I was in the second year of my degree programme at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), when I came across Erasmus Mundus Scholarship, offering exchange programme at Uppsala University, Sweden. I was enjoying my time at TISS, yet, the urge to experience something new was deep rooted, and I applied for and obtained the scholarship to pursue a one-year exchange programme at Uppsala.
When I arrived in Uppsala in August 2014 in the midst of a glorious summer, the city was serenely quiet, something I expected. But, it still felt a bit strange given it is the fourth largest city in Sweden. As I started observing over the next few days as to why the place was relatively free of traffic, noise and pollution, it soon became obvious. Almost everyone rode bicycles. A few cars that were seen were small and the buses were fuelled by biogas. During my study, I realised how sustainability has been on top of Sweden’s agenda for many years, and considered a case study for other countries.
Urban planning is at its best in Uppsala, and, indeed, in Sweden. Buildings, roads and different modes of transport are seamlessly interconnected making it easy to get around even for a person new to the place. One concern, though, is the cost of living. Although I had heard about Sweden being an expensive place, I felt it when I had to pay the equivalent of Rs. 800 for a foot-long veg sandwich!
Academics is at the heart of Uppsala University, which regularly features amongst top 100 universities in the world in many surveys. The academic programme is visionary, diverse, integrated and well executed. I took courses in Sustainability, Development and International Politics. While they appear to be independent courses, they are designed in a way that one can see the connections, making it a rich learning experience. The most fascinating aspect is the idea of “self-driven” learning, in stark contrast to what I had experienced in India. In the first semester I had only eight hours of classes per week and in the second semester I had 12 hours per week. But, there were also weeks when no classes were conducted. During these “free” hours, students have to do extensive reading on their own. Interestingly, the reading material consists not just of standard textbooks, but a variety of things such as essays, novels and blogs by renowned authors. Classrooms are meant to provoke debate and discussion through seminars and case studies, facilitated by the professor. The objective is to foster critical thinking and an open mind.
Besides the course and pedagogy, my other source of learning was my peers. Uppsala attracts students from everywhere. Living in hostels with mixed gender and nationalities was a unique experience. As we cooked and dined in the common kitchen, surrounded by the aroma of several cuisines, I gained a deeper knowledge of other cultures, economies and politics. But I also realised that the hopes and aspirations of the youth across the world are more similar than different.
The writer graduated from TISS Hyderabad in June 2015.
