BT 527 - international management | Pharos University in Alexandria

Why did you go to PUA for student exchange?

The chance to visit Africa, and more specific an Arab country with so much history as Egypt has, made the decision very easy. PUA offered the necessities and quality needed for my bachelor thesis to be conducted.

How long was the exchange period?

The exchange lasted 8 weeks in total.

How have you been chosen for the exchange?

Prof. Andrew Martin from KTH scouted for students to participate in a collaboration with PUA and KTH, me and my colleagues applied and were accepted.

What do you think are the differences between studying at PUA and KTH?

The difference is a more direct contact or line of communication in PUA compared to KTH. The relationships between pupils and professors are more personal than in KTH. Moreover, the learning is more of a practical character in PUA than in KTH, where the approach is often more theoretical and is conducted to bring discussion.

Did PUA staff, professors, researcher and others that you met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate

They have been excellent in supporting all causes, the communication line is very clear and everyone, including students, are very generous and show great hospitality. Our Egyptian colleagues, whom we collaborate with, have excellent knowledge in their field and are easy to discuss with.

Could you describe a regular day as a student at PUA?

Since we have a specific collaboration, our working day consists mainly of own work on the project with some discussions in between with our Egyptian colleagues.

What was the best part of your experience at PUA?

Meeting all the different people, from the Dean of Engineering, to our lovely supervisor Dr. Norhan and all the students willing to greet us and make us feel welcome!

What was the biggest challenge for you during your trip?

Adapting to the difference between Swedish and Arabic culture, but it has been very fun to observe and learn the language, food culture and so on!

What are your impressions of Alexandria and Egypt?

Alexandria has been wonderful, it is truly a city with lots of history and a beautiful shoreline to the Mediterranean Sea. Egypt biggest asset is its people, the hospitality and generosity are always above and beyond.

Is there something about life in Alexandria and Egypt that has surprised, impressed you?

The different mix of cultures combined from the different eras in Alexandria, the Greek, roman, and so on all mixed together makes the city a beautiful historical place.

Do you have any advice for colleagues at KTH that, in the future, will do student exchange at PUA?

Feel free to talk to people, they will most surely help you or make your life easier in some way. Also, the seafood here is amazing, you have to try the crab soup at the fish market!

What have you taken with you from this experience on a personal level?

I have met amazing people whom I will remember, the new culture has been really fun to observe and live with and has opened up the interest to explore Egypt more in the future. I have also gained a more practical understanding in my field of engineering, something that I greatly appreciate.

Why did you go to (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) for staff exchange?

The main objectives of this mobility are:
- Explore the master program in Electrical Engineering in KTH.
- Investigate the availability of joint undergraduate projects submission.
- Acquire new teaching and learning skills from KTH.
- Reinforcement the cooperation between KTH and PUA.

How long was the exchange period?

A month.

How have you been chosen to this visit?

Through a presentation in front of the vice president and the international relations coordinator of PUA University. The presentation includes my goals to this grant of the Erasmus+ staff mobility program and this is done after the submission of the motivation letter and my CV to them.

How do studies and researches at (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) differ in comparison to your previous experience?

There are so many differences:

• Labs and lectures are highly informative and direct the students to a huge amount of data and information.
• The estimated learning hours of each course are longer, which means the students can learn the courses deeper. Also, the theory learning is always followed with the practical work, such as labs and project work.
• The organization of the academic year in four periods, each one with two courses to attempt, makes easier the planning of studying as well as the preparation of examination.
• The students are ambitious not only to get a good mark but also to really understand the subjects and above all, getting practical experience.
• Here students, researchers and teachers seem to be at same level with the same importance even if covering different roles. Furthermore, transparency and meritocracy are conditions without which KTH could not exist. All the people from students to professors form a great academic group providing a motivating study and research environment.
• KTH is the best place for an engineer with education and career ambitions.

Did (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) staff, professors, researcher and others that you met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate

Yes.

Could you describe a regular day as a student or teacher at (KTH Royal Institute of Technology)?

Classes take usually 8 hours, from 8 am to 5 pm with one hour lunch break from 12:00 to 1:00 pm. Many projects and assignments require you to stay at campus even if you do not have classes that day. For example, during afternoon, if there are no lectures, group members from courses have meetings and discussion at many places created for them because they need a space for studying in silence and finish their tasks.

