Mail from … Sweden CSE student Philip Kreutzheide writes about his time in Sweden

General Information

This is where I spent my time abroad:

In Gothenburg, Sweden.

This is what I did in Gothenburg:

As part of my master’s thesis at the Institute of Applied Mechanics at the TU Braunschweig, I completed a research stay at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden. The chair holder, Professor Jänicke, works closely with two professors at Chalmers University, which is why I was able to recruit one of them as a second supervisor for my thesis. My master’s thesis deals with computer-aided modelling of fluid transport in porous media. More specifically, we are interested in materials that have porous microstructures and are investigating how we can predict transport phenomena with the aid of computers.

 My stay lasted…:

…  four weeks and was self-organised.

Why I decided to go abroad:

I decided to go abroad because working together on site is more productive and, of course, more fun than just online. I was also curious to see what a university abroad looks like and how it works. And finally, Gothenburg is a very beautiful city, especially in summer, and I wanted to enjoy that.

Local life

This is how I lived in Gothenburg:

I found private accommodation in the Johanneberg neighbourhood through an existing contact. It is a popular neighbourhood in the immediate vicinity of Chalmers University, so I could easily walk to campus every morning.

What distinguishes research in Sweden from research in Germany?

In my experience, research in Sweden differs from research in Germany primarily in that the supervision provided by professors is much closer. The proportion of professors per institute is comparatively higher.

Something that is particularly typical of my host country is:

One thing that is definitely typical of Sweden is meeting up in the common room at 15:00 for a “fika”. “Fika” is a short break, usually from work, to drink a cup of coffee or tea and eat a snack; it is a classic part of Swedish culture.

This is what I learned here in the first three days:

… that absolutely everyone in Sweden speaks excellent English.

The biggest challenge during my stay:

I had to get used to the fact that everything seems very expensive here at first because of the Swedish krona. At first glance, the figures seem high. After quickly converting them into euros, you realise that it’s still expensive. Eating out is particularly expensive. You can save a lot by cooking your own meals.

The funniest misunderstanding I had due to language problems:

Actually, thanks to the Swedes’ excellent English skills, I didn’t have any misunderstandings at all!

 What anecdote will you keep telling your friends back home?

… that strawberry is called “jordgubbe” in Swedish, which literally translates as “earth man”.

What I took home with me:

I won’t forget the special service in the restaurants anytime soon. In Sweden, you get coffee and water free of charge with every meal. Whether this is a consequence or a cause of the high coffee consumption in Sweden, however, was not revealed to me.

Good to know

 My insider tip for anyone travelling to Gothenburg:

Delsjön. This is a lake near Gothenburg. It is easily accessible by public transport and is ideal for a lovely long or short walk. If you like, you can also go for a fantastic swim there.

You should definitely try this typical local dish:

In winter, it’s definitely ‘semla’. This is a traditional sweet pastry flavoured with cardamom and filled with cream and almond or vanilla cream. Otherwise, ‘köttbullar’, the famous Swedish meatballs, are of course also recommended. Don’t worry – there are meat-free options for vegetarians.

What faux pas should you avoid in Sweden?

When shopping, all items are scanned and paid for before they are bagged. It can cause irritation on the part of the cashiers if you start bagging your items straight away.

Here’s my tip for other students/researchers who want to go abroad:

Take the time to attend a lecture that sounds interesting to you, even if it has little or nothing to do with your research or studies.