Vanessa, student Sustainable Communication

Why did you choose this programme?

I studied media and communications sciences before, which I liked very much. Thus, I wanted to deepen the knowledge I already acquired, however, during my studies my interest in sustainability grew, so I was also looking for a master’s degree which combines the two. As soon as I found this programme, I knew that it was a great opportunity to broaden my horizon.

How do you think your time on the programme has been so far?

I enjoyed this program as it gave me the opportunity to do a lot of research on different topics related to sustainability. I also really enjoyed the diversity in our classroom, we had students from almost every continent! It was amazing to see how other countries have developed in terms of sustainability.

Has it been what you expected?

Coming from a different country, I can't say that the program was what I expected, I can only say that it was different from what I was used to. We had more presentation exams than I was used to, which I really enjoyed as it allowed me to improve my presentation skills and to speak in front of a large audience with great ease. We also had a lot of time for self-study, which helped us to dive deeper into sustainable communication topics that we were personally interested in.

Have you been on a internship yet, if so, where and for how long?

In this programme, only the 2-year students have an internship of five weeks. Since I changed to the 2-year degree, I also had the chance to do an internship. I did my internship remotely and in Zurich with a brand that is supporting and advancing sustainable, ethical and fair fashion for women.

What do you like most about the programme? Maybe some courses that stand out?

I think all the courses had very interesting elements, but two of my favorites (I think they were generally appreciated in my class) were Transmedia Storytelling and Sustainability and Communication. In Transmedia Storytelling we had a workshop day where we were able to put our knowledge into practice. We learned a lot about how to use different media, platforms and strategies to communicate a topic in a sustainable way. In the area of sustainability and communication, we had a guest lecture by Ulrika Olausson. Her research deals with the role of communication in establishing deep sustainability. We read her book "The Ethics of Sustainable Communication - Overcoming the World of Opposites" which helped us to better understand how everything in this world is connected (economy, ecology, sociology, ...) and how communication can be an essential element to re-establish the connection. During the course we got new perspectives on development and sustainability, we learned a lot about environmental aspects of sustainable communication and social sustainability and the role of communication.

Are you having fun in class? Good team spirit?

We had and still have a lot of fun in class. I think my classmates are very open-minded, are very interested in acquiring new knowledge and skills and challenge old ways of thinking. As we are very international, we have been able to learn a lot from each other, which is so important when it comes to sustainable communication. In addition, we have always respected and cared for each other, which greatly contributed to an amazing learning environment.

Are you satisfied with the teachers on the programme?

The teachers in this program are very kind and understanding. We had great in-class discussions and always had the opportunity to express ourselves. Whenever there was a question or request, the teachers were super responsive and took the time to give detailed answers.

Do you know what you want to do after graduation?

I'm not sure yet how I want to spend my time after graduation. Maybe I want to continue researching sustainability and communication, maybe I want to support a company that promotes sustainability practices. There are so many possibilities. All I know is that I want to spend my time educating people about sustainability, telling them about all the benefits and inspiring them to live a more sustainable life!

Anything else you want to add?

I think it is now more important than ever to learn more about sustainability and I would recommend this master's programme to anyone who wants to broaden their horizons. It doesn't matter which area of sustainability you are interested in, you can combine it with sustainable communication, because communication is a key element.