A Master's programme with a lot of free choices
Lute Wilhelm from Amsterdam is a student in the Master's Programme in Political Science (MaPS). This autumn semester she is doing an Erasmus+ exchange in Prague.
Hello Lute, can you tell us a little about yourself?
I was born and raised in Amsterdam, and I would consider myself a proper city girl. My parents both work in the creative industry, so I was raised amongst musicians, actors, and writers. Ever since I was young, I have been interested in people and the way we live together as a society.
After completing high school, I decided to choose a broad, interdisciplinary Bachelor’s programme, mainly because I wanted to learn how to analyze societal problems from different angles. Next to studying, I’ve always worked in the service industry as a waiter and floor manager (also next to this Master’s programme), and I’ve had a job as a researcher for a documentary production company for over two years.
What made you interested in the programme?
Two years ago, I realized that it would maybe be a good idea for me to leave the city I was born in for a little while. As much as I love Amsterdam, I felt strongly that it was time for a new challenge. At that point, I actively started looking at a Master's abroad.
What appealed to me about this programme is that there are a lot of free choices as compared to Master’s programmes in the Netherlands which are often only one year. The fact that you can go on exchange or do an internship in your second year offers a great range of possibilities. Additionally, the level of education in Sweden is of high quality and free. So, that’s in a nutshell what made me end up in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Both Gothenburg, as well as the University of Gothenburg, are cozy and easy to navigate. I’ve never felt lost in either one of them.
Are you satisfied with your education so far? Is there any part you find more interesting than the others?
In general, I’m quite satisfied with the education I’ve received so far. The teachers in the programme are knowledgeable and there’s lots of room for creativity in the written assignment and presentations. Moreover, I like it a lot that the contact with teachers, in general, is quite informal and that they try to be considerate of your circumstances. Over the past year, I’ve felt like my teachers wanted what was best for me.
One thing I sometimes miss in the programme is a wider variety of perspectives, mainly in the sense that the programme is very much Western-European focused. I think that both students, as well as teachers, could profit from a more diverse curriculum.
You are going to study in Prague this semester. How does it feel?
In a week, I’ll be moving to Prague for my Erasmus+ exchange. I’m really excited to move, especially since Prague is a city with such an interesting geographical position: it’s the bridge between middle and Eastern Europe. For the coming months, I’ll be studying at the Charles University, one of the oldest universities in the world. Communication from both the University of Gothenburg as well as the Charles University has been great, making the application process an easy job.
Finding housing has been harder than excepted, especially since Czech Republic’s dependence on Russian gas has strongly affected the price of housing. In the end, I’ve been able to find a shared apartment, but it is a bit more expensive than I hoped it would be.
Which course are you most looking forward to this autumn?
One of the courses I’m most looking forward to is “Putin’s Russia”, a course completely dedicated to how Putin has shaped Russia and its political and ideological position over the last decades. Considering the ongoing war in Ukraine, it will be very interesting and relevant to learn more about the ins and outs of Russian politics and Putin’s ideology.
What is it like being an international student in Sweden?
From what I’ve experienced, it’s not always easy to make friends in Sweden. People can be quite closed off and are not super likely to invite you to their homes. Eventually, Swedes do open up, but it takes quite some time and that, in my experience, can be difficult. Luckily there’s also a large community of international students who are generally quite open and easy-going, so you can easily find friends there.
Other than that, it’s great to discover everything that Sweden has to offer in terms of nature, there are plenty of opportunities to hike, swim and go to other (Nordic) cities. Last year, I’ve been to Lapland and Copenhagen, I biked to Malmö and I’ve gone wild camping for a week in Sweden; so enough to see and to do!
What is your opinion of the University of Gothenburg and the city of Gothenburg?
Both Gothenburg, as well as the University of Gothenburg, are cozy and easy to navigate. I’ve never felt lost in either one of them. What I especially like about Gothenburg as a city is that it’s super close to the sea and that there’s so much forest surrounding it. Whenever I felt stressed or lonely, I would go to the coast or the archipelagos and breathe in some sea air. 10/10 would recommend it!
How do you like to spend your leisure time?
As a dutchie, I’m big on biking. Over the last year, I’ve biked through Gothenburg a lot. Other than that, I love to have dinner with friends, go out for beers, sing and read. And, in all honesty, I also love a true crime podcast or a true crime tv show.
Fact box
Name: Lute Wilhelm.
Age: 25.
From: Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Student at: Master's Programme in Political Science.
Former education: Politics, Psychology, Law, and Economics – major: Politics – University of Amsterdam.
Plans: After completing my degree, I plan to work as a primary school teacher for a couple of years. I do not plan on doing this forever, my biggest ambition is to become the councilor of Education in the city of Amsterdam or maybe even the minister of Education in the Netherlands.