What was the best part of your experience at (KTH Royal Institute of Technology)?

KTH proved that it has an incomparable high level of education and wide range of educational support like a great library, supporting efficient teachers and many interesting seminars not only related to the studied field.

What was the biggest challenge for you during your trip?

Because this is the first time I went to Stockholm, so the biggest challenge was reaching to my place of residence.

What are your impressions of (Stockholm) and (Sweden) that you visited?

- Stockholm is quite unique in comparison with other European capitals.
- It is a clean and beautiful city with large water areas and historic buildings.
- It is quiet and tidy and there are many tourist spots.
- Urban architecture is spread out among its islands creating space for many green areas.
- Swedish people are so nice and happy to help you. They can speak fluent English no matter they are young or old.
- Although Sweden is not that much populated, satisfying public facilities and provided infrastructures has made the life easy for everyone.

Is there something about life in (Stockholm) and (Sweden) that has surprised, impressed you?

Sweden is something much more than I expected. This country has impressed me with its landmarks, calm people, and the very positive and relaxed attitude towards everyday life. Furthermore, it is easy to communicate with people in Sweden as they are almost well familiar with the English as an international language.

Do you have any advice for colleagues at PUA that, in the future, will do staff exchange at (KTH Royal Institute of Technology)?

I just want to say that I have been feeling really lucky to get the chance visiting KTH University. I strongly advise my colleagues to do the same.

Is there something from your experience that you can bring in to your professional role at PUA?

Yes. I can bring in my department new learning and teaching skills and also make a proposal for the master program.

What have you taken with you from this experience on a personal level?

- My personal and teaching skills were improved.
- New experiences and practices were gained.
- My professional and personal development were changed.
- Our motivation in moving forward into progress must be kept up in every work we do and never give up and should always proceed onwards to development.

Why did you go to the School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland for staff exchange?

I consider the visit to the School of Pharmacy, UEF, as a lifetime experience that I believe it is a milestone in my career. It is a significant opportunity to discover innovative and different teaching and research techniques as well as to explore new foreign culture that is definitely motivational and very inspirational to my career

How long was the exchange period?

The exchange period was 8 days

How have you been chosen to this visit?

The journey started after my motivation letter was selected by Prof. Dr. Maged ElGhazouly, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Drug Manufacturing. I was one of 5 lecturers who were chosen to present their motivations to contribute in such exchange program in front of Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Mohey ElDin, President of Pharos University in Alexandria and Prof. Dr. Nourhan Fanaky, Vice President for Education and Students Affairs.

How do studies and researches at School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland differ in comparison to your previous experience?

I think they are different in the time and resources available for their research. In addition, most of them are working as a multidisciplinary team which collaborate together for successful publications

Did School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland staff, professors, researcher and others that you met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate

All the staff members I had met were very helpful and sociable. They were discussing in details their research interest and the curriculum they are teaching with highlighting the innovative teaching methodologies they are implementing

Could you describe a regular day as a student or teacher at School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland?

Their regular day starts at 8:00 am in the morning. Their day is divided into different tasks including teaching, laboratory sessions, seminars, meetings and research. At about 12:00 pm, they have their lunches and breaks. After that, they regularly meet their masters and Ph.D. candidates. Overall, they are trying to implement different innovative strategies in their lectures and they are more devoted to their research and international publications. The day usually ends at 4:00 or 5:00 pm.

What was the best part of your experience at School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland?

I had a great chance to meet Prof. Dr. Antti Poso and Prof. Dr. Maija Lahtela-Kakkonen who have a proficiency in drug design and had the chance to try “Molecular Operating Environment, MOE” software, one of the programs they use in docking. In addition, I visited Kuopio University Hospital and saw the robots used in drug dispensing and chemotherapeutic preparations. In addition, the visit to the animal house was very fruitful.

What was the biggest challenge for you during your trip?

Everything was in Finnish language; all the signs in the streets and all the products, so situations like purchasing groceries or riding a Taxi with a driver who cannot speak English were challenging

What are your impressions of Kuopio and Finland that you visited?

It is fascinating country as it is part of Europe. Kuopio is a calm part of Finland and it is a beautiful city with magnificent landscape full of forests and lakes. The technology is in everything in their life, even for bike renting. The transportation tickets are booked via an application.

Is there something about life in Kuopio and Finland that has surprised, impressed you?

