Sonia Elizabeth Herrera Salgado

The University’s reputation and the competitive and novel curriculum were the reasons why Sonia chose the University of Stirling. Coming from Ecuador, the reasonable cost of living in Scotland as compared to the rest of the UK, as well as the "peaceful and green campus", also contributed to her decision to move across the world to gain her education.

Talking about the impact of the course on her professional and personal development, Sonia said: “The knowledge and insights I gained have boosted my employability opportunities in the field of data science and its application in a business setting. I’ve also developed my leadership, planning, teamworking and decision-making skills, which are highly sought-after by the employers.

"I have acquired knowledge in the application of new tools for the treatment of data, new insights in the use of machine learning techniques applied in a business setting, innovation management tools in the field of the business-like benchmarking, Doblin framework and more.

"I also had an amazing experience conducting my business consultancy project with the NHS Scotland, which I did instead of a traditional dissertation. NHS Scotland was very happy with the results, and they are thinking to share the report with other institutions that are involved in the improvement of the occupational classification system in the UK. It makes me feel very proud and excited for my future in this new, to me, field of Science. I felt like my effort has made a difference, and that I can do big things to help the society."

Sonia’s favourite features of the course were the structure and the facilities, the support she received from the lecturers and tutors, and the application of theory in practice throughout her studies, which she deemed invaluable for her future career.

Sonia added: "It has been the most fantastic experience within my personal and professional development. It has taught me to be coherent with my goals in life, and to focus on the tools and skills to achieve them."