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Dian from Indonesia

Why did you choose this programme? Why in Lund, Sweden? Why at this faculty? 

"I chose this programme because of my background coupled with my work experience. In the future, I would like to focus on human geography, especially political geography. I wanted to study more about political ecology because I did not get that in my Bachelor’s degree.   

In political ecology, you learn about how natural resources are being used by people in power, and the potential consequences on marginalised groups. There is often environmental and ecological damage because of the way natural resources are used, and so in the future, I would like to make policy recommendations to the government regarding natural resources."

How “international” is your programme?   

"We are 50% Swedish students and 50% international students."

What is your favourite course and why? 

 "My favourite course is the Political Ecology course because I'm very interested in this field and I'm also doing my thesis related to it. My second favourite course is focused on education systems. In my home country, there are a lot of individual assignments, but here in this course, almost all of the assignments are group assignments and seminars. It has really influenced me and how I explain my ideas to others. It’s very nice."

What is the best part about your programme? 

"My programme does not only place emphasis on theory, but it also emphasises the practical perspective. We always have guest lectures from researchers and from companies (mostly Swedish companies). They provide examples of what we, as students, will face in the real world after we graduate. Additionally, in the third semester of my programme, we have the opportunity to choose between an internship or an exchange. Last semester I went to the University of Groningen in the Netherlands to study, which was quite a nice experience. I learned more about a different culture and educational system, and the most important thing is that I met a lot of new people and expanded my network!"

What do you think of the teaching style in Sweden? 

"The course formatting in Sweden is different than in Indonesia. In Indonesia, we have multiple courses at once, and then an exam for all of the courses at the end of the semester. However, in my programme in Sweden, we have one course per month which is quite different. I feel like the teaching style in Sweden works well for me because I can concentrate on one course at a time."

What is it like being an international student in Lund? 

"Everyone here is nice to me! I wear a hijab and have never experienced anything like racism. Even if there is no place to pray (because I have to pray five times a day), I can easily pray in a garden or in the park. I feel safe everywhere here. I’ve also made several Muslim friends from being a student ambassador."

Do you have any advice for prospective students coming from your country? 

"Yeah, I would say definitely try and reach out to current students beforehand. There is an Indonesian Student Association in Lund, so before I came to this university, I talked to them. I reached out to them on Instagram and asked them questions about living in Sweden and about the Human Geography programme.  

I would also say that, as a place to live, Sweden is underrated. I think people should know that the educational system in Sweden is really good, and you can always learn from an academic and professional perspective here. That's why I came here to study."

What are your plans after graduation? 

"I am really interested in pursuing my PhD because I want to continue to work as a researcher. If I can’t get a PhD position for next year, I will go back to Indonesia and work while preparing an application, but I'm interested in continuing my studies here in Sweden."