was not the case. We all had very different backgrounds, yet each of us was more or less on the same level, and we were complimenting each other in group works. Therefore, I believe that another great aspect of my programme is the careful selection of students, making sure everyone is on the required level to manage the programme.

How do studies here at KTH differ in comparison to your previous experience?

So far, I have studied in three different places – Germany, Kurdistan, and Sweden – all of which have had their advantages and disadvantages. What I admire about KTH is the good and honest relationship between students and professors. Once a student is in a good environment, she or he is willing to put more effort into learning. Furthermore, all courses tend to have group projects, which allow students to meet and work with different people as would occur in one’s future employment. Group projects are more advantageous for international students because they can make new friends, which is helpful for the start of their journey in Sweden.

Furthermore, I really appreciate the amount of free time students have for some part-time jobs or for exploring the city during their master’s studies. Otherwise, students can participate in a variety of activities KTH offers through the THS. Besides this, KTH offers an annual career fair in which students can develop their career paths by finding new opportunities such as full-time jobs, part-time jobs, and internships. However, career fairs are of more assistance for master’s students because they can find a place for doing their thesis work. At KTH, everyone is always welcomed, and the entire staff here is very helpful, nice, and respectful.

Why did you choose Sweden and KTH?

Before moving here, I visited Sweden several times. Stockholm remained as a very peaceful and beautiful city in my memories. During my graduate school planning, I researched about Stockholm and discovered that it is known as the city of innovation, creativity, and sustainability. Having a good university in such a beautiful city like Stockholm would have been a double win for me. Eventually, I found out that one of the leading universities in Europe is located in Stockholm, KTH. 

Based on my experience, I believe that KTH is preparing me for my future and is providing me with the best career opportunities because KTH students are among the most recruited. Hence, I would recommend prospective students to consider studying at KTH.