Exchange report - incoming students
Home university: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
Study programme: Biomedicine
Exchange programme: Erasmus
Semester: Autumn semester 2011/2012

Arrival and registration

Although the global friend organization offers airport pickups and picking up keys if you arrive outside the office hours of the UAC, I was never contacted by them. Fortunately, one of my friends has been in Stockholm, when I arrived and was able to pick up my key from the UAC office. 
Unfortunately, I could not attend the introduction days. But, the exchange office was very helpful when I arrived and provided all information I needed. During the whole stay the exchange office never hesitate to answer questions which came up during the time at the KI. 

Acommendation

I stayed in Pax, a student accomodation of the UAC. Before and during my arrival the communication with the UAC was very good. I was very satisfied with my room. It was fully furnished, equipped with everything I needed, the internet worked fine, and the room was very clean when I arrived. Moreover, the shared kitchen (also fully equipped) was a good place to meet my roommates. We often organized little get togethers and had a nice living environment. 
However, a minor problem was that our corridor, which was supposed to be cleaned by the UAC, stayed uncleaned over several weeks during my stay and the cleaning people loitered in our kitchen. Other than that I really enjoyed living in Pax.

Leisure time and social activities

I participated in the yearly trip of the global friends to Solvik. It was a great trip. We could go swimming in the lake, sit around a bone fire where we could smoar marshmallows and we got to know some new exchange students as well as Swedish students. In addition to the trip to Solvik the global friends organized some other activities, like baking kanelbulle or going to the Christmas market. They always send e-mails to the people who wanted to participated in the global friends program so it was easy to get to know when events would happen. I attended some of the global friend events and it was always a lot of fun. 
Besides events organized by the global friends, I spent most of my free time with other exchange students. I hardly met any Swedish students since I worked in a very international environment with only a few Swedish people. 

Pre-departure

I try to go abroad as often as possible because I love to get to know new cultures. Since I was able to do an internship outside my home university I took the chance to go to Sweden where I always wanted to go. Looking for a good university I started reading about the KI and really liked their research fields. The information given by the KI and its rehabilitation convinced me that I found the institute where I wanted to spent my time abroad.  In contrast to the easy accessible information given by the KI the information by my home university was sometimes very hart to find and confusing. 

No special requirements were needed for my practical abroad. 

Courses during the exchange period

2EE008 : MAS-Biomedical project for exchange students
Since I accomplished a research project I did not attend any course. But, I want to give some information about the the research facilities at the Karolinska Institute. The laboratories are vey good equipped and the scientists are very experienced with a lot of knowledge. I was able to work independently and to bring forward own ideas. I definitely enjoyed my practical abroad and was able to learn a lot of new techniques.

Summary

Everything was perfect. I enjoyed my time in at the KI and in Sweden in general so much. Thanks to everybody who helped to make my time so successful. 

Language and Culture

I took a Swedish course in Germany and I wanted to take an additional course in Sweden but it did not take place since the number of people who registered was too low. Moreover, I had only little opportunities to speak Swedish since the people in the laboratory spoke English and in my free time I met with people from around the world so that it was easier to speak English with one another.

Studies in general

I can only talk about the Swedish research environment here, since I did an internship in the laboratory and did not attend any courses. The research environment was very good, the laboratories are fully equipped and good organized. I was able to start working as soon as I arrived. I learned some new methods including Luciferase Assays and making stable cell lines but I could also bring forward own ideas and plan my own experiments. I had a really good relationship to my co-workers, my supervisor, as well as the head of the department. Compared to Germany I found that the working times were more flexible and there was not as much pressure on the students.