KI's best student exchange reports 2023/2024
Studying abroad is a fantastic opportunity that can enrich a person both academically and personally. Three students from Karolinska Institutet (KI) have recently been awarded for their inspiring student exchange reports.
Each year, a group under the Committee for Higher Education selects three winners in the competition for the best student exchange report of the year. For the academic year 2023/2024, the awards went to Klara Meurk, Gustav Lundvall, and Diana Tikhomirova. Their reports stood out with vivid descriptions of both academic and social experiences, as well as practical tips for future exchange students.
Klara Meurk from the study programme in psychology spent her exchange period at Deakin University in Australia. She describes the biggest challenge as overcoming loneliness and finding a social context. But the best part of her exchange was the fantastic people she met and the wonderful encounters she had with Australians.
Diana Tikhomirova, a biomedical student, studied at Università Degli Studi di Milano in Italy. She struggled to adapt to the culture and language, but through dedication and practice, she improved her language skills and gained a deeper understanding of Italian culture. The best part of her exchange was the incredible people she met through the Erasmus network.
Gustav Lundvall from the study programme in medicine studied at Makerere University in Uganda. He describes the biggest challenge as seeing vulnerable patients in a system with insufficient resources. Despite this, he was inspired by the local staff's dedication and creative solutions. The best part of his exchange was all the people he met, both Ugandan patients and colleagues as well as other exchange students. He strongly recommends getting to know as many people as possible during the exchange, as these contacts can be valuable long after the exchange is over.
Participating in an exchange program is not only a chance to study in a new country but also an opportunity to grow as a person and create lifelong memories. We congratulate Klara, Gustav, and Diana and hope that their stories inspire more students to take the step and explore the world through exchange studies.
If you want to read their and others' exchange reports, you can find them at Student exchange reports.
