There is a world of possibilities when trying to find the right Bachelor's programme. International student Muhammad Hamza Riaz talks about his motivation to study Mechanical Engineering, and why he chose the University of Twente.
Why did you choose Mechanical Engineering?
Ever since childhood I had a fascination for engineering. Miniature cars, both manually driven and electrically operated, and LEGO blocks were components of my childhood treasury. I was always intrigued about how to build a huge yet stable structure from LEGO blocks or how certain toy cars were faster than others. My intrinsic interest did not fade away with age but rather strengthened, limiting the parameters of my passion. I began to look for technical/engineering-based programmes to pursue my Bachelor's in and that is when Mechanical Engineering grasped my attention
Mechanical Engineering is a very broad educational program which enables you to learn from a wide array of technical courses. In Pakistan, Mechanical Engineering is termed as the ‘mother of all engineering’ as knowledge from varied disciplines are amalgamated with the fundamentals of mechanics to form the curriculum of this educational programme.
Graduates of Mechanical Engineering are holistic engineers with knowledge from various disciplines of engineering and a Bachelor's in this program enables you to pursue a Master's in diverse engineering programmes.
Why did you opt to come to the Netherlands?
I wanted to have an international student experience and wanted to study outside of Pakistan; hence I applied and got accepted into universities in the USA, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy. Education in the US, despite the financial aid was too expensive and out of all other European countries, I chose the Netherlands mainly because the Dutch are highly proficient in English language. 86% of the Dutch speak English as a second-language and for international students this is a huge benefit as you are not compelled to learn a language for public interaction. As a tourist, I feel the Netherlands must be a popular travel destination as it is home to exquisite natural landscapes such as Giethoorn and Keukenhof. Moreover, the Netherlands is a very liberal country which opens it arms to the international community. The Dutch are very welcoming to people from different nationalities and there is no racial profiling at all.
What made you choose the University of Twente?
My motivation to come to the University of Twente was largely dominated by two main factors: highly ranked educational programme and the student culture.
Educational Programme
The University of Twente lays great emphasis on experiential learning; considering the ideal case for calculations within the classrooms but also acknowledging its limitations when applied to the real world. This programme focuses on the application of the conceptual thought and provides exposure that would be very beneficial in the future. The UT adopts a project-based study where in each module knowledge from the courses is applied in the project. In addition to learning the fundamentals of engineering from renowned lecturers and notable professors, you get to implement that knowledge in your project and visualize applications of engineering first hand. In the first module, we were challenged to construct a “Topper Hopper”, which was described as a toy for children that had to be airborne for a maximum horizontal distance. Implementing the knowledge acquired from the courses, our project group made a rocket that worked on the principle of air compression. The practical application of the concepts taught in classrooms is the best form of learning and that is exactly why the University of Twente offers you much more than a degree.
Student Culture
Whilst the educational programme focuses on professional development, the student culture provides numerous opportunities for personal development. There are multiple different types of associations (sport, study, performing arts, business, social, world) that you can be part of, each posing a different challenge and a unique track to personal development. The presence of these associations ensures that there are multiple events taking place on the university and that is a big reason why you should choose the UT because it offers you more than just sound education, it offers you an experience. The world associations, such as Latin American VOZ, Pakistani Students Association and Indian Students Association, are responsible to organize events to promote their culture at the UT and through these events you get to learn different languages, cultures, celebrate traditions, and taste food from all over the world.
The environment of UT stimulates hands to write, feet to explore and minds to think. My university should be a haven that aspires me to discover and UT is the divinity I yearn for.