Ugonna Oleh

What first attracted you to choose the University of Stirling to study?

I chose to do the MSc Artificial Intelligence due to the course content and the calibre of lecturers who are involved in ground-breaking industry research. I also loved Stirling's tagline, ‘Be the Difference’, as it reminds me that I am not just here to study but to be part of the change that my society needs. The very beautiful and serene campus was an added incentive.

What are the benefits you found as a result of studying at Stirling?

Studying at Stirling has given me many new opportunities such as:

• Working on an industry project for my dissertation which has been a great experience.
• Representing the University of Stirling at the National Union of Students (NUS) conferences. This was a volunteer position I contested for during a General Meeting. I met a lot of people there and learnt a lot about the UK Higher Educational system.

Away from studying I made use of the state-of-the-art sporting facilities and took a swimming class. For someone who fears being in the water, I have made a lot of progress. The University of Stirling has a very diverse university community and I have made friends from different nationalities and backgrounds. There are many clubs and societies, so there is definitely something here for everyone.

What specific feature(s) did you like most about the course?

Having projects instead of exams for some of the modules. It meant that we could apply what we have learnt in a real-life scenario.

The lecturers were very approachable and it was easy to reach out to them for help or assistance. Industry lectures by industry experts helped keep us abreast of what was state-of-the-art in the industry and practical steps on how to tackle real world problems.

Feedback was acted upon, and we were able to see some changes to our course of study even before we left.

What advice would you give to prospective students considering coming to Stirling?

Stirling is where you want to be if you want to be the difference and get student-centred learning and a great campus experience.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help as there is always someone there. The Student Support Services is always a good start.

Always give feedback, that is how things are made better.

Find your tribe. From flatmates to clubs and societies, your Stirling tribe awaits.

Final thoughts?

When I was still an applicant, the portal had a heading ‘Ugonna, are you Stirling?’ and I knew I really wanted to be Stirling. This last year I have come to know what it means to be Stirling, to "Be the Difference", to be part of the change and it has been everything I thought it would be and more. I am proud to be Stirling.