Meet Ema from Liptovsky Mikulas, Slovakia

What is your educational background?

Before coming to Lund, I completed my bachelor’s degree in EU and international law in Tallinn, Estonia.

How did you find our master’s programme?

During my bachelor studies, I already leaned towards EU constitutional law and business law, so I was searching for programmes that offered specialisation in these fields. I knew that I wanted to stay in Europe, and somehow I stumbled upon Lund University. It ranks high and offers a great study environment, so I did not wanted to waste the chance and I applied.

What was it like to apply for our master’s programme?

The application process went well. Of course, it takes some time to gather all the necessary documents, so I would recommend to start looking at the application requirements even before the application rounds open. I remember the anticipation before getting the results and the joy to find that I was accepted to the programme.  

How was your move to Lund?

Sweden is the third country I have stayed in outside of my home country. Let us say that it was “not my first rodeo”. Of course, I understand that it is a privilege to be an EU citizen moving within the European Union. The process is usually quite easy and smooth, although, to my surprise, Sweden is a bit more bureaucratic compared to Estonia or Finland where I previously lived. Many things still come to your actual mailbox and documents take longer to obtain. It can be annoying in the beginning because without a personal number, it sometimes feels like you are missing an arm.

How was the process of finding housing in Lund?

I was unsuccessful in search during the summer. Luckily, one of my childhood friends was leaving on an exchange during the autumn semester and had an apartment in Malmö. It was not only great timing but also a win-win situation because I was desperate for a place to live, and she needed someone trustworthy to take over the contract while she was abroad. For the first semester, I commuted to the university every day and it was more manageable than I expected. So, I would recommend you as a prospective student to look outside of Lund when searching for housing. The public transportations are fast and frequent, so invest in a good electronic book reader; read your morning news on the train or bus, or listen to your favourite podcast, and you are in Lund in no time. I moved to Lund a semester later to a shared apartment and my partner joined me for the second year, so we rented out a place together.

How is the study environment at the programme?

I would describe the study environment as very friendly. There is no hierarchy between the university staff and students. Your opinions were always heard, and there is a lot of mutual respect. In general, it sets a great tone for the discussions, which contributes to better learning outcomes. 

The quality of the teaching and knowledge of the lecturers is excellent. You are encouraged to participate-, even challenge the lecturers. They are always open to talk to you about your interests, recommend reading, or keep you posted about the new developments in the subject area. 

I made use of all facilities the university offered. I explored libraries at other faculties, and when the weather gets warm, Lund is a lovely place to walk around when you need to give yourself a break.

How many lectures and seminars do you have on a weekly basis?

During the first year, the schedule is a bit more packed with lectures and seminars. Usually, they were spread into three to four days for preparation in between. If you use the allocated time for preparation, it is manageable. The second year depends on the elective courses. I chose to do the two-year programme and moot court course during the second year. It was a bit more intense in terms of time spent at the faculty due to the extensive coaching. The fourth semester is allocated for thesis writing, which you can normally do from anywhere. Some people already move out during the last semester to work and write their thesis from abroad.

What is the most challenging, and what is the best thing with your programme?

The moot court was the most challenging and the most rewarding thing at the same time. You never know what the case will be about, so it is like stepping into darkness. I enjoy making unexpected choices because it has usually brought me to interesting places. Our case was about the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy and Foreign Subsidies Regulation. I would have probably never crossed paths with these areas, yet I learned some of the most fascinating things throughout my legal studies. Most importantly, you work as a team and have the opportunity to gain experience together, improve your argumentation, public speaking and research skills immensely. The team only consist of four people. During the training, you receive private classes with the lecturers, some of the brightest minds in EU law, and they also invite external guests. While the training was hard, it was intellectually stimulating, and changed the way I think about EU law. You grow both as a person and professionally. The most rewarding part was pleading against the teams from other universities in the regional finals in Vienna in front of a panel of experts in the field. Among them were a previous Advocate General, judges from the General Court, academics, and practitioners. We also made friends with the other teams and remain in contact to support each other in our future journeys.

How does studying here in Lund differ from studying in your home country?

I never studied at a university in my home country. 

When I meet my friends from Slovakia who study law there and we exchange our experiences, the studies in Sweden seem to focus a lot more about implementing the knowledge into practice, thinking critically, and less about memorizing.

What is it like to live in Sweden?

It is very calm. I was surprised by the amount of greenery and nature, and the ability to achieve work-life balance for Swedes. For a coffee addict like me, I fully embraced the fika culture. Sadly, I have not yet learned to genuinely enjoy filter coffee, so I still cannot say that I am fully integrated.

What is it like to be an international student at Lund University?

Lund is accustomed to the large volume of international students, and it is truly diverse here. I really enjoyed it, since it is a historic and small town full of young people from all over the world. There are a lot of events where you can meet people and make friends. 

How do you experience the student life in Lund?

It offers a lot of flexibility to adjust it to how you want it to be. Lund offers a lot of tools to thrive as a student: a huge database of online journals, books, articles, libraries, extracurricular activities to make the most out of your academic studies. At the same time, it is a university town that offers a lot of social activities, sports, events, and you can find your perfect balance and never be bored. 

What are your career goals after your graduation?

I am in the process of finalising my employment contract. I will be moving back to Tallinn to work as an in-house counsel in a tech company. I am already excited to embark on the privacy compliance journey, explore what it has to offer, and where it will bring me.

Do you have any tips for prospective students coming to Lund?

Apply and then make the most out of it. Talk to people, make friends, keep an open mind, stay curious and open to new adventures. Time runs fast, in no time you’ll be graduating, and Lund will definitely bring you opportunities for the future.