Together with the Lothar and Sigrid Rohde Foundation, I was able to spend the winter semester 2024/25 at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm. This time provided me with unique academic and cultural experiences.
I decided to spend a semester abroad in Stockholm, Sweden, because I wanted to experience a modern city that also offers a lot of nature. Stockholm is perfect for this, and I was impressed by the impressions I gathered there of how nature and city can be harmoniously combined. In addition, KTH is the best technical university in Scandinavia, which made my decision even easier.
In an academic sense, I mainly focused on machine learning at KTH. The more practical approach to learning at KTH compared to my home university, the Technical University of Munich (TUM), was particularly helpful and instructive. This approach allowed me to experience a different way of learning.
What stood out in comparison to TUM, however, was the unique student life at KTH. Characterized by the chapters of the different faculties and the THS (Student Union), a variety of activities were offered, from chapter pubs to weekend trips to entire vacations, for example to Lapland. This made you feel welcome very quickly and gave you the chance to network with Swedish students.
Apart from the university, Stockholm had a lot to offer and I felt very comfortable there. The large number of parks in particular made it a great place for sports. Stockholm is perfect for joggers. The wide range of running clubs creates a unique atmosphere for runners. You notice this immediately when you are in Stockholm, as there are noticeably more people out jogging. I joined a running club and ran with them every week, which I can only recommend if you enjoy running.
I also went on many excursions from Stockholm. I can particularly recommend the archipelago islands. You can go kayaking there, especially in summer. In winter, I travelled to Lapland, where the trips organized by the university are particularly recommended. Apart from Sweden, I also went to Oslo, which is very easy to reach by train from Stockholm. From there, we explored the Norwegian countryside.
I can only recommend a semester abroad at KTH, as the combination of academic and social experiences offers a unique opportunity. My time in Stockholm not only broadened my academic knowledge, but also strengthened my intercultural skills and gave me unforgettable memories.