Join us for the ‘Student to Student’ series, where we continue talking to students across 12 universities about their ECIU University experiences and stories – from favourite memories to biggest misconceptions. Catch up on the previous story here.

Our next hero is Oluwamuayomikun Isaac Oluwalana – a student ambassador and bachelor’s student who is currently studying electronics and electrical engineering at Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania).

Oluwamuayomikun Isaac Oluwalana

• Home university: Kaunas University of Technology  
• Major: Electronics and Electrical Engineering  
• Universities visited since joining ECIU University: Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania), University of Stavanger (Norway)

Q: What has been your favorite ECIU University activity or experience so far?

Isaac: My favourite ECIU University experience so far was the Green Transition in Offshore Wind Challenge in Norway. It gave me an opportunity to learn about offshore wind not only from an academic perspective, but also by seeing how the industry is developing in practice.  

We visited a wind farm, learned about the planning and development of an offshore wind project, and got insights into the safety, control and implementation processes involved.  The highlight for me was working with my team on our own idea and having it selected as the winning proposal, with the company telling us that they would look into developing it further.  

More than anything, the experience showed me how much I can learn outside of my usual field of study and how valuable it is to work with people from different backgrounds. It made the whole experience feel much more like solving a real-world problem than simply attending a course.

Q: What is the funniest thing that happened to you during your time at ECIU University?  

Isaac: One of my funniest ECIU University experiences happened when I was travelling with three friends, and we had to spend the night in a city before continuing to our destination the next morning.  

I booked a room for us, but when we arrived, my friends said that our stay was too short to bother with a hotel. They had already decided to spend this time in the city – something they had forgotten to tell me before the trip! Still, I wasn’t going to leave them on their own, so our “accommodation” for the night became a park bench and some grass, followed by a closed bus station, a closed train station and a McDonald’s where I had to order food just so we could be allowed to sit down.  

Basically, we spent the night walking around and sleeping wherever we could until our bus arrived, followed by an 8-9 hour journey to our destination. Looking back, it was exhausting, chaotic and definitely not the trip I had planned, but it’s still one of my favourite ECIU University memories because of how much we laughed about it afterwards. I learned one important lesson from that trip: next time, I’m making sure everyone agrees on the accommodation before we leave!  

Q: What would you say to students who consider joining ECIU University?

Isaac: My advice to anyone considering ECIU University is simple: never say never. You might come across a Challenge or programme that doesn’t seem related to your studies at first, but it could end up becoming one of the most valuable experiences you have.  

Choose something that genuinely interests you and gives you enough time to experience not only the programme, but also the country and people around you. You will gain something valuable for your CV, but, more importantly, you will be exposed to new perspectives, different ways of solving problems and directions you may never have explored through your regular studies.  

So don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone; you never know where an ECIU University experience might take you.

Do you want to join ECIU University students in exploring new opportunities and experiences? Get started here.

_{Photos provided by Oluwamuayomikun Isaac Oluwalana}

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