Julie Lunde Jepsen, exchange in spring 2024. Institute Superior Tecníco, Portugal
Hello my name is Julie, I study Environmental Science at NMBU. I started my Erasmus semester in February 2024 at Institute Superior Tecníco (IST) in Lisbon, enrolled in Environmental Engineering at Portugal’s best known Engineering School. Before moving to Norway in 2020 I lived in Portugal, and I now wish to live in Portugal again and start my career there.
The Erasmus program was a perfect way for me to transition from living in Norway, to living in Portugal. The exchange program gave me the possibility to better understand and relate to the Portuguese way of life, be it school, health, job, financial or political system. The exchange gave me the possibility to network with both Portuguese peers and professors, and also let me “portu-fy” my CV with a university known by future Portuguese employers and provided me with good quality language classes.
Furthermore, IST is an engineering university. I think that “engineering” is a word that holds a lot of weight on the job market in Europe, and being able to add engineering courses to my “Environmental Science”-transcript was a very attractive opportunity for me. Being a MINA student means that Engineering exchange programs typically aren’t offered to us, but I would recommend students on Environmental Science at NMBU to explore the option anyways. I have now completed courses in plastic circular economy and geo energy exploration. Both courses were group-based, with one valuing extensive class debates, and the other valuing quality report writing and calculation training. I also finished my first of many language courses with an A, and am the proud owner of a certificate in environmental sampling.
In my free time I have enjoyed exploring Lisbon with other Erasmus students and hearing about their individual exchange experiences. Some came for the sun, some for football, and some came for the waves. I might be the only exchange student at Tecníco who hasn’t gone surfing yet, but it’s not like I’m leaving anytime soon . Instead, I’ve explored many areas of Portugal, both coast and inland, and experienced the amazing Portuguese nature, people and culture. At Tecníco each semester is divided into two equal blocks. I recommend future students to put more courses in the second block than in the first, as managing living arrangements, metro cards, socializing with your new peers and so on will take time from schoolwork in the first weeks.
I look forward to connecting my Portuguese and Norwegian networks and generate future European and global collaborations. Best regards from Julie Jepsen, and good luck to future exchange students! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you are thinking about choosing Tecníco.
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