Sara Danyao Segura Escribano (25) from Mallorca studied for a bachelor’s in psychology at the Complutense University of Madrid. ?
After a year in Stockholm as an exchange student, Sara knew she wanted to come back to Scandinavia for a full degree. Today, she’s enrolled in the Master’s in Education at UiO, specialising in Education and Social Change: Childhood and Youth Studies (ESCY).?
– I spent a year in Sweden, and it was such a fulfilling experience. I felt very good in Scandinavia because of the life philosophy here, the education system, the security and the high level of trust in society, Sara shares.
Why the ESCY programme??
– The ESCY programme caught my attention, because i wanted an international approach to my education and to my career. We study topics of immigration, inequalities and other dynamics that shape the world and as a result, influence children as well, Sara explains.?
She recalls one particular presentation she held on undocumented Congolese refugee children in Tanzania, exemplifying?the variety and global relevance of the topics they examine.?
– I also think that this master’s gives me more options for later. I can stick to education, but there's also the social change aspect regarding?what it means to be a child today and how different dynamics like digitalisation and globalisation impact this.?
– Some of my professors have worked in UNESCO, the European Union or with children's rights in international organisations, for instance, Sara notes, highlighting the inspiration this provides.?
Sara also describes a stimulating and diverse environment with respect to both academic and geographic backgrounds:?
– All of my classmates have different backgrounds, like sociology, education, psychology and philosophy and we are all from different countries. A few of us are from Europe, but most of my classmates are from other parts of the world.?
– You get to hear different viewpoints and realise that there's multiple ways of approaching education or children's matters.?
Why did you choose to study abroad??
Sara says that the Nordic approach to education was a big reason why she wanted to come back after her exchange.?
– In Spain, we have more courses simultaneously. So, we’re always switching back and forth from topics and never really get to focus.?
– In Sweden I had four lectures per week, which is insane, because I used to have 25 per week in Spain! The Nordic system gives you time to connect with the course, the readings, do research and delve more deeply into each subject.?
Sara describes her experience at UiO as a mix of traditional lectures, as well as workshops, student presentations and student lead discussion groups.?
– Everyone has the opportunity to express their opinions on the curriculum. I think that the outcome would have been very different if I had different classmates, because the seminars are often based on discussion, Sara reflects.
How have you found fitting into a new culture??
– It's difficult, I’m not going to lie, but you also have to make a meaningful effort to adapt into the culture. As an international student, I believe that you cannot expect for everything to be done for you after arrival. There’s a lot of personal work to do.?
– I'm doing a Norwegian course and I’m trying to learn the social norms here. I've noticed that, since I started learning Norwegian, I feel so much more integrated. I understand much more of what's going on everywhere around me, both at university and at work.?
Sara tells me that she joined many different groups in order to make friends, including multiple music groups, a student magazine and even got a part time job with a research project.?
– Many of the opportunities I’ve got were based on just asking. The job I got, for instance, came after telling my professor that I thought his previous work was very interesting. He continued the conversation and asked if I wanted to be an assistant on his ongoing project.?
– Put yourself out there: mingle, socialise, do activities. ?
Tips for those contemplating studying abroad?
– Inform yourself. Make sure that you are aware of your options. Think medium or long term, not just short term. Look at the outcomes of graduating each programme. Consider things such as: Are you able to use that degree in your home country or elsewhere in the world??
– Be gentle with yourself as well. Sometimes we put a lot of pressure on ourselves. Going abroad is diverging from the path, and you might look at your friends and family and feel that you're not sure if you're doing the right thing. But as time goes by, everything falls into place, and I do believe that I made the right choice; I love studying here.?
Find out more about the?Master's in Education and the specialisation?Education and Social Change: Childhood and Youth Studies (ESCY).