Can one semester change a person?
Can one semester change a person? Honestly, before my trip, I probably would have said no. Now I think it can.
My name is Daria Katsai. I am a master’s student at NTU “KhPI,” Department of Information Systems and Technologies. I study in the educational program “Software Engineering for Information Systems” (F6). In spring 2026, I had the opportunity to study in Bratislava through the Erasmus+ program at Bratislava University of Economics and Management (BUEM).
When people talk about academic mobility, they usually mention new knowledge, international experience, and travel. All of that was truly part of it. But what I remember most are other things.
During my mobility period, I studied Strategic Management, Project Management, and Risk Management. All classes were conducted in English. I had not only to listen to lecturers, but also to take part in discussions, complete assignments, and present my work in English. I cannot say that it became completely easy over time, but this kind of practice helped me feel more confident when communicating in an international environment.
I liked that the assignments were not limited to theory alone. In Strategic Management, I examined Bohdan Khmelnytsky as a strategic leader: his decisions, alliances, strengths, and limitations. In Risk Management, I worked on the topic of currency risk as a financial risk, and in Project Management, I analyzed the SmartPark project: planning problems, stakeholders, risks, and possible ways to stabilize the project.
I liked that these were not just tasks where you “read and retell.” It was necessary to analyze a specific situation, understand what was most important in it, and explain my own point of view. It was difficult, but useful.
After several years of studying online, it felt unusual to wake up early again and hurry to classes. To sit in a classroom again, to listen to a lecturer not through a laptop screen but in person. To discuss assignments again, share thoughts, and work together with other students. These may seem like ordinary things, but they were exactly what I had missed the most.
In classes, we were often grouped together. Even if an assignment was individual, it was always possible to sit next to someone, discuss ideas, and look at a problem from another perspective. Perhaps this is exactly what I sometimes miss in distance learning — a live exchange of thoughts.
It was especially interesting to study with students from different countries. Turkey, Italy, Spain, Armenia, Georgia, China — everyone had their own culture, views, and experience. Thanks to this, you begin to see many familiar things differently, and learning becomes not only an exchange of knowledge, but also an exchange of experience.
But the biggest discovery for me was Bratislava. I had been told more than once that it was a calm and even slightly boring city. However, that is exactly why I came to love it. Despite being a capital, there is no constant feeling of rush here. It is easy to breathe in the city. It does not overwhelm you with crowds, noise, or endless movement. Perhaps I noticed this especially strongly because I currently live in a large city. There, the noise of cars becomes the usual background of life. In Bratislava, for the first time in a long while, I felt a kind of inner silence.
Another thing that pleasantly surprised me was the city’s location. In just a few hours, you can find yourself in Vienna or Prague. Earlier, such trips seemed like something special, but here they become part of student life.
But mobility was memorable not only because of studying and traveling. During my studies, I also had the opportunity to attend a presentation by a representative of Portugal at the university. It was more of a presentation than a live conversation, but for some reason it touched me more than I expected. Afterward, I kept thinking for a long time about how differently we look at life. Sometimes it seems that we are constantly rushing somewhere and trying to manage everything. For someone else, however, work is only a part of life, not its main purpose. It is meetings like this that make you stop for a moment and look at familiar things from a different angle.
Of course, there were also difficulties. The first days after arrival turned out to be the most challenging, when I had to quickly deal with documents, organizational issues, and a new environment.
Returning home, I realized that Erasmus+ gave me much more than just an opportunity to study in another country. It was an experience that helped me step beyond my usual environment, meet new people, and look at many things differently.
I am sincerely grateful to NTU “KhPI,” as well as to the Department of Information Systems and Technologies, for supporting students and creating opportunities for international academic mobility. Thanks to this support, I had the opportunity to study in an international environment and gain new experience. I am also grateful to BUEM for the warm welcome, open and friendly atmosphere, interesting classes, and the opportunity to feel part of the international student community.
And if someone asks me whether it is worth taking the opportunity of academic mobility, my answer will be simple: yes. Sometimes one semester can give much more than it seems at first glance.