The weather surprised me as I literally saw the four seasons in one week. The weather rapidly changes even in the same day. It can start sunny and end with snow. In addition, I attended the festival of the “Labor Day”, which is in the first of May, just like Egypt. It is a special event there; the students wear special outfits with a color that indicates which faculty they are enrolled in. The graduates wear a white cap to indicate that they are graduated one day from University. Another special day is “May Day”, which is a celebration for the coming of spring season. I enjoyed the Finnish tradition at this time of the year, Munkkia (a kind of donuts) and Simaa (a special drink).

Do you have any advice for colleagues at PUA that, in the future, will do staff exchange at School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland?

It is important to apply for Visa early enough before the visit. In addition, I recommend staying in the guest room in the university as it saved a lot of time without any need for the transportation especially in snowy days

Is there something from your experience that you can bring in to your professional role at PUA?

As a university staff member, I believe that this visit was substantial to my professional expertise. One important thing is that I am planning to apply flipped classroom in my courses to develop a more self-learner pharmacists.

What have you taken with you from this experience on a personal level?

I think the visit helped me to build up more connections with a lot of professors and staff members either in pharmacology or other specialties. In addition, I got some knowledge about Finland such as their traditional food and souvenirs.

Why did you go to KTH for staff exchange?

To gain more experience about teaching methods, to get introduced to a new culture, to widen my professional network, to know more about the curriculum of the courses in the KTH and compare it to ours in PUA. My main mission was about the BIM courses to transfer the way of teaching and to know all the courses that are taught in the KTH as PUA is starting to teach this new technology.

How long was the exchange period?

It was one month.

How have you been chosen to this visit?

I have been chosen through a process that started by a call to all the staff members for whoever wants to submit a motivation letter to be chosen. Then there was an interview with the faculty of engineering dean and head of departments. Then there was an interview with the head of international relations and the representatives of university’s president.

How do studies and researches at KTH differ in comparison to your previous experience?

It differs a lot as the number of years for the university education at the KTH are 3 for bachelor degree and most of the students there continue post graduate studies for 2 years to complete their master’s degree. One of the great differences is that all the master or PhD thesis are concerned with the industry to solve problems or to renovate the technology of construction.

Did KTH staff, professors, researcher and others that you met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate

They were very helpful as they provided me with all data I wanted. They gave me from their time to ask about all information I wanted. I had an access from them to a lot of research papers. I also attended a PhD defense while I was there.

Could you describe a regular day as a student or teacher at KTH?

The regular day starts at 8 am by attending lecture for 3 or 4 hours depends on the course. Then from 12 to 1 pm, it’s a lunch break for all teachers and students. From 1 pm till 4 or 5 pm it’s a workshop for the lecture in the morning. At somedays maybe sitting in the library for some research.

What was the best part of your experience at KTH?

Giving a lecture about BIM implementation to the undergraduate students at the BIM1 course.

What was the biggest challenge for you during your trip?

To get as much information as I can that can benefit my studies and benefit my department at PUA.

What are your impressions of Stockholm and Sweden that you visited?

It was so cold at that time in January and February, but a beautiful city. People are so helpful. All of them can speak English so it was easy to communicate with them. It was empty as the population of Sweden is so small compared to ours in Egypt.

Is there something about life in Stockholm and Sweden that has surprised, impressed you?

Every Tuesday at 10 pm a lot of people go out and scream with loud voice to get out the negative energy- as they assume-

Do you have any advice for colleagues at PUA that, in the future, will do staff exchange at KTH?

They have to take heavy clothes if anyone is going through winter days. They need to benefit from the ideas of the projects that the students make in the courses. We need to enlarge the cooperation in the level of the students.

Is there something from your experience that you can bring in to your professional role at PUA?

Of course, I have started to use what I have got through attending the BIM course at the KTH in teaching in the same course at my department at PUA. Also I have introduced through a presentation inside my department to the colleagues so any of them can gain any idea that can be executed in their courses.

What have you taken with you from this experience on a personal level?

I have enlarged my professional network with many researchers and students from many nationalities. I have been introduced to many cultures. I have enhanced my English language by practicing it for 1 month. I have got many information that I can use through my master thesis.

Why did you go to (Royal Institue of Technology KTH) for staff exchange?

My trip was part of a grant of the Erasmus+ Staff Mobility Program. The main purpose of the trip was to adopt new teaching methods, interactive learning methods and assessment methods. In addition, visit the laboratories and workshops. Another personal purpose was to network with people interested in the field of my PhD research and exchange knowledge with them.

