"Here I've met the most brilliant people!"

My Journey as a Student at the University of Bologna

Hello there! I’m Emma, a member of the Student Ambassador programme and a 2nd year student in the master “Legal Studies”, specialising in Human Rights & Social Justice. I originally come from Nancy, France and I have been in Bologna since September 2022. 

I chose to pursue my education at the University of Bologna while I was completing my bachelor’s degree and participating in an Erasmus exchange in Finland. I really wanted to pursue my master’s programme in another EU country, and as much as I loved my experience in the Finnish educational system, I wanted to try something new. At that time Italy had already been on my bucket list for a few years, but what really convinced me to choose the University of Bologna was the opportunity to study in an international environment. My programme is entirely taught in English, my classmates come from all over the world, and it makes our classes, debates, and exchanges so much more insightful and thought-provoking. 

 While preparing my written application and interview, the tutors from my degree were available, reassuring, and helpful!

Reflections on My Master's Journey at UniBo

My degree programme is quite transversal despite being a master’s degree in law. Some of my classmates did not have an extensive background in European law or even had a completely different major – for example, one of my best friends here majored in psychology - but the professors always make sure that everyone can grasp the basic concepts. 

So far, my favourite class is EU Health Law. I appreciated the way the professor encouraged us to have some critical thinking about current regulations and prospectives ones. We were also lucky to have several guest lectures throughout the semester, which kept the learning journey enjoyable. 
Thanks to UniBo’s prestigious and educational framework, I was able to participate in a renowned law debate tournament organised by The Hague University. This experience helped me foster my research and rhetoric skills. 
This year, I will be one of the coaches of UniBo team -please send us your support! -. Another opportunity I’m very grateful for is the Blended Intensive Programme (a short-stay Erasmus exchange) I did in Poitiers, France. For this project I co-developed and presented a research proposal about Climate Change & Security in the EU. This proposal greatly inspired my current master’s dissertation topic. 

While I initially felt a bit lost and missed my little sister, I now love the city, and it’s largely because of the students here, who make it the warmest and most welcoming place I’ve ever been to. My classmates always make sure to include me in activities both in and out of classes.
Of course, I spend a lot of time in my faculty, but I also study in our libraries, especially the one in Palazzo Paleotti. I’m also a big fan of the Scuderia! I’m so amazed by this place: I can go to study, stay warm inside while waiting for a friend, have a delicious meal and enjoy my aperitivo while listening to some music. I wish there was a place like this at my previous university! 

Navigating Housing, Exploring the City, and Embracing Opportunities

Since September 2022, I have lived in two different flats, both rented trough a website called Uniplaces, but I also recommend using SAIS’ website. This year, I live with 2 other students, and everything is going well so far! And my flatmate from last year will come back to Bologna for my birthday! So as much as the housing crisis is stressful, I was lucky enough to meet kind people on the way. 
As I live quite close to the city-centre, I try to walk to class, although I often take the bus. TPER - the bus company in Bologna- and UniBo have an agreement for the annual membership which makes it very accessible. 

As a person who gets lost easily, even in my hometown, my parents always get surprised that I’m so comfortable going to new places in Bologna. The city is not so large, so you can walk around and explore it. The students’ vibes of the city make it so cheerful and lively.  In my free time, I enjoy visiting museums - some of which are free with you students’ badge -, going to the Giardini Margherita and having aperitivo with my friends. 
From Bologna it’s very easy and fast reaching other cities, such as Verona, Ravenna or Florence, I wish I could do it more often. During my time at the University of Bologna, I gained confidence in my research and networking skills. Moreover, exchanging ideas with people from other cultures helped me strengthen my critical thinking and made me want to always seek for the best option/solution.  

I would recommend studying at the University of Bologna! Here, I’ve met some of the kindest and most brilliant people in my life. The professors do their best to make their classes engaging and the University offers lots of interesting projects! You are also given a lot of freedom on how to manage your classes, exams and graduation which is very rewarding. 
For prospective students, my advice is to find an accommodation as early as possible – ideally before arriving in Bologna.