Exchange report - incoming students
Home university: National University of Singapore
Study programme: Biomedicine
Exchange programme: INK
Semester: Spring semester 2011/2012

Arrival and registration

Upon arrival in Stockholm, I faced some difficulty in finding the student accommodation centre in KI and subsequently, locating the building where I was going to stay. It would be helpful if we were able to obtain the keys for our accommodation directly from the building itself instead of having to travel to the school first then to the accommodation building. I enjoyed the KI introduction day immensely and found the talks to be very helpful.

Acommendation

I applied for housing through the University Accommodation Center. I faced no problems during my stay and found my accommodation to be quite comfortable. I found the rent to be average, not too high but not too low either.

Leisure time and social activities

I participated in several events organised by Global Friends and found them to be enjoyable. Information on social activities was easily accessed by email. I made several Swedish friends, especially with my classmates!

Pre-departure

I chose to go to KI for exchange because KI had a good biomedicine programme. Also, I wanted to experience living and studying in Sweden. The information given by KI and my home university was sufficient and I faced no difficulties with pre-departure procedures, such as applying for accommodation and the residence permit. I was not required to be vaccinated or to bring along any certificates.

Courses during the exchange period

BIOX07 : BACH - Neuroscience
I enjoyed the neuroscience course. It was the first time I experienced an oral exam format of assessment and I found it to be useful in ensuring consistent revision throughout the course. I also particularly liked that I could access many past year papers online. I found this very useful for exam revision. I found the course relevant to my degree.
BIOX09 : BACH - Pharmacology and Toxicology
I found the group seminars component of this course to be helpful for learning, as the questions in the seminar and the subsequent discussion of the answers with groupmates and lecturers helped me to understand the topics better. On the whole, I enjoyed the course and found the information to be relevant to my degree. One improvement is that the toxicology component could be given more time instead of just 1 week as I found it to be rather rushed.
IEE046 : BACH-Biomedical project for exchange students
I enjoyed the biomedical project for exchange students and gained some experience in what it would be like to work in a lab. The skills I learnt during the project are useful for my degree.

Summary

On the whole, I enjoyed my exchange period at KI and my time in Stockholm.

Language and Culture

I participated in one beginners Swedish language course. The course was fun and I learnt a few Swedish words and phrases.

Studies in general

I enjoyed my studies at KI. The lecturers were friendly and open to consultations. I also experienced new styles of learning, such as oral exams and group seminars. KI's system is very different from my home university, in the sense that at KI, we take one module at a time, whereas at my home university, we take several modules simultaneously.