A Trip Antoniadis Gardens

By : web team Posted On : November 5, 2024No Comment

to The Petrochemical Engineering Department at PUA’s Faculty of Engineering recently organized a lunch meeting combined with a recreational trip to Antoniadis Gardens in Alexandria. This event aimed to strengthen connections and foster positive relationships between students, faculty members, and teaching assistants. The trip provided a unique opportunity for both students and recent graduates to engage in open dialogue and connect with their professors in a relaxed, friendly environment.

This gathering not only enriched the educational experience but also supported interaction and communication among all attendees, contributing to a more cohesive and engaging academic community.

Why did you go to PUA for student exchange?

The chance to visit Africa, and more specific an Arab country with so much history as Egypt has, made the decision very easy. PUA offered the necessities and quality needed for my bachelor thesis to be conducted.

How long was the exchange period?

The exchange lasted 8 weeks in total.

How have you been chosen for the exchange?

Prof. Andrew Martin from KTH scouted for students to participate in a collaboration with PUA and KTH, me and my colleagues applied and were accepted.

What do you think are the differences between studying at PUA and KTH?

The difference is a more direct contact or line of communication in PUA compared to KTH. The relationships between pupils and professors are more personal than in KTH. Moreover, the learning is more of a practical character in PUA than in KTH, where the approach is often more theoretical and is conducted to bring discussion.

Did PUA staff, professors, researcher and others that you met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate

They have been excellent in supporting all causes, the communication line is very clear and everyone, including students, are very generous and show great hospitality. Our Egyptian colleagues, whom we collaborate with, have excellent knowledge in their field and are easy to discuss with.

Why did you go to (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) for staff exchange?

The main objectives of this mobility are:
- Explore the master program in Electrical Engineering in KTH.
- Investigate the availability of joint undergraduate projects submission.
- Acquire new teaching and learning skills from KTH.
- Reinforcement the cooperation between KTH and PUA.

How long was the exchange period?

A month.

How have you been chosen to this visit?

Through a presentation in front of the vice president and the international relations coordinator of PUA University. The presentation includes my goals to this grant of the Erasmus+ staff mobility program and this is done after the submission of the motivation letter and my CV to them.

How do studies and researches at (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) differ in comparison to your previous experience?

There are so many differences:

• Labs and lectures are highly informative and direct the students to a huge amount of data and information.
• The estimated learning hours of each course are longer, which means the students can learn the courses deeper. Also, the theory learning is always followed with the practical work, such as labs and project work.
• The organization of the academic year in four periods, each one with two courses to attempt, makes easier the planning of studying as well as the preparation of examination.
• The students are ambitious not only to get a good mark but also to really understand the subjects and above all, getting practical experience.
• Here students, researchers and teachers seem to be at same level with the same importance even if covering different roles. Furthermore, transparency and meritocracy are conditions without which KTH could not exist. All the people from students to professors form a great academic group providing a motivating study and research environment.
• KTH is the best place for an engineer with education and career ambitions.

Did (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) staff, professors, researcher and others that you met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate

Yes.

Could you describe a regular day as a student or teacher at (KTH Royal Institute of Technology)?

Classes take usually 8 hours, from 8 am to 5 pm with one hour lunch break from 12:00 to 1:00 pm. Many projects and assignments require you to stay at campus even if you do not have classes that day. For example, during afternoon, if there are no lectures, group members from courses have meetings and discussion at many places created for them because they need a space for studying in silence and finish their tasks.

What was the best part of your experience at (KTH Royal Institute of Technology)?

KTH proved that it has an incomparable high level of education and wide range of educational support like a great library, supporting efficient teachers and many interesting seminars not only related to the studied field.

What was the biggest challenge for you during your trip?

Because this is the first time I went to Stockholm, so the biggest challenge was reaching to my place of residence.

What are your impressions of (Stockholm) and (Sweden) that you visited?

- Stockholm is quite unique in comparison with other European capitals.
- It is a clean and beautiful city with large water areas and historic buildings.
- It is quiet and tidy and there are many tourist spots.
- Urban architecture is spread out among its islands creating space for many green areas.
- Swedish people are so nice and happy to help you. They can speak fluent English no matter they are young or old.
- Although Sweden is not that much populated, satisfying public facilities and provided infrastructures has made the life easy for everyone.

Is there something about life in (Stockholm) and (Sweden) that has surprised, impressed you?

Sweden is something much more than I expected. This country has impressed me with its landmarks, calm people, and the very positive and relaxed attitude towards everyday life. Furthermore, it is easy to communicate with people in Sweden as they are almost well familiar with the English as an international language.

