Sharafat is a Student Ambassador from Sindh, Pakhistan, and a very committed student
Published on 25 August 2022 | Asia
My Name is Sharafat Ali. Currently I am a second-year student in the MA Environmental Engineering (Earth Resources), I come from Sindh, Pakistan. I have a BA in Petroleum, and Natural Gas Engineering at Mehran University. Already during my BA, I developed a keen interest in academia and carried out research that led to international publications. Such enthusiasm for research surely directed my choice for an MA to the University of Bologna, an ideal place for anyone like me.
Achieving my dream with patience and resilience
“Rome was not built in a day” is an adage emphasizing that great things take time to happen. Coming to Italy was one of those greats things which happened in my life.
We Pakistanis are culture-oriented people and we admire the cultural diversity of the world. To me, Italy is a cultural and historical nation. The Italian culture and its marvellous landscape are reminiscent of the great Roman empire. Aside from its aesthetics and cultural marvels, Italy is home to some of the oldest and most famous universities around the world – and the University of Bologna is surely the most prestigious of that lot. I have always dreamt of visiting and studying at such a rich and knowledgeable institution in order to improve my research skills and learn something extraordinary. These are the main reasons that led me to apply here. When I was selected for admission, I felt like my dream was within reach – I followed the procedure and submitted relevant documents and after that I got my admission letter - I was finally a student of the MA in Environmental Engineering (Earth Resources). After applying and obtaining my Visa, on the eve of 13th Nov, my childhood dream came true: I landed at Milan airport and I was headed to Bologna to start my new life.
Coming to Italy and to Bologna: moments of astonishing joy
Travelling to a dream city is always a memorable moment. When I landed at the airport, I felt overjoyed. Then when I got to Bologna, I was astonished with happiness: I was finally in a historical city that once was part of the Roman Empire. I could feel a sense of unknown, I could anticipate all the adventures ahead of me. To this day, I feel like words are not enough to express my emotions on that day. But I do remember something clearly of that day; while waiting outside the airport, I made up my mind, my goal from then on would have been exploring the historic beauties of this country while trying to incorporate my personal experience into sound research articles and publications.
Online classes – such a positive surprise!
I arrived in Bologna in the midst of the pandemic, with on and off lockdowns all over the place. However, despite such challenging times, everything seemed to work adequately and safety protocols were thoroughly followed. I have to be honest, at first I was dubious about online classes, but then I was positively surprised. The online class system is completely organized, disciplined, interactive, cooperative, and task oriented. I could hardly notice any difference between in-person and online classes, in both cases the class environment was very sound and cooperative.
Don’t miss out on the great scholarship and job opportunities at Unibo
After admission, I got an email from the university to apply for the Er.Go Scholarships, of course I welcomed this opportunity and I applied for it eventually ending up with a scholarship and a fee waiver. In addition to this, I could take advantage of other opportunities as well, such as internships, Italian classes, and Part time jobs at different University facilities. In particular, having an internship or a part time job is generally helpful to improve both your research and management skills, and most importantly, your language skills. I found the environment quite appreciative and could learn and practice Italian with friends and colleagues.
As far as my academic life here at Unibo is concerned, I started using the many services the university offers from day one. The ones that I used most frequently were libraries, study rooms and the Alma Wi-Fi. I reckon these services are very efficient, properly manged and organized. Moreover, staff members working at these facilities are very helpful: there is always a window of opportunity available for everyone without any dues.
Bologna: a city for everyone
Life in Bologna is always full joy and adventure. The city is full of history, cultural diversity, and mouth-watering food. This makes Bologna a unique and fascinating place.
In many ways, Bologna is a city for everyone: from businessmen, to students, from retirees to foodies, from artists and hipster to scientists, and from nature lovers to dandies. In Bologna, I feel at home because I found everyone very welcoming and friendly. People around here are very helpful, talented and peace loving. Whenever I asked for help in any regards, I was never turned down. Arranging an accommodation may be a bit challenging, and yet I find that if you ask friendly people for help you’ll not be disappointed: a few friends helped me arrange my accommodation in an apartment where I now live.
In my free time, I plan trips and arrange gatherings with my colleagues and friends to explore the diversity and rich culture of this city and country. I travelled to various tourist destinations around the Bologna and was able to admire the ancient cultural touch of the Roman Civilization.
Moreover, I am also member of CUSB, and I hope to soon be able to participate in some team sports - I like playing Football, Hockey, Squash, and Badminton with my fellows. I have also joined the Almae Matris Alumni Association - or AMA Community that gathers all the students and alumni of Unibo. The Unibo Alumni family is huge and senior members are always happy to organise training sessions for juniors and new students. I am very glad to be the part of such fabulous institute.
Quick Tips
No matter which class and profession you belong to, if you want to see the influx of cultural history and modern-day liberal values, come to University of Bologna. If you want to discover the World, come to UNIBO. Its degree programmes will teach you the path to success.
Unibo is a lab where professors bring out your hidden skills and turn you from a raw diamond to a most sparkling and shining of gems. It has a world class facilities and opportunities for polishing you and make you a better person while giving you the best set of skills.