“I am willing to contribute and pay back to the community that supported my growth when I needed it the most,” says Nia Iskandarova, a fresh-out-of-university civil engineer, who graduated from Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) at the end of January.
Coming from Sakartvelo – a small but culturally rich and very beautiful country – Nia always wanted to study abroad.
“I have always been curious about exploring the world and further growing both professionally and personally,” says the graduate of KTU’s Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering. First and foremost, Nia is grateful to her parents for their continuous support and encouragement, which helped her to achieve her dream.
Driven by Curiosity About How Things Work
“From early childhood, I have always been fascinated by how the world functions and was curious to explain in my head the science behind it all,” says Nia, when asked about the choice of her major.
After graduating with a bachelor’s in civil engineering back home, for a couple of years, she worked in various positions across the industry in hydrotechnical, geotechnical, and structural engineering.
“This is when I realised, I want to understand how the calculations are made and why a certain design was drafted the way it was. Pursuing masters in structural and building products engineering allowed me to dive deeper into the technical side of construction,” says a recent KTU graduate.
The possibility of choosing data analytics and machine learning basics as an elective class was among the many advantages of the chosen study programme: “Today, I believe that the knowledge in these fields is useful for every specialist.”
A recipient of the Lithuanian government’s scholarship for a full-time master’s and KTU Talent Scholarship, Nia admires the opportunities provided by the University – GIFTed students’ academy and various other programmes, which allow the students to connect and express their creativity in various fields.
“I am a talent scholarship holder, and as an international student, it has helped me financially, not to mention that it’s always nice when your achievements are noticed and celebrated,” she says.
Kaunas, the Luxury of Enjoying Nature Anytime
A 26-year-old from Tbilisi was surprised by how calm and relaxed the KTU campus and Kaunas were. Even too quiet and small, at first glance.
“Coming from a capital myself, it has been quite a challenge to adapt to a completely different pace of life here,” says Nia.
However, after several months of living in Kaunas, she started enjoying the peace, quiet, and harmony. According to her, the best thing about Kaunas is its greenery, which makes one feel refreshed and grounded, especially when one needs to alleviate the stress of studies.
“Spring and summer have become my favourite seasons in Kaunas. Going for a long walk and sitting down for a picnic somewhere in the park or at the riverbank have become my go-to activities here,” says Nia, admitting that she will miss long, warm Baltic days in nature that are so enjoyable in Lithuania.
“The luxury of enjoying nature and greenery anytime you feel like it is a big blessing,” Nia is convinced.
Although she has many plans, including studies via the Erasmus Recent Graduate Programme in Riga, an Erasmus Mundus master’s, and a PhD in the future, now, a fresh-out-of-university graduate is planning to spend some time at home with her family.
Thanks to the general support from the Lithuanian government, she could fully dedicate herself to her studies. However, now, Nia is planning to look for employment opportunities in Lithuania and other European countries.
“I believe there’s more I can and would like to learn from European experience. Also, I am willing to contribute and pay back to the community that supported my growth when I needed it the most,” says a KTU graduate from Sakartvelo.
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