“Over time, Kaunas became a second home to me. I started understanding the local culture, appreciating the mentality, and feeling more comfortable in my surroundings,” says Ilya Sapeha, a fresh-out-of-KTU graduate of MSc Construction Management, one of the 24 international graduates who received their diplomas last Friday.
Coming from Belarus, a country, which, according to Ilya, was “once very similar to Lithuania”, he sees his future in Kaunas and plans to continue his life and career here.
“I enrolled in Lithuanian language courses, which helped me feel more connected to my new environment. Gradually, I began enjoying the city, the people, and the lifestyle,” says a young civil engineer.
He believes that learning Lithuanian played a crucial role in this transition, as it allowed him to connect with people and integrate better into the community.
Ilya’s academic journey began at the Architectural and Civil Engineering College in Mogilev, Belarus, where he pursued a major in Civil and Industrial Engineering. Although he admits not feeling very passionate about the subject at the beginning, his love for the subject grew with time.
“When the time came to choose an international university, I decided to continue in the same area,” says Ilya, who completed both bachelor’s and master’s at Kaunas University of Technology.
While choosing studies abroad, a young civil engineer considered universities in Poland and Lithuania. Lithuania won for its international approach – we offer much more study programmes in English. After being admitted to two Lithuanian technical universities – in Kaunas and Vilnius – Ilya chose Kaunas and KTU.
“Before the war, travelling to Vilnius was easy, and my family and I visited the city often. However, I believed that in Kaunas, neither Russian nor English was widely spoken, which would push me to adapt and integrate better. Ultimately, I chose KTU and looking back, I am confident that I made the right decision,” says Sapeha.
Kaunas felt unfamiliar at first, but as time passed, he started to appreciate the city. He remembers his first challenges of integrating into the local community without knowledge of Lithuanian and struggling to find a job during his bachelor’s studies, which made it difficult for him to lay plans. However, this situation improved with time – already for a year, a fresh-out-of-university graduate has been working as a project engineer at a manufacturing company in Lithuania.
While talking about his studies at KTU, Ilya emphasises the supportive and flexible approach of the teaching staff. Also, unlike the traditional post-Soviet education system, where memorisation is prioritised, KTU’s system encourages independent learning.
“Students were not pressured to study for the sake of passing exams – it was up to us to take responsibility for our education. This method made studying more engaging and meaningful,” says Ilya, who has just graduated from his master’s in construction management at the KTU Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture.
After four years of college, four years of a bachelor’s, and two years of a master’s study, Sapeha now feels it is time to shift his focus toward gaining practical experience: “While I highly value education, I believe that now is the right moment to apply my knowledge in a professional setting and develop my skills through hands-on work.”
He dedicated his first year of master’s to applying only to positions that truly interested him. This strategy paid off – in January 2024, Ilya secured his first official job in his field as a project engineer-estimator at Nord Steel.
“Now, as I am graduating with my master’s degree having already full-time in a role that I enjoy makes me feel safe and comfortable. Looking back, I am happy that everything I planned has worked out as expected,” says a young civil engineer.
A KTU graduate from Belarus says he does not plan to return home. Ilya is studying Lithuanian and sees his future in Kaunas: “The city has become my home, and I look forward to continuing my career and life here.”
Ready for a study abroad adventure? KTU offers 27 Bachelor’s and 32 Master’s programmes in English. Make your choice and apply by the end of June 2025.
