Studying Computer Sciences in the Silicon Valley of Northern Scandinavia
My choice - University of Oulu
Syed Jawad Akhtar completed his bachelor's in Computer Engineering. Most of his time was spent founding an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) technical club and competing in India and Singapore with the club. Syed has also done a research internship at the University of Kiel, Germany.
When Syed decided to pursue his master's studies, he chose the University of Oulu because of its availability of scholarships for international students. "My faculty advisor encouraged me to apply to Finnish universities. It led me to apply and eventually get selected here", Syed explains.
"The city of Oulu is the Silicon Valley of Northern Scandinavia, which opens opportunities for computer science students."
Opportunity to learn the advanced topics of Computer Sciences
Syed's choice was based on his eagerness to learn advanced topics in Computer Sciences. The Computer Science and Engineering programme curriculum at the University of Oulu perfectly fits his interests.
"After finishing my first year of studies, I can assure you that I made the right decision."
"The first exciting thing was carving an astronaut on a piece of cardboard as an assignment for my Creative Design course. Then the use of Oculus VR in the course VR Systems and Humans was also an adventurous experience. You could know more about my exciting experience with these subjects in my blog", Syed further comments.
An adventurous and exciting journey
Syed is originally from Bihar, India but grew up in Jeddah, a coastal city in Saudi Arabia. "I did my bachelor's from Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, a small city in India filled with a lot of nature. I am a small-town boy with less hassle around and more peace and calmness, just like in Oulu," Syed comments.
The whole journey has been adventurous and exciting for Syed. Though classes were online, he met amazing people by attending the university to study, meeting with other Ambassadors, and enjoying city events.
"It's been an amazing experience being a part of the UniOulu Ambassadors team. Much appreciation to everyone who is executing this flawlessly!"
"These things have made me love this city even more. The only challenging thing for me (I hope to overcome it) was cooking food," Syed adds.
"Finland is the happiest country in the world! It can be varied because of the long winter, but I also recognised Finnish people's happiness during that time. So, Finland is still the happiest place in the world," Syed comments.
Syed is determined to complete most credits in his first year and focus entirely on his research thesis the following year. "If you happen to be in Oulu, you can talk with me about nature photography, psychology, and robotics for hours. I also hope to enjoy more of the summer, autumn, and winter activities in Oulu. After graduation, I'm hoping for a decent job in the software industry."