Do you have any advice for colleagues at PUA that, in the future, will do staff exchange at (KTH Royal Institute of Technology)?

I just want to say that I have been feeling really lucky to get the chance visiting KTH University. I strongly advise my colleagues to do the same.

Is there something from your experience that you can bring in to your professional role at PUA?

Yes. I can bring in my department new learning and teaching skills and also make a proposal for the master program.

What have you taken with you from this experience on a personal level?

- My personal and teaching skills were improved.
- New experiences and practices were gained.
- My professional and personal development were changed.
- Our motivation in moving forward into progress must be kept up in every work we do and never give up and should always proceed onwards to development.

Why did you go to the School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland for staff exchange?

I consider the visit to the School of Pharmacy, UEF, as a lifetime experience that I believe it is a milestone in my career. It is a significant opportunity to discover innovative and different teaching and research techniques as well as to explore new foreign culture that is definitely motivational and very inspirational to my career

How long was the exchange period?

The exchange period was 8 days

How have you been chosen to this visit?

The journey started after my motivation letter was selected by Prof. Dr. Maged ElGhazouly, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Drug Manufacturing. I was one of 5 lecturers who were chosen to present their motivations to contribute in such exchange program in front of Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Mohey ElDin, President of Pharos University in Alexandria and Prof. Dr. Nourhan Fanaky, Vice President for Education and Students Affairs.

How do studies and researches at School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland differ in comparison to your previous experience?

I think they are different in the time and resources available for their research. In addition, most of them are working as a multidisciplinary team which collaborate together for successful publications

Did School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland staff, professors, researcher and others that you met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate

All the staff members I had met were very helpful and sociable. They were discussing in details their research interest and the curriculum they are teaching with highlighting the innovative teaching methodologies they are implementing

Could you describe a regular day as a student or teacher at School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland?

Their regular day starts at 8:00 am in the morning. Their day is divided into different tasks including teaching, laboratory sessions, seminars, meetings and research. At about 12:00 pm, they have their lunches and breaks. After that, they regularly meet their masters and Ph.D. candidates. Overall, they are trying to implement different innovative strategies in their lectures and they are more devoted to their research and international publications. The day usually ends at 4:00 or 5:00 pm.

What was the best part of your experience at School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland?

I had a great chance to meet Prof. Dr. Antti Poso and Prof. Dr. Maija Lahtela-Kakkonen who have a proficiency in drug design and had the chance to try “Molecular Operating Environment, MOE” software, one of the programs they use in docking. In addition, I visited Kuopio University Hospital and saw the robots used in drug dispensing and chemotherapeutic preparations. In addition, the visit to the animal house was very fruitful.

What was the biggest challenge for you during your trip?

Everything was in Finnish language; all the signs in the streets and all the products, so situations like purchasing groceries or riding a Taxi with a driver who cannot speak English were challenging

What are your impressions of Kuopio and Finland that you visited?

It is fascinating country as it is part of Europe. Kuopio is a calm part of Finland and it is a beautiful city with magnificent landscape full of forests and lakes. The technology is in everything in their life, even for bike renting. The transportation tickets are booked via an application.

Is there something about life in Kuopio and Finland that has surprised, impressed you?

The weather surprised me as I literally saw the four seasons in one week. The weather rapidly changes even in the same day. It can start sunny and end with snow. In addition, I attended the festival of the “Labor Day”, which is in the first of May, just like Egypt. It is a special event there; the students wear special outfits with a color that indicates which faculty they are enrolled in. The graduates wear a white cap to indicate that they are graduated one day from University. Another special day is “May Day”, which is a celebration for the coming of spring season. I enjoyed the Finnish tradition at this time of the year, Munkkia (a kind of donuts) and Simaa (a special drink).

Do you have any advice for colleagues at PUA that, in the future, will do staff exchange at School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland?

It is important to apply for Visa early enough before the visit. In addition, I recommend staying in the guest room in the university as it saved a lot of time without any need for the transportation especially in snowy days

Is there something from your experience that you can bring in to your professional role at PUA?

As a university staff member, I believe that this visit was substantial to my professional expertise. One important thing is that I am planning to apply flipped classroom in my courses to develop a more self-learner pharmacists.

What have you taken with you from this experience on a personal level?

I think the visit helped me to build up more connections with a lot of professors and staff members either in pharmacology or other specialties. In addition, I got some knowledge about Finland such as their traditional food and souvenirs.

Why did you go to KTH for staff exchange?

To gain more experience about teaching methods, to get introduced to a new culture, to widen my professional network, to know more about the curriculum of the courses in the KTH and compare it to ours in PUA. My main mission was about the BIM courses to transfer the way of teaching and to know all the courses that are taught in the KTH as PUA is starting to teach this new technology.

