Interview
Meet Sven from Germany
Name: Sven Adrian
Home Country and City: Germany, Ratingen
Programme of Study: Master Programme in Marketing
Personal Interests: Biking, Movies, Travelling
Favourite thing about Umeå University: The international atmosphere
Favourite Swedish word or custom: JAHA!
Three words to summarise your time in Umeå: Rewarding. Exciting. Snow.
What is your educational and professional background?
I have a bachelor’s degree in international management from the FOM Hochschule in Duisburg, Germany. I have worked as a credit specialist for a bank, as an account manager for an office supplies distributor and a large computer company and as a teacher at a Chinese university.
Why did you choose to enrol in your degree programme at Umeå University?
The international atmosphere, its high international ranking and the fact that Umeå University’s international students are the most satisfied in Sweden convinced me that it would be a good choice.
What do you like most about your programme?
The fact that you work together with other students from all over the world.
What is the most interesting thing you learned in your programme or courses so far?
The different perspectives and insights I have gotten from working on projects with international groups are a very valuable experience.
What do you do when you are not studying?
Like most of the students I often go to Iksu. I also regularly meet with my international group of friends and we give each other insights into our cultures by cooking food or showing movies from our home countries.
What is your impression of Umeå and the surrounding areas?
Umeå is small, but has a lot to offer. There are enough stores and places for entertainment, but it also has its quiet areas with beautiful nature. The surrounding areas offer a lot for you to discover, and Umeå with its airport and train station is a good starting point for exploring Sweden and its neighbouring countries.
What do you find as the biggest cultural difference, both socially and educationally, from your country with Sweden?
Swedish people are amazing when it comes to speaking English. It is almost impossible to encounter a Swede who is not able to talk to you in English. But also everything is very regulated, and the Swedes seem to love their laws and rules.
Educationally the biggest difference is in my opinion the fact that the whole programme revolves very much around group work. You are doing group work in every course and you spend much more time doing group work than sitting in lectures or working on your own.
What you would say or what advice would you give to another international student thinking of attending Umeå University?
If you want to study at an international university, meet people from all over the world and like group work, Umeå University should be your first choice.
What are your career aspirations?
I am very open-minded when it comes to that. But I can say that I would like it to work within the marketing department of an international company.
