Theodoulos

Choosing Surrey

Surrey attracted my attention because of its excellent reputation, particularly in the field of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. The university's stunning campus, supportive community, and promising career prospects were all major factors in my decision.

My first impression upon arriving at the university was overwhelmingly positive. The campus was full of life, providing plenty of opportunities to meet with new people and socialise. The university's beautiful surroundings and welcoming atmosphere instantly made me feel at home.

My course

From a young age I was passionate about technology, and I was curious to get a better understanding of anything related to it. I remember myself always dismantling any old electronic device we had at home trying to figure out how it worked. Unfortunately, I had no idea what I was looking at then, but now I finally do!

I was fascinated by the wide range of knowledge I could acquire from Electrical and Electronic Engineering. It combines the innovative aspect of engineering, which allows you to create anything from scratch, with the development of control circuits and algorithms to make your creation interact with its surroundings or even become fully autonomous.

Other than the scheduled laboratory hours, I had the chance to use the makerspace, which is an additional lab facility that is run by students. Being able to visit that space 24/7 enhanced my learning as it allowed me to work on my own personal projects, as well as give and/or get advice from my fellow students.

Professional Training Placement

Between the 2^nd and 3^rd year of my studies I have completed a Professional Training Year (PTY) at Tactiq LTD, located in west London. Tactiq is a product development consultancy company, and my role as a Student Engineer consisted of the implementation, testing and debugging of prototype electronics and embedded software.

As I worked in a small company of 15-20 employees, I got the chance to be actively involved in multiple projects and make significant contribution to their development, as well attend multiple client meetings to discuss the progress and future steps of their projects. During that year I developed technical skills in both hardware and software, and enhanced some essential soft skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management. These skills and experience have been proven invaluable during the rest of my degree, and helped me mature both as a person and as an engineer. 

Overall, I would definitely encourage every student to complete a placement year as it is an amazing experience and gives you a boost in your career.

My Surrey experience 

As an international student from Cyprus, travelling to a new country to study can be challenging. The university’s students union offers a huge variety of clubs and societies to be a part of. 

It is almost impossible for a person not to find a club or society to suit them and enhance their student experience. One thing that helped me feel more like home was being an active member of the Cypriot Society.

Some of the best moments in Surrey have been with the friends I’ve made along the way. Even that some of those moments might seem pretty common, if you went through them with the right people around you, the memories will last for life!

Something that I love about living in Surrey is the variety of experiences I can have. Everyday I can choose from having a calmer experience appreciating the beautiful scenery and nature that surrounds the campus, to going out and enjoying a night-out in Guildford or the vigorous lifestyle of nearby London.

Looking ahead

Studying at Surrey offered me a lot of technical skills and experiences for the future. The learning environment and guidance from the academic staff motivated me to push myself and keep expanding my knowledge. When I graduate, I strive to pursue a PhD if the right opportunity arises.