I am Stefano Spotorno, my host University is the University of Genova where I am doing my PhD in Sustainable Development and Climate Change (SDC). I chose to do a PhD simply because I love doing academic work and I wanted to keep doing it for three years after graduation, starting to explore it from the beginning of my career. I chose the PhD in SDC because I have always been passionate about the topic. I want to do something real and practical to address it and this PhD program suits my goals allowing for a wide-range study of climate change.
I am spending the period abroad in Belgium, at the KU Leuven. I am writing this small text during my fourth month out of six. I needed a different point of view on my research topic and I wanted to increase my knowledge on some key aspects to carry on with my research. I looked up many Universities around Europe beneficial for my purposes and asked about their availability to supervise my research. I knew KU Leuven for being the most innovative University in Europe (according to the Thomson Reuters list) and I chose it to spend my period abroad because it has always been my first choice.
The University is very organized. It took me a while to meet the whole research group but by the time I got to know all of them, I can confidently say that the group is very inclusive and dynamic. There is not a fixed number of people, it is a well-mixed group of different ages (from master students working on their thesis to professors), genders and nationalities. The members of the group are often well-prepared to assist one another.
Luckily, I didn’t encounter many adversities. From a bureaucratic point of view, the process to have all the documents necessary for the period abroad can be quite demanding (for me it took four months since the first contact with the KU Leuven). The PhD SDC and the KU Leuven offices have always been ready to help me. For the moment, I have also regularly received the increase of my scholarship, after providing a letter demonstrating my presence at the receiving University. I think that having the funds every two months could not be the best solution for everyone, but, for the moment, the process is working fine. Another issue can be related to the frequency of the meetings with the supervisor at the receiving University. The Professor checks on me only when she is free but any time I need help or advice I can contact her and she makes time for me, so never wait to ask for help!
I am satisfied with my choice of going abroad because here I am learning many things that otherwise would have taken me a prolonged time in Italy. Back in Italy, I will have a broader point of view and a better approach to tackle all the questions that will stand in my way from now on. The period abroad, for me, is profitable also because it will bring tangible results to my research. I can also feel the appreciation for my presence here because I am working on a project started here some years ago which needed a breath of fresh air on the solid base built here.
It is not only about the research: the University here plays a great role in my everyday life because I can use the University facilities for sports, studying and recreation. Also, it is possible to join several students organization and there are many ways to enjoy your free time.
I can define my experience as very enriching, not only for my research but also at a personal level. The same old stuff you can hear repeated time after time is real! To have the opportunity to meet people of different cultures, see places you are not used to and learn is priceless.