How long was the exchange period?

It was one month.

How have you been chosen to this visit?

I have been chosen through a process that started by a call to all the staff members for whoever wants to submit a motivation letter to be chosen. Then there was an interview with the faculty of engineering dean and head of departments. Then there was an interview with the head of international relations and the representatives of university’s president.

How do studies and researches at KTH differ in comparison to your previous experience?

It differs a lot as the number of years for the university education at the KTH are 3 for bachelor degree and most of the students there continue post graduate studies for 2 years to complete their master’s degree. One of the great differences is that all the master or PhD thesis are concerned with the industry to solve problems or to renovate the technology of construction.

Did KTH staff, professors, researcher and others that you met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate

They were very helpful as they provided me with all data I wanted. They gave me from their time to ask about all information I wanted. I had an access from them to a lot of research papers. I also attended a PhD defense while I was there.

Could you describe a regular day as a student or teacher at KTH?

The regular day starts at 8 am by attending lecture for 3 or 4 hours depends on the course. Then from 12 to 1 pm, it’s a lunch break for all teachers and students. From 1 pm till 4 or 5 pm it’s a workshop for the lecture in the morning. At somedays maybe sitting in the library for some research.

What was the best part of your experience at KTH?

Giving a lecture about BIM implementation to the undergraduate students at the BIM1 course.

What was the biggest challenge for you during your trip?

To get as much information as I can that can benefit my studies and benefit my department at PUA.

What are your impressions of Stockholm and Sweden that you visited?

It was so cold at that time in January and February, but a beautiful city. People are so helpful. All of them can speak English so it was easy to communicate with them. It was empty as the population of Sweden is so small compared to ours in Egypt.

Is there something about life in Stockholm and Sweden that has surprised, impressed you?

Every Tuesday at 10 pm a lot of people go out and scream with loud voice to get out the negative energy- as they assume-

Do you have any advice for colleagues at PUA that, in the future, will do staff exchange at KTH?

They have to take heavy clothes if anyone is going through winter days. They need to benefit from the ideas of the projects that the students make in the courses. We need to enlarge the cooperation in the level of the students.

Is there something from your experience that you can bring in to your professional role at PUA?

Of course, I have started to use what I have got through attending the BIM course at the KTH in teaching in the same course at my department at PUA. Also I have introduced through a presentation inside my department to the colleagues so any of them can gain any idea that can be executed in their courses.

What have you taken with you from this experience on a personal level?

I have enlarged my professional network with many researchers and students from many nationalities. I have been introduced to many cultures. I have enhanced my English language by practicing it for 1 month. I have got many information that I can use through my master thesis.

Why did you go to (Royal Institue of Technology KTH) for staff exchange?

My trip was part of a grant of the Erasmus+ Staff Mobility Program. The main purpose of the trip was to adopt new teaching methods, interactive learning methods and assessment methods. In addition, visit the laboratories and workshops. Another personal purpose was to network with people interested in the field of my PhD research and exchange knowledge with them.

How long was the exchange period?

The exchange period was for 10 days.

How have you been chosen to this visit?

I applied for it at the PUA. The application included a motivation letter, my CV and a valid IELTS certificate. Then I have done a presentation on the purpose of my application to this visit. The attendees of the presentation were the Vice President of the PUA and the International Relations Coordinator at the PUA.

How do studies and researches at (Royal Institute of Technology KTH) differ in comparison to your previous experience?

I have attended lectures, practical tutorials and seminars during my short visit. There are several differences, some of them are minor but others are major differences. Starting with the minor differences: The lecturer is on time sharp in the classroom but starts the lecture after 15 minutes. Students are allowed to enter/leave the classroom upon their wish. Many students do not follow the instructor, instead they work on their laptops or mobile phones, but they do not interrupt the lesson in any way. If from noon till 1:00 pm there is a lecture, students are allowed to eat their lunch. As for the major differences: The time management differs from an instructor to another. For example, some instructors divide the lecture to 4 parts: 30 minutes’ lecture followed by a 15 minutes task, in which students work in groups. The instructor then discusses briefly the outcomes of the group task. After the discussion a 15 minutes break is given. After the break the lecture is continued for 30 minutes followed by a group task for another 15 minutes. Other instructors divide the lectures just in two parts: 45 minutes lecture followed by a 15 minutes break, then the lecture is continued for another 45 minutes. Students work with their own hands in the workshop. They are divided in groups with a maximum of 6 students in one group depending on the available space. The lecturer is the one who teaches the students how to work, a technician assists him. I attended a seminar, in which interactive learning was used in a very instructive way.

