Interview
Meet Brian from Ireland
Name: Brian Rigley
Age: 24
From: Dublin, Ireland
Programme of Study: Master’s Programme in Business Development and Internationalization
Personal Interests: Snow, travelling and meeting new people
Favourite thing about Umeå: The People, the city is beautiful but the students at Umea are the real reason to come here!
Favourite Swedish word or custom: Jahaa – it can be used to express every emotion possible
What’s it like to study at Umeå University?
Umea University is a very relaxed place to study. Classes and discussions with your lecturers are always informal and it provides a much better way to learn. Also because Umea University is such an international university, you have the opportunity to work with so many different nationalities and learn about their cultures and their work approaches. The facilities are also extremely modern and they have nice food at their cafeterias which is always good!
Your impression of Umeå and the surrounding areas?
The city of Umea is a beautiful place. Everywhere is easily accessible once you have a bicycle, which nearly every person in Umea has! Umea becomes an even more beautiful place once the snow arrives. There is the opportunity to do a lot of winter sports in the surrounding areas and also to go further north to Kiruna, where the Ice Hotel is. Once the sun returns, the lake at Umea makes for an amazing place to enjoy a BBQ with friends!
What you like best about the town of Umeå and its surroundings?
There is such a community feeling in Umea. Once you come here, it feels like your home straight away and I think if you ask anybody who has ever studied here, they will describe Umea as their second home. If you like nature, there is so much to explore. If you like to party then there is even more to explore! You are guaranteed to find an amazing corridor party ever weekend in Umea. And finally, the best thing about Umea – the people, both the Swedes and the internationals!
What you would say to another international student thinking of attending Umeå University?
If you come here you will make friends for life from every part of the world. The hardest thing about coming to Umea University is going back home, but at least when you do leave you can go on a big trip visiting all the new friends that you have made!
