Since day one, I have seen a limitless area of exploration in the Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies M.Sc. programme, and I am really dazzled by the interdisciplinary nature of the program. From my experience, and as I said, the program has an interdisciplinary nature, but at the end of the second semester, I realized that the courses were connected and complementary to each other at one point, and I believe that at the end of the program, I will have a complete picture of the programme. So, if you are looking forward to learning from renowned professors in high-quality laboratories and adding to the research body of the Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies field, this program at UNPID is your perfect choice.
I am also really fascinated by the experience of exam sessions, as most of our exams are oral, and I think it’s a good way to help the students develop authentic communication skills in their discipline and enable us to practice how to talk like scientists, which will help us later in the workplace. Aside from this, it provides the professor with an opportunity to clarify the question in case the student has not understood it. Also, we have a flexible schedule, usually 5 exam sessions for each course, so you can simply make your own schedule as you need, and this was a new experience as in my country, I had a fixed exam schedule (in a specific time frame), and this put a lot of pressure on the student.
Furthermore, we do many activities such as PowerPoint presentations, poster presentations, and journal clubs, and all of these activities improve the students’ soft skills like teamwork, responsibility, leadership, and presentation skills.

The atmosphere here is what I enjoy most since there are so many students everywhere you go in Padua—in the streets, restaurants, coffee shops, transportation systems, and just about every other setting. The university buildings are also spread out over the city, which is a fantastic experience that I have never had before, and their blend of historical and modern architecture is appealing.
Additionally, the professors here have an advanced level of knowledge and skills, as they are not only academically qualified but also have what it takes to ultimately create a learning environment that is conducive to learning, motivates students, and encourages participation, which guarantees a successful student environment.
Last but not least, the family feeling, as I am in touch with many Italian classmates every day, which gave me the opportunity to discover how friendly, kind, and helpful they are. I consider myself lucky to have great friends who always give me support and help me a lot during difficult times. Besides this, we have a good number of international students in our program, which provides opportunities for unique cross-cultural experiences.

Take the advantage of being a UNIPD student and try to maximize your academic experience as much as you can. Being a student, the first priority is to study, but remember also that each one has to find the balance between the studying time and the free time, as going out and doing some activities serves like a brain break, which makes you focused and ready to pursue your studies again, and it will encourage the development of your social and communication skills, so having some free time is as important as the studying time.
Also, at the beginning, you may have some difficulties, like anyone who leaves their country and decides to go and study abroad in a foreign country where they are not familiar with their education system, but you should not give up; just remember your goal, give yourself time, and don’t stress yourself to be able to overcome any obstacles you face. Moreover, learning the basics of the Italian language is important, as it can be quite helpful for coping outside of university time.