Two incoming students talk about their Erasmus+ experience at ESCS.

In the first semester of the academic year 2019/2020, ESCS welcomed a total of 88 students from international mobility programs.

See below the testimonies of Agnieszka Wichman (Poland) and Thomas Schülski (Netherlands) regarding to their Erasmus+ experience at ESCS during the first semester.

Agnieszka Wichman (Poland)

Agnieszka Wichman comes from Poland, where she is attending a master’s degree in Cultural Studies. This is her second experience under the Erasmus+ program. During the degree in Film Studies, she was in Germany. However, she didn’t “fully enjoyed” the first experience, due to language difficulties and stress, because it was the first time she left home to study. In this second opportunity, Agnieszka chose an institution where she could have classes in English, “in a warmer place and where the sun didn’t set so early in the winter”, she explains. By suggestion of her course coordinator, she chose ESCS.

The student says that in Poland the classes are more theoretical and that she was not expecting to have contact with such practical curricular units at ESCS. “It was a surprise when I got here and knew I had to learn to edit videos or learn Graphic Design. I had never done any of these things before, but I’m good at some of these areas, so, I’m glad I came here”, she assures. Of the most theoretical subjects, she highlights History and Politics in the Contemporary World, taught by teacher Maria Inácia Rezola. “She is amazing and we discuss a lot of very cool stuff,” Agnieszka says.

From her stay at ESCS, Agnieszka emphasizes the fact that teachers explain the objectives of the subjects since the beginning of the semester and have the lesson planning organized on the Moodle platform. The young woman also speaks about the “strong technological support” of the school, which allows students to request audiovisual equipment and work with Adobe Creative Suite software.

Thomas Schülski (Netherlands)

Thomas Schülski came from Netherlands, where he studies International Marketing Management, a course that gathers students from all around the world. The student argues that doing Erasmus+ is “a once in a lifetime opportunity”. He chose Portugal because he “always felt attracted by the southern part of Europe”, due to the weather, and by “the atmosphere of the Portuguese”. “People are super kind and helpful. And I thought it would be really nice to study here”, he considers.

Thomas chose ESCS as an exchange institution due to the practical component of the curricular units. “In Holland, we have a very theoretical teaching. We do a lot of research, especially in Marketing. And, here, I can learn the other side of Marketing, which has more to do about the creative side, and advertising as well”, he explains. “We are producing videos for YouTube, working with Graphic Design and Photography. All those things are very interesting for me to learn”, he complements.

After a semester at ESCS, Thomas praises the classes in which he contacted with teachers who are also professionals and who transmit to students the reality of the labor market, in an environment where they “can develop themselves as a person”. “The teachers really know what they are talking about and they help you to increase the skill you want to develop”, he ensures.

Read here more testimonies of Erasmus+ incoming students.