What Azizollah says about the Master's in Chemistry, Synthetic and Analytical Chemistry

Azizollah from Afghanistan

About the programme and the teaching style

How did you find out about the programme at Lund University?  

"Firstly, I selected the countries I was interested in: Norway, Sweden, USA and Canada. Then, I looked for the top universities in each country and went into the details. For a chemist, the equipment and the professor's work in your field are very important. That's why I searched for the professors and the facilities in each research group. My first choice in Sweden was Lund University because I found a research group in analytical chemistry that was in my area of interest. I then found a student working in this research group to ask them some questions and found that the facility and the equipment were also very good. They have LC GC, SF E and various variants like MS mass spectrometry. The great facilities are one of the reasons why I chose Lund!"

What is it like being an international student in the classroom?  

"I think it is half international students and half Swedish people in the programme. I didn't expect it to be so international. It has been a new and great experience! We have students from different countries such as Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and Poland."

What do you think about the relationship with the professors?

"The professors are really good and very friendly. When I first came here, I saw one of my friends, for example, call our professor Peter. I was confused because in my country it is not common to call your professors by their first name. But I really like being able to do that. That's one of the other advantages of studying here."

How does studying in Sweden compare to studying in Iran? 

"Here in Sweden, you're sitting in a multinational environment in the lectures. In Iran, it was not like that as we had very few students from other countries. But I will mention that the social intimacy in Iran is related to the culture. In Iran and Afghanistan, people are so much dependent on each other. But it is not like that here. Sweden also has more facilities and more advanced equipment. So I'm getting an experience that I wouldn't have been able to get in Iran. Right now, I'm working with instruments that are very good, advanced and professional."

Thoughts on living in Lund and tips for prospective students 

What is it like to live in Lund? 

"In my corridor, my first accommodation, we were six people from six different countries such as Germany, The Netherlands, China and Iran. So, living in this environment was a bit strange at first. We talked about our cultures, our programmes and our countries. It gave me a new experience where I learnt a lot about other countries. We talked a lot about how our courses were in our home countries and how the educational system is different here. Since I'm also a student ambassador, I'm not only studying but also working in a multinational environment. It has been an amazing experience."

What is some advice that you would give to somebody who is from Afghanistan or thinking about studying chemistry at Lund? What would you tell them?  

"Try as much as you can. Don't give up. One of the good things I have learned here is being independent, especially in my research. So, I would advise you to also be independent, do some research to find the things that suit you the most, and then apply."