UNITECH International - Outgoing Loughborough University Students

MEng Product Design Engineering, UNITECH participant in year 2020/21

I have often described my UNITECH year as one of the best years of my entire life! This is honestly no exaggeration.

The programme is significantly different from the plethora of things offered here at Loughborough University, giving you an unparalleled and what I can only be described as an unfair advantage in your career as well as your life. The coaching modules allow for exchanges with like-minded peers from diverse backgrounds whilst equipping you with excellent management tools (many of which I now use at Loughborough).

I completed my UNITECH year during the year of COVID. Despite this I was still able to experience and enjoy my UNITECH journey, visiting 8 countries all in the space of 360 days! I completed my academic exchange at RWTH Aachen, where I undertook a mixture of engineering and management modules as well as being offered the opportunity to improve my German through friendly football games with locals. 

I also had the amazing pleasure of working with Buhler during my internship. Where I quantified the impact of Buhler technologies using ISO certified calculations. This internship gave me an insight into the inner working of an international company. Regular meetings with the CTO, business heads and colleagues from all over the business and the world have helped shaped my view and outlook on the world and what we as engineers need to do to drive sustainable change!

Overall, the programme gives you an international flair and perspective on many things. A trait many employers see as an asset to an ever-growing ecosystem of interconnected activities in this world. I encourage any eligible engineering student to apply for the UNITECH programme it's been of huge benefit to me and I'm sure it will be for you too!

MEng, Aeronautical Engineering, UNITECH Participant in year 2019/2020

When I first signed up to UNITECH, I thought it was just a way to get abroad while getting some extra coaching along the way. As it turns out, UNITECH is so much more than that. It is also an opportunity to meet new people, create and join an international network, and learn a lot about yourself all at the same time.

Throughout the year, I took part in three training weeks: two in two different countries and one virtually during my internship (due to COVID-19). I met so many like-minded students from all around Europe. We worked both individually and together, learning and developing skills useful both in industry and in life.

I took the opportunity to both study and work in two European countries thanks to the program. I studied at INSA Lyon where I chose to do most modules in French so I could develop my language skills at the same time as my Engineering knowledge. I have also completed a 6-month Internship at Danfoss in Hamburg.

My year abroad doing UNITECH was unforgettable. I have learnt so much from this unique experience. If you are thinking about going abroad, studying at a different university or doing an internship outside the UK, this is the opportunity to take!

MEng Chemical Engineering, UNITECH Participant 2019/20

My UNITECH year was truly unbelievable and unforgettable. I have confronted challenges and learned so much about myself that I can’t imagine how different things would be without the unique opportunity UNITECH offers. From both a personal and professional development perspective, I have achieved more than I thought possible.

The year consisted of 3 coaching modules held at ETH Zurich, UPC Barcelona and provisionally Politecnico di Milano. Despite the final module being forced to ‘go virtual’ because of COVID, it was remained an eye-opening experience. I also studied at INSA Lyon in France and was lucky enough to gain an internship with Truma in Munich, Germany.

Aghh, COVID-19! My internship in Munich was cut short due to having to travel home in line with government guidelines. However, working from home for 2 months allowed me to develop new skills and work on projects I wouldn’t have had the chance to if I had stayed. Learning to adapt to the ever-changing environment and find solutions to the problems posed by the virus will prove invaluable for my future exploits.

By far the best part of my UNITECH year was the opportunity to interact and socialise with like-minded and passionate student across different cultures and disciplines. The global life-long friends and corporate network I have attained over the past year is solely due to the Unitech International programme bringing people together and challenging me to improve myself every day!

BEng, Design with Engineering Materials, UNITECH Participant 2018/19

UNITECH was an amazing opportunity for me which I gained so much from, both personally and professionally.

I studied for one semester in Sweden at Chalmers University in Gothenburg and then worked for 6 months with Evonik - a global speciality chemicals company. I spent 3 months with Evonik’s Life Cycle Management team in Germany and 3 months with the Business Development team in Taiwan, so I was able to have a variety of experiences.

I also travelled outside of the exchange and internships to complete personal development modules run by UNITECH, where I met all the other students on the programme and received coaching on soft skills like presenting and networking. This was extremely useful to me and taught me a lot about myself. It was also great to meet a diverse range of engineering students, with different backgrounds and cultures.

UNITECH has given me a lot more self-confidence. I am more willing to push myself to do things that scare me because I know that’s the best way for me to improve. If you’re thinking about joining UNITECH, I would really encourage you to go for it. Not only is it a lot of fun, but you can build a network of friends and professional people all over the world and you will learn a lot about yourself and what you’re capable of along the way. A year abroad also adds to your future employability, helping you to stand out and showing that you’re adaptable and have the confidence to try new things.

