International Engineering Ambassadors
Insight into the life & course of international students.

Thursday 16 February 2017

Meet Our IEA Alumni: Sa'ad Kamal-Deen


Department: Automatic Control and Systems Engineering

Nationality: Nigerian









How did you decide which degree course to take?
Right after secondary school I initially wanted to study medicine, but as soon as I began college I discovered biology wasn’t for me. I then researched several course in order to discover what I enjoyed doing. I found interest in learning about how different systems around us work, mainly electronic ones. I then focused my efforts on searching for leading universities that offer Systems Engineering and the University Of Sheffield turned out to be one of the best.     

Favourite Module
I expected my programming modules to be my worst. I feared so because I had little or no experience writing codes and everyone I asked about it said it was very difficult. But after I started university, I soon discovered it wasn't rocket science and like all my remaining modules, if I work hard enough I could do well. Now, any module involving programming is the best part of my course.

What do you enjoy the most about studying at the University of Sheffield?
I enjoy the Information Commons also known as the “I.C” among the students. It is a 24hours, 7days a week library where students go to read and have group meetings. Apart from the fact that it is always open another thing I like about the building is the atmosphere; it has every type imaginable, from quiet to noