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The professors are highly knowledgeable in their field and also easy to approach

Edwin comes from India with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is a big fan of football and loves to play whenever he gets the time.

Edwin

Why did you choose this master’s programme at KTH?

I am very passionate about cars and am aiming to have a career in developing the sustainable transportation of the future. After deciding to pursue a master’s degree, I found that there were very few universities across the globe that offered a specialised course in automotive engineering. Of all those courses, the Master’s Programme in Vehicle Engineering at KTH stood out because of its well-structured curriculum. As English was the language of instruction for all the courses, this was a great advantage. In addition, there are numerous elective courses that can be taken to improve your profile. Furthermore, the fact that KTH is ranked among the top 100 universities in the world and has good collaboration with automotive companies such as Scania and Volvo made it the best choice for me. 

What are the best aspects of your programme?

Vehicle engineering involves virtually equal amounts of practical work and theoretical education. All laboratory exercises in which I engaged were perfectly designed to help understand the key concepts of the course and were also interesting to work on. The classes themselves are held in a laboratory in which the students are seated next to a Volvo S90, which they drive during numerous experiments. Also, the professors are highly knowledgeable in their field and also easy to approach. The programme not only focuses on developments in automotive systems but also on efficient and sustainable transportation. I would say these are the best aspects of the course.

Have you chosen a specialisation track within the programme? If Yes, which track and why?

There are two specialisation tracks available in the vehicle engineering programme: Road and Rail track. Obviously, I went with the Road track because I have a huge passion for trucks and cars. The courses match my expectations and there are different elective courses from which I can freely choose that suit my profile.

What are your favourite courses so far?

My three favourite courses thus far are “Vehicle Components”, “Ground Vehicle Dynamics” and “Applied Vehicle Dynamics and Control”. I would say that these three courses are the core of this programme and cover all the essential concepts that all automotive engineers should know.

How do studies at KTH differ from your previous studies?

Almost everything is different from my bachelor’s studies. In my previous studies, the courses were more theoretical and were focused on getting higher grades in exams, whereas the education at KTH is more focused on learning by doing and there is no fear of exams. The exams are focused on testing how well a student understood the concepts by asking more practical questions, which I enjoyed a lot. The greatest difference of all is that the professors are friendly and will help you out in every situation. One of the major differences that I faced when I started my education at KTH was that the year was split into four periods (a period lasts around three months) instead of two semesters. So basically, the workload will be lower compared to taking almost six courses per semester and taking all the exams together.

How is student life in Stockholm?

Stockholm is a beautiful city surrounded by lakes and forests. Coming from India, the winter climate was a bit cold for me. However, apart from that, every other season is pleasant. In the summer months in particular I spend a lot of time outdoors wandering around the forests. I found it very easy to commute in the city as there is an excellent public transport system. Almost everyone here speaks English so I had no communication problems. The city and KTH is full of people from all around the globe and this gave me opportunities to make many friends. Stockholm is a wonderful and colourful city, which I will continue to explore.

How would you describe your time at KTH so far?

KTH is the best college experience I have ever had! It has been a wonderful year and I would say that KTH has met every expectation that I had before starting my master’s programme. It is been a great boost to my learning curve and I am really enjoying my time here.

What do you want to do after graduating?

After my graduation, I hope to start a career as an engineer in an automotive company where I can conduct research in the field of vehicle dynamics and contribute to the development of cars of the future. I am also planning to apply for a doctoral position at KTH, if available.

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

For prospective master’s students, I would say this is one of the best vehicle engineering programmes in the world. KTH’s quality of education and collaboration with companies will help your find your dream career. There are plenty of opportunities to take a summer job or do a master’s thesis at a company, which could lead to a career at the same company. I can say that after you start your education at KTH, all your expectations will be met, if not surpassed, and will be a great help for your future.