MEng Civil Engineering, UNITECH Participant in 2016/17

UNITECH was an invaluable addition to my education at Loughborough University. I cannot imagine how different my life would be without the coaching, network and experience as a UNITECH student and now UNITECH Alumni.

My UNITECH experience had 3 coaching modules at Loughborough University, ETH University in Switzerland and INSA Lyon in France. I also studied at Chalmers University in Sweden and had an internship at Evonik in Germany. I now work full time for a corporate partner, Bühler AG in Switzerland. The whole experience was great fun and I learned a lot.

Engineering is about solving complex technical challenges. But none of these challenges get solved without bringing people together and working effectively in teams, across different cultures and disciplines. This cannot be taught, but only experienced. This is the invaluable opportunity UNITECH provides with its unique international program.

The world today is facing complex and critical problems, such as a climate change. We need technical students that understand how to get the best from themselves and their teams. If this sounds exciting to you, apply to UNITECH. 

MEng Chemical Engineering, UNITECH Participant in 2018/19

UNITECH was an amazing opportunity for me which I gained so much from, both personally and professionally.

I studied for one semester in Sweden at Chalmers University in Gothenburg and then worked for 6 months with Evonik - a global speciality chemicals company. I spent 3 months with Evonik’s Life Cycle Management team in Germany and 3 months with the Business Development team in Taiwan, so I was able to have a variety of experiences.

I also travelled outside of the exchange and internships to complete personal development modules run by UNITECH, where I met all the other students on the programme and received coaching on soft skills like presenting and networking. This was extremely useful to me and taught me a lot about myself. It was also great to meet a diverse range of engineering students, with different backgrounds and cultures.

UNITECH has given me a lot more self-confidence. I am more willing to push myself to do things that scare me because I know that’s the best way for me to improve. If you’re thinking about joining UNITECH, I would really encourage you to go for it. Not only is it a lot of fun, but you can build a network of friends and professional people all over the world and you will learn a lot about yourself and what you’re capable of along the way. A year abroad also adds to your future employability, helping you to stand out and showing that you’re adaptable and have the confidence to try new things.

MEng Chemical Engineering, UNITECH Participant in 2013/14

I came across UNITECH almost by accident. While looking for an industrial placement for the third year of my Chemical Engineering degree, I was dissatisfied that they all seemed to follow a very standard pattern – process engineering somewhere in the UK – and I couldn’t find the combination of international work and diverse business exposure that I was looking for. I was looking for something outside the norm, which would not only give me industrial experience but broaden my mind in the way that only travel can. That’s when a UNITECH alumnus came to present in one of my lectures.

After the UNITECH Assessment Centre, our year kicked off in September 2013 with the startup week in Milan. I was shocked at finding myself in a room with such a diverse yet likeminded bunch of students from 12 different countries, and within hours I felt totally at home. I proceeded to do an academic exchange in Lyon, France, where we also had our mid-term week, and then a six-month internship in Frankfurt, Germany. The year finished with the end of year event in Delft in the Netherlands. During the UNITECH year I was able to learn two languages, understand Europe in a way I never could have if I had remained in the UK, and make some lifelong friends who I remain close to even today. In fact, I was totally bitten by the travel bug and have only spent about 9 months in the UK since!

I’m now working for a corporate partner, Hilti, in Hong Kong. I started with them on their global graduate scheme at the headquarters in Liechtenstein, and could never have developed the interpersonal skills and international awareness required without UNITECH, and involvement in the alumni association in the following years. It’s never been more important to understand other cultures as well as your own, and working internationally is almost a prerequisite for so many jobs now. UNITECH gave me amazing early exposure to this, all slotted into a diverse, stimulating and challenging study framework, and is absolutely the reason I am who I am today!

UNITECH Participant in 2019/20 at Loughborough for the study exchange part of UNITECH

Participating in the Unitech Program has so far exceed all my expectations. The program gives you the opportunity to expand your horizon, go beyond your comfort zone and widen your overall knowledge. The combination of Coaching Modules, one semester at another University and an internship in a foreign country creates a unique value to your personal experience.

The Start-up week at the beginning of the exciting year provides you with interdisciplinary skills to prepare you for the world of work besides your technical engineering background. It is an amazing time getting to know the other people of the program and working together on interesting projects.

Unitech emphasises on building a lifetime network. You will find new friendships from different countries and different backgrounds. The exchange and cooperation with these people accompany you throughout the hole Unitech year and onwards.

My Home University is the RWTH Aachen in Germany and I am spending my Semester abroad here in Loughborough. I am really enjoying my time and it is very interesting to see the different teaching methods and get to know to new courses.

I am looking forward to my internship next year and I recommend everybody to take opportunity to join the Unitech experience.