Did (Royal Institute of Technology KTH) staff, professors, researcher and others that you met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate

Definitely yes. They were more than helpful.

Could you describe a regular day as a student or teacher at (Royal Institute of Technology KTH)?

Most of the lectures start at 10:00 am, only few start at 9:00 am. From 12:00 pm till 1:00 pm it’s lunch time. There are several restaurants at the campus where students and staff can buy food. Each department has a large kitchen, where students and staff can heat their own food in the microwave and make a cup of coffee or tea. After lunch, lectures and tutorials are continued and may extend till 7:00 pm.

What was the best part of your experience at (Royal Institute of Technology KTH)?

The best part was to experience the link between the academic part and the practical part, whether in the University or outside with the industry, where Master and PhD students deal with solving actual problems present in the industry.

What was the biggest challenge for you during your trip?

The biggest challenge was not to get lost in the KTH campus.

What are your impressions of (Stockholm) and (Sweden) that you visited?

It is an extremely organized country with perfect transportation facilities. The people are very friendly and helpful. All the locals speak English, unlike many other European countries. There just two disadvantages: everything is very expensive and the weather is very cold, even during spring time.

Is there something about life in (Stockholm) and (Sweden) that has surprised, impressed you?

The thing that has surprised me is that locals wear summer clothing at 3º C weather. And the thing that impressed me is how organized people at Sweden are.

Do you have any advice for colleagues at PUA that, in the future, will do staff exchange at (Royal Institute of Technology KTH)?

My advice to them is to wear warm clothes and avoid travelling to Sweden in winter.

Is there something from your experience that you can bring in to your professional role at PUA?

Applying interactive learning in the proper way and letting students depend more on themselves regarding their tasks instead of spoon feeding them with the solutions.

What have you taken with you from this experience on a personal level?

On a personal level, I have realized after this experience that life doesn’t have to be as stressful as we think it is. Problems become more complicated in a stressful environment.

What made you chose PUA to study?

Being best authentic private university in Alexandria with highly qualified cooperative Teaching staff from professors to demonstrators is reason enough for anyone to join your University.

Why did you go to (University of Eastern Finland) for student exchange?

In my opinion, the university announced for scholarship was a great opportunity to discover their teaching methods and facilities whilst still student in PUA, as well as experience first-hand the European scandanavian culture.

How long was the exchange period?

About four months since 3rd/sept/2018 to 20th/dec/2018

How have you been chosen for the exchange?

By assessing applicant English proficiency, recommendation letter from my professors, motivation letter and interviews was also done to assess student social and academic background as well as their overall character.

What do you think are the differences between studying at PUA and (University of Eastern Finland-UEF)?

I come to appreciate PUA methods of teaching students which literally ensures graduating students of solid pharmaceutical background .This was proved with the self-study of my courses abroad in UEF were if it weren’t for the assignments, self-study chapters , interactive activities done in PUA I wouldn’t have been able to study whole courses alone.

Did (University of Eastern Finland-UEF) staff, professors, researcher and others that you met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate?

Yes, they were extremely welcoming and helpful throughout the semester. English language hasn’t been easy with some of the professors but most of them I managed to understand their requirements and how to study the required course contents. Even, with issuing the official transcript it was done smoothly.

Could you describe a regular day as a student at (University of Eastern Finland-UEF)?

Day started at 8 am, my dorm was about a 20 minute walk from the campus. I attend my lab work either of medicinal chemistry or pharmaceutical technology till 11.30 am, then lunch break starts at campus for about an hour I join my colleagues then continue to another building with the Library and study are facilities where I read, study and summarize for about 3-4 hrs. By 5 pm, I return home and join my friends in dorm for a dinner and discussing our day. By 9 pm, time to sleep to start a fresh new day.

What was the best part of your experience at (University of Eastern Finland-UEF)?

Snow winter season after the green orange leaves of Autumn.There was a huge contrast between each season .In addition, the Viking scandanavian food and finnish sweets was a real delicacy.

What was the biggest challenge for you during your trip?

Getting used to the real cold of Finland and having to wear gloves, cap and scarves almost everywhere I go out even if it was simply to buy some groceries for about 10 minutes.

What are your impressions of (KOUPIO) and (FINLAND) that you visited?

Strange musical sound of the city which turned to be a small friendly village when I arrived there. Finland, most famously for Nokia phone products which turned out to be a famous city named NOKIA in Northern Finland and of course a good rank in education.

Is there something about life in (KOUPIO) and (FINLAND) that has surprised, impressed you?

Sauna is a must in every house and of course the large number of lakes and green trees everywhere; I almost got lost one day in them.