How long was the exchange period?

The exchange period was for 10 days.

How have you been chosen to this visit?

I applied for it at the PUA. The application included a motivation letter, my CV and a valid IELTS certificate. Then I have done a presentation on the purpose of my application to this visit. The attendees of the presentation were the Vice President of the PUA and the International Relations Coordinator at the PUA.

How do studies and researches at (Royal Institute of Technology KTH) differ in comparison to your previous experience?

I have attended lectures, practical tutorials and seminars during my short visit. There are several differences, some of them are minor but others are major differences. Starting with the minor differences: The lecturer is on time sharp in the classroom but starts the lecture after 15 minutes. Students are allowed to enter/leave the classroom upon their wish. Many students do not follow the instructor, instead they work on their laptops or mobile phones, but they do not interrupt the lesson in any way. If from noon till 1:00 pm there is a lecture, students are allowed to eat their lunch. As for the major differences: The time management differs from an instructor to another. For example, some instructors divide the lecture to 4 parts: 30 minutes’ lecture followed by a 15 minutes task, in which students work in groups. The instructor then discusses briefly the outcomes of the group task. After the discussion a 15 minutes break is given. After the break the lecture is continued for 30 minutes followed by a group task for another 15 minutes. Other instructors divide the lectures just in two parts: 45 minutes lecture followed by a 15 minutes break, then the lecture is continued for another 45 minutes. Students work with their own hands in the workshop. They are divided in groups with a maximum of 6 students in one group depending on the available space. The lecturer is the one who teaches the students how to work, a technician assists him. I attended a seminar, in which interactive learning was used in a very instructive way.

Did (Royal Institute of Technology KTH) staff, professors, researcher and others that you met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate

Definitely yes. They were more than helpful.

Could you describe a regular day as a student or teacher at (Royal Institute of Technology KTH)?

Most of the lectures start at 10:00 am, only few start at 9:00 am. From 12:00 pm till 1:00 pm it’s lunch time. There are several restaurants at the campus where students and staff can buy food. Each department has a large kitchen, where students and staff can heat their own food in the microwave and make a cup of coffee or tea. After lunch, lectures and tutorials are continued and may extend till 7:00 pm.

What was the best part of your experience at (Royal Institute of Technology KTH)?

The best part was to experience the link between the academic part and the practical part, whether in the University or outside with the industry, where Master and PhD students deal with solving actual problems present in the industry.

What was the biggest challenge for you during your trip?

The biggest challenge was not to get lost in the KTH campus.

What are your impressions of (Stockholm) and (Sweden) that you visited?

It is an extremely organized country with perfect transportation facilities. The people are very friendly and helpful. All the locals speak English, unlike many other European countries. There just two disadvantages: everything is very expensive and the weather is very cold, even during spring time.

Is there something about life in (Stockholm) and (Sweden) that has surprised, impressed you?

The thing that has surprised me is that locals wear summer clothing at 3º C weather. And the thing that impressed me is how organized people at Sweden are.

Do you have any advice for colleagues at PUA that, in the future, will do staff exchange at (Royal Institute of Technology KTH)?

My advice to them is to wear warm clothes and avoid travelling to Sweden in winter.

Is there something from your experience that you can bring in to your professional role at PUA?

Applying interactive learning in the proper way and letting students depend more on themselves regarding their tasks instead of spoon feeding them with the solutions.

What have you taken with you from this experience on a personal level?

On a personal level, I have realized after this experience that life doesn’t have to be as stressful as we think it is. Problems become more complicated in a stressful environment.

What made you chose PUA to study?

Being best authentic private university in Alexandria with highly qualified cooperative Teaching staff from professors to demonstrators is reason enough for anyone to join your University.

Why did you go to (University of Eastern Finland) for student exchange?

In my opinion, the university announced for scholarship was a great opportunity to discover their teaching methods and facilities whilst still student in PUA, as well as experience first-hand the European scandanavian culture.

How long was the exchange period?

About four months since 3rd/sept/2018 to 20th/dec/2018

How have you been chosen for the exchange?

By assessing applicant English proficiency, recommendation letter from my professors, motivation letter and interviews was also done to assess student social and academic background as well as their overall character.

What do you think are the differences between studying at PUA and (University of Eastern Finland-UEF)?

