"KTH is well connected and recognized by companies and startups"
Waseem is from India. His home university is National University of Singapore. He likes playing tennis, running, learning languages, reading.
What made you choose KTH?
KTH is widely known for its reputation as a technical university and its contributions to research and industry. Besides, personally, I’ve heard a lot about KTH from my undergraduate days because it has a strong collaboration with my home university – National University of Singapore (NUS). Many of my friends from NUS had done exchange studies at KTH, and I had the chance to hear first-hand from them about the excellent quality of education and student life at KTH. Additionally, it was my intention to study at a European university, and this programme at KTH was the right fit for my field of interest.
What do you like most about KTH?
Although it is still early days here (given that I spent my first year in Berlin), I find there is a great variety of student activities outside the classroom to participate in, which is a really important part of student life. It’s easy to get involved with student chapters for various interest groups, and there are student clubs for nearly every possible interest. KTH is also well connected and recognized by companies and startups. This provides students a good opportunity to find internships or master’s thesis projects and to gain valuable work experience prior to graduating. As an additional plus, the architecture and the landscapes in and around the campus definitely stand out and make studying here a pleasant experience.
What are your impressions of Stockholm and Sweden?
Stockholm is an incredibly beautiful city. It only needs a short walk through one of the islands to realise this. The people are extremely friendly and warm. I hope to explore other parts of Sweden sometime in the future, especially the north where the countryside is supposedly very picturesque.
What would you like to say to students thinking of choosing KTH for master’s studies?
Expect to be immersed in rigorous mathematics from day one, so choose the programme only if you enjoy math! The programme offers students the chance to study in two contrasting and exciting locations. As a result, there’s a lot one can learn from their respective cultures, and this provides an opportunity to meet and work with different kinds of people. My advice would be to make the most of this unique opportunity and step out of your comfort zone.
What do you see as the most significant aspects of your programme?
The ability to blend mathematics with computer science is a standout aspect of this programme. The curriculum is broad and deep with applications in a wide range of fields. Students have quite a bit of flexibility in selecting their courses and specialisations to meet their specific interests.
Are you taking part in any student activities?
Not yet; however, I have identified a few student activities (primarily outdoors and sports related) that I will be joining. As an enthusiastic runner, I found many social running crews in Stockholm. I’ve joined one of them, which is external to KTH. It is a fun and young crew with a mix of students and working professionals. We run three times a week in different locations in and around Stockholm. This goes to show that, in addition to student clubs, there are various options for students to get involved in the city as well.