Do you have any advice for colleagues at PUA that, in the future, will do student exchange at (University of Eastern Finland-UEF)?

Better to buy winter material clothes, gloves, caps from Finland with a better thermal resistance than in Egypt. Second hand shops will be very handy in furnishing a student room for winter.

What have you taken with you from this experience on a personal level?

There’s more to see abroad beyond what we are used to and comfortable with. Knowing English is not enough when you communicate with others. Living independently is the best way to know oneself and focus on strengthening improving character.

What made you chose PUA to study?

I choose Pharos University because it is one of the top 10 universities in the Republic of Egypt and its close relationship between other international universities, especially the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)

Why did you go to (KTH) for student exchange?

To gain experience of travel without parents and self-reliance and to see the cultures of other countries

How long was the exchange period?

It was 3 months

How have you been chosen for the exchange?

I think because I worked hard to study architecture and got the highest grades and excelled at the University of Pharos

I am Dalia Yehia, assistant lecturer in clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice department in the Faculty of pharmacy, Pharos University in Alexandria (PUA). I am a member of summer training committee, and quality committee within Pharos University. Currently, I am a PhD student at the High Institute of Public Health (HIPH), in Alexandria University.

During Fall 2018, I have been accepted in staff exchange program at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF), in Kuopio, Finland for three months from September till end of November 2018. I went for staff exchange because it holds an opportunity fot joint research, working with multidisciplinary international team in addition to learning about different teaching methodologies.

In comparison to the situation in Egypt, teaching at UEF is more or less the same. Regardings research, UEF dedicated its staff and fund for multidisciplinary research groups for new innovations and publications.

In general, Finns are shy and quiet. From my experience, they are very welcoming, helpful and hospitable. An International once said:” if you make a Finnish friend, you get a lifetime friend.”

Usually the regular day starts early with lectures or research work, then they have a midday lunch break, then they resume the work. During lectures, a break of 5-10 minutes was given to students every one hour. During the practical labs in the clinical pharmacokinetics course, students were required to solve certain number of cases along the course term without adhering to time required for the labs. So that, students can spend the time during the lab which was 4-5 hours in solving the cases, and taking breaks.

I have participated at the international day at UEF to encourage international students to participate in exchange programs. The best part was conversations I had about Egypt, history, PUA and even Arabic language.

At the begining of this experience, being away from my comfort zone, and as expected I took some time to get used to using maps, be aware of details of daily life and even reaching home, but based on my previous expeiences and with the help I got from colleagues, roommates, and even people in the street, life become familiar within few days.

Kuopio is a very beautiful city, full of forests and lakes with wonderful natural scenery. I liked it specially the peace and quietness that surround the place.

Life in Kuopio is very simple, people use bicycles a lot, and walking is part of their daily life. The idea of recycling is widespread which is very effective in keeping the city clean beside reducing the waste.

I strongly advice my colleagues to apply for the exchange program in the future to get in touch with different experiences in both research and teaching.

On a professional level, I have learned new techniques in research work at the lab. Concerning teaching, we started to use softwares like ”Dose me” at PUA that I used at UEF to facilitate Pharmacokinetics measurements of drugs which need therapeutic monitoring. In addition to practices related to evaluating students, and involvement of students in peer reviewing each other. Also considering students’ self-evaluation as an important part of the whole evaluation process.

On a personal level, it was a rich experience of independency in a different environment. I got to know myself more and learnt to cope within different environment and dealt with cultural differences while keeping my own values.

I believe that students might have to be involved in similar experiences (might be for shorter or longer period of time) to cooperate with students from other cultures and different backgrounds to increase their self-awareness and to work within multidisciplinary teams as well as to learn independency in searching and to apply systematic approach to understand challenging subjects.

My name is Alina Georgiana Sas. I am a responsible, creative, intelligent, lonely girl.

I went to PUA for student exchange because I wanted to see the differences between the courses and the laboratories compared to the faculty where I study in Romania. I stayed in PUA 4 month and 17 days.The difference between PUA and the University of Oradea is that in PUA there are many more students in courses and laboratories. At the University of Oradea few professors use projectors, more is used the writing in notebooks by the students.At the University of Oradea we have only one evaluation per semester, only the final exam for each subject at the end of the semester.PUA staff, both the teachers and the laboratory assistants were communicative and helpful.

Hi Alaa Mahmoud Khalil, tell me more about yourself and your role at PUA.

I can introduce myself in a few words. I am an assistant professor at PUA in Alexandria. I earned my PhD in physics; in the area of electromagnetic fields and its biophysical interactions with microorganisms since December-2013. I am working in the department of basic sciences at the Faculty of Engineering. I am teaching Engineering Physics, Modern Physics and Solid State Electronics.