I come to appreciate PUA methods of teaching students which literally ensures graduating students of solid pharmaceutical background .This was proved with the self-study of my courses abroad in UEF were if it weren’t for the assignments, self-study chapters , interactive activities done in PUA I wouldn’t have been able to study whole courses alone.

Did (University of Eastern Finland-UEF) staff, professors, researcher and others that you met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate?

Yes, they were extremely welcoming and helpful throughout the semester. English language hasn’t been easy with some of the professors but most of them I managed to understand their requirements and how to study the required course contents. Even, with issuing the official transcript it was done smoothly.

Could you describe a regular day as a student at (University of Eastern Finland-UEF)?

Day started at 8 am, my dorm was about a 20 minute walk from the campus. I attend my lab work either of medicinal chemistry or pharmaceutical technology till 11.30 am, then lunch break starts at campus for about an hour I join my colleagues then continue to another building with the Library and study are facilities where I read, study and summarize for about 3-4 hrs. By 5 pm, I return home and join my friends in dorm for a dinner and discussing our day. By 9 pm, time to sleep to start a fresh new day.

What was the best part of your experience at (University of Eastern Finland-UEF)?

Snow winter season after the green orange leaves of Autumn.There was a huge contrast between each season .In addition, the Viking scandanavian food and finnish sweets was a real delicacy.

What was the biggest challenge for you during your trip?

Getting used to the real cold of Finland and having to wear gloves, cap and scarves almost everywhere I go out even if it was simply to buy some groceries for about 10 minutes.

What are your impressions of (KOUPIO) and (FINLAND) that you visited?

Strange musical sound of the city which turned to be a small friendly village when I arrived there. Finland, most famously for Nokia phone products which turned out to be a famous city named NOKIA in Northern Finland and of course a good rank in education.

Is there something about life in (KOUPIO) and (FINLAND) that has surprised, impressed you?

Sauna is a must in every house and of course the large number of lakes and green trees everywhere; I almost got lost one day in them.

Do you have any advice for colleagues at PUA that, in the future, will do student exchange at (University of Eastern Finland-UEF)?

Better to buy winter material clothes, gloves, caps from Finland with a better thermal resistance than in Egypt. Second hand shops will be very handy in furnishing a student room for winter.

What have you taken with you from this experience on a personal level?

There’s more to see abroad beyond what we are used to and comfortable with. Knowing English is not enough when you communicate with others. Living independently is the best way to know oneself and focus on strengthening improving character.

What made you chose PUA to study?

I choose Pharos University because it is one of the top 10 universities in the Republic of Egypt and its close relationship between other international universities, especially the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)

Why did you go to (KTH) for student exchange?

To gain experience of travel without parents and self-reliance and to see the cultures of other countries

How long was the exchange period?

It was 3 months

How have you been chosen for the exchange?

I think because I worked hard to study architecture and got the highest grades and excelled at the University of Pharos

What do you think are the differences between studying at PUA and (KTH)?

The practical work in KTH is more than in PUA, the way of learning differs a lot, the student in KTH is more independent.

Did KTH staff, professors, researcher and others that you met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate?

Yes of course everything was organized and developed and I have encountered some problems and the specialist helped me quickly

Could you describe a regular day as a student at (KTH)?

I go to my Studio at 9:00 AM, there is a lunch break at 12:00 PM, interactive learning is their way of learning, so it is every exciting,

What was the best part of your experience at (KTH)?

The way they deal with me I did not feel that I am strange, Learn about a new place, new language, new people, exchange experiences and knowledge

What was the biggest challenge for you during your trip?

To gain much experience as I could, and travel as much as possible, it’s the best chance ever to learn more.

What are your impressions of Stockholm and Sweden that you visited?

It is a very calm country, I really excited about it, it is a very organized city, and it's very respectful for human being specially the disable people.

Is there something about life in Stockholm and Sweden that has surprised, impressed you?

I was surprised as there are many students speaking English basically everywhere, and the freedom of independence from my parents is a wonderful thing to try

Do you have any advice for colleagues at PUA that, in the future, will do student exchange at (name of partner university)?

Use time well to gain new and good skills and information, and make sure to spend every second in something useful.

What have you taken with you from this experience on a personal level?

Self-reliance, good planning for the future, time Management, from knowledge sharing, and good relations with my Swedish friends

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