Why did you go to Aristotle University in Thessaloniki (AUTh), Greece for staff exchange?

I am eager to benefit from the Erasmus+ staff exchange program, as I will get to know new innovative resources, vibrant intellectual atmosphere and a comprehensive curriculum. It’s a great opportunity for me to enlightenment my teaching experience with their considerable pedagogical strategies.

How long was the exchange period?

Short Visit, 1^st to 5^th OCT; 2018

How do studies and researches at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki (AUTh) differ in comparison to your previous experience?

It was very helpful to visit AUTh, as it is not so far from our pace; they have same economic and social constraints and they are coping with it. I observed the level of technology that they have and how it works in different directions to serve market needs and field requirements (based on companies collaborations and getting funds from scientific projects).

Did Aristotle University in Thessaloniki (AUTh) staff, professors, researcher and others that you met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate

Yes, they were so helpful and very kind. Moreover, I didn’t find any hard to meet them.

Could you describe a regular day as a student or teacher at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki (AUTh)?

By attending lectures I noticed that they don’t have advanced pedagogical strategies than what we have (chalk board, white board, power point presentations and smart screens).

What was the best part of your experience at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki (AUTh)?

I found how they take the challenge of economical issues seriously and cope with it.

What was the biggest challenge for you during your trip?

Some hard and soft materials were written in Greek language.

What are your impressions of Thessaloniki and Greece that you visited?

I felt it almost Alexandria with the sense of ancient Greek.

Is there something about life in Thessaloniki and Greece that has surprised, impressed you?

It is a very youth city.

Do you have any advice for colleagues at PUA that, in the future, will do staff exchange at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki (AUTh)?

Increase the possibility of collaboration with the other departments and Faculties.

Is there something from your experience that you can bring in to your professional role at PUA?

Knowing considerable pedagogical strategies for teaching courses and ability of building a comprehensive curriculum. Getting the know how of creating new creative, innovative teaching resources. Knowing how they conduct to industrial and actual market needs. Finally, opened possible ways of cooperation between both universities.

What have you taken with you from this experience on a personal level?

Meeting with new people from different culture, enhancing my English language, dealing with different circumstances and finally getting new contacts and friends.

Hi Rehab Samir, tell me more about yourself and your role at PUA.

I am lecturer of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry at Pharos University. I teach and supervise Senior students to give them the basic knowledge of the child development & psychology, with Comprehensive understanding of different behavior modification techniques so they become able to clinically perform simple restorative procedures for children with full coverage of primary molars. Additionally, I supervise some of the undergraduate students' researches. I am also responsible of the faculty timetables committee. I have an administrative role at the students’ registrar bureau as well as an advisory role being the deputy general academic advisor. Currently I am a member of the international ranking committee at PUA

Why did you go to University of Eastern Finland for staff exchange?

I believed that visiting such a reputable University would be of a great value to gain more experience, allowing me to interact and adapt with different cultures and to share experiences with the University staff members. Getting to know the newest teaching methods and how to apply them would serve me in implementing them in our University. I was interested in knowing their scheme on how they evaluate their undergraduate students, motivating them to do better. Moreover, I wanted to see their application of rubrics and how this affects the level of understanding for the students. Another aspect concerning this visit that I would have the opportunity to get involved in sharing their academic advising methods as I believe that academic advising has a great impact on our students’ education and on their success. It was important for me, as well, to be acquainted with modern technologies in caries diagnosis in Pediatric Dentistry and enrich myself with novel research methods enabling me to conduct advanced researches through hopefully collaborative work between Pharos University and the Eastern University of Finland. As a part of my role at the students’ registrar bureau, I am responsible for scheduling the courses timetable for all terms. It is challenging as I have to coordinate the lecturers’ own schedule with the availability of the provided lecture rooms. I hoped through this visit that I would enhance such skill to accomplish it with minimum time and zero error or overlaps.

How long was the exchange period?

10 days

How do studies and researches at University of Eastern Finland differ in comparison to your previous experience?

At UEF, instead of an ordinary lab with microscopes, they use multiple large touch screens for slides viewing and zooming during histological and pathological sessions. The lab is equipped with multiple tables where the students sit, and each group can watch on their large screen whatever lesions and tissues or any demonstration needed. They can zoom in to see the finest details of what’s inside the tissue cells. They can touch any part on the screen, so this is a question for the instructor to answer.

They have simulation lab which is much simulating the dental clinic. It has dental units, dental chairs, network and monitors where the student can see the demonstration live through documentation camera. They learn the right sitting position of a dentist and how to hold the handpiece and they are being evaluated for this every session. They work on phantom head attached to thorax to simulate the patient on the dental unit. They have different typodonts to simulate the different dental situations, restorations, pulp therapy, extraction, local anesthesia administration, periodontal diseases, orthodontics and restoration & pulp therapy of primary dentition

The patients’ clinic is highly equipped and uses the highest infection control measures. The students use software to upload the patient’s data and dental charting. They have rooms for making x-ray for their patient which is digitally processed and uploaded to the patient file.

Did University of Eastern Finland staff, professors, researcher and others that you met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate

Yes, they were all cooperative. Communication with them was accessible as you can knock at any door of any of the professors and the one inside will answer you with all what’s in his power and will help in any possible way.

Could you describe a regular day as a student or teacher at University of Eastern Finland?

Most of them get to the campus riding a bicycle. They start their day at 8 am whether a lecture, lab, simulator or a clinic. They have a lunch break from 11 am to 1 pm. They finish the working day by 4 pm

What was the best part of your experience at University of Eastern Finland?

They have the priorities of caries prevention as a community measure. They have difficulty in recruiting patients as dental caries is not prevailing in the country. The best part showed up when I had only one chance to see a pediatric patient. He was caries free and was smiling and cooperative during the dental examination although he was just a three year old child.

What was the biggest challenge for you during your trip?

Internal transportation from or to Helsinki airport. Although natives are so friendly but the signs were not always in English and of course getting on the wrong train or missing its departure were great problems to me.

What are your impressions of Kuopio and Finland that you visited?

Clean environment. You can breathe fresh air. Everything is on time. Quiet and non crowded streets. Very cold weather compared to Egypt. It was rainy most of the time but you can’t trace it on the ground

Is there something about life in Kuopio and Finland that has surprised, impressed you?

I was truly fascinated by the forestry there. What I saw in this country was so impressive; its cleanliness, its quietness. It is a friendly society and all citizens are decent, polite and cheerful greeting you with a smile and are most helpful.

Do you have any advice for colleagues at PUA that, in the future, will do staff exchange at University of Eastern Finland?

I think it would be better in the future if the going staff will communicate with the staff there before traveling and to have a solid plan to execute upon arriving. It was a little bit foggy for both sides in the beginning. PhD students should have the chance to go and do research with the staff over there. It is not possible for dental researchers to work there on patients as they don’t have license, but this could be overcome through invitro studies.

Is there something from your experience that you can bring in to your professional role at PUA?

Definitely. I already used one of their interactive teaching methods in my lectures for senior students. I also told other staff members about these new methods and how to use them in their courses.

What have you taken with you from this experience on a personal level?

Just meeting with new people and being in contact with new cultures is of great value to expand my own way of thinking.

I travelled to JAMK University for applied science for teaching staff exchange for 5 Days. I have been nominated by my faculty dean and interviewed by high level committee assigned by the University.

The studies and researches at JAMK University for applied science differ in comparison to my previous experience as it provides:

Extensive range of interactive and self learning strategies.
Modern learning environments, skilled personnel and excellent services
Well-equipped facilities and libraries providing free computer services and Internet access.
A wide variety of interesting professional courses taught in English like concept lab, experience design , research and development as expert
An efficient, yet relaxed and international atmosphere
They got Erasmus Award for Excellence 2013.

Staff, professors, researchers and others of JAMK University for applied science were very helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate.

My regular day as a teacher at JAMK University for applied science starts by Campus tour , meetings with staff members or adminstration, then giving lecture, Lunch, complete lecture, leaving campus to make free city tour, or visit to home of a staff member.

The best part of my experience at JAMK University for applied science was giving lectures to international students, concept lab session attendance, home visit to one of the teaching staff, and attending ice hockey match.
The biggest challenge for me during my trip was the train that i have to change in a certain point within ten minutes.

My impressions of Finland and Jyväskylä city are:

Finland is a nordic country deserves being number one poulation in happiness indicator world wide, also the first educational system in Europe , and the 4th rank in education system worldwide, with population of 5 millions, and very developed transportation system , in addition to their advanced rank in technology.

Jyväskylä is a beatiful city, with very friendly and civilized population about 300 000 people .Furthermore, it is a student-friendly city offering a wide range of activities and opportunities, a modern centre for industry and learning, a “pocket size metropol” with a lively urban centre, all the services, shops, schools and work are close at hand, and a wide variety of leisure and sport activities.

My advices for colleagues at PUA that, in the future, will do staff exchange at JAMK University for applied science, that they have to focus on their predefined goals and discuss every detail in their visiting agenda, focus on practical results, new ideas and practicies. Moreover, find out the reasons behind every differnt and new teaching method. And Finally try to develop and mainatin an excellent and continous relationship with their teaching staff.

This experience added to my professional role at PUA a lot, including new practices such as innovation week, new courses like concept lab, new teaching strategies such as self-learning, and removing pressure on students (tasks due dates, and exams) preparing online courses, as well as, using the available resources effectively such as the Library.

I have taken with me from this experience on a personal level, was how to acheive the educational goals without pressure on my students, as well as, the great experience of teaching mobility for international students, experiencing new culture, and building excellent network with experts and teaching staff at JAMK University.

The Aristotle University staff, professors, researcher and others that I met, are very helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate. For example, the first day, I met Professor Glavinis (the supporter) who help me to know all about the faculty of law education system, staff, student and administration (particularly the library stuff). Professor Glavinis help me to organize the lectures and workshop (best part of my experience). He invited Professors and doctoral students to participate in a workshop on the Egyptian policy in the field of gas transportation infrastructure development for the transport of natural gas from Egypt to Europe, which took place at the Faculty of Law of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Wednesday 29 May 2019, at 18:00', at the Dean's Conference Room. The workshop was taking place within the framework of the research Project "Integrating Energy Markets in the Wider Europe" implemented by the Faculty of Law of AUTh.

I participated in Staff Mobility within the Erasmus+ program for training at school of technology, JAMK University of Applied Sciences, Jyväskylä, Finland in field of cyber security from 12th to 16th November, 2018. During my visit to JAMK University, I had multiple tasks and activities such as, attending lectures in school of technology, seminars, participation in some project, visiting labs, workshops and the library. Also I made many activities such as visiting international student services, meeting with staff members, reaserchers and exchange students from PUA as well as other universities. In addition to these I had made a presentation to IT students at JAMK universty about education at Faculty of Enginerring and facilites at Pharos University.

The studies and researches at JAMK University of Applied Sciences differ in comparison to my previous experience. Actually, JAMK has a high quality of education system. JAMK provides students with an internationally accredited education to develop their skills for the global labour market. JAMK Education system is quick to adapt and adopt innovative studding methods and techniques, for example, problem-based learning. The learning system characterized by the continuum of discussion, cooperation and seeking of information in the formation process of ideas making the finnish education unique.

Really, JAMK University of Applied Sciences staff members , professors and researchers that I met been helpful and easy to communicate, discuss and cooperate with them. Also. Spoken English for staff member was excellent that facilitated the communication between us. As well as, international relationship members at JAMK University presented me the brochures and maps that help me more inside and outside the campus. In addition to these, JAMK University has an information desk which provided me with all information I needed about, locations of study rooms, timetables and activites.

The best part of my experience at JAMK University of Applied Sciences was increasing my exposure to international experiences, connecting with professional staff members and researchers in the field of Engineering, visiting advanced labs in the electronics and cyber security, identifying new teaching and interactive learning methods in the study classes and finally identifying different culture and visiting new places.

The biggest challenge for me during my trip was the cold weather in Finland. Jyväskylä has a cold weather during the winter months, with temperatures averaging from - 22 to -3°C. During my visit in November, temperature was about 7 °C. Another challenge was difficulties with students and staff member who don`t speak English well and understand Finnish only.

Jyväskylä is a very clean and organized city. It has an excellent public transport network such as railway station and bus station which were nearby my accommodation there. The city is not crowded and has a few number of population. Finnish people are blond people and most friendly. Finland has many land scape and interesting places. Jyväskylä is surrounded by beautiful natural water in all directions, such as Jyväskylä Lakes. Also it has Jyväskylä Harbour which has a nice view. As well as , Alvara Alto Museuma which is a Finnish museum in Jyväskylä, specialized in architecture and design and functions as the national and international center on all things Aalto(i.e. Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto was a Finnish architect and designer, his work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware, as well as sculptures and paintings).

The most thing that surprised me in Jyväskylä, Finland is that most of people in Jyväskylä don`t use cars or other engine vehicles; instead they use bicycle inside the city. Also, most of shops and malls are closed at about 8:00 pm. As well as, Finish people are very athletes; Gyms are everywhere in the city.

Indeed, I want to advise my colleagues at PUA that, in the future, will do staff exchange at JAMK University of Applied Sciences to learn more and more about interactive learning techniques and methods in lectures.

I have taken more and more from this experience on a personal level. I had increased my exposure to international experiences, connected with professional staff in the field of research, investigated modern and recent software to be applied in my PhD study, and increased my knowledge in cyber security field, identified new culture, learned new ideas, suggestions and techniques to be applied in my career, also, I had learned new innovation courses. In addition to these, travelled to new place and visiting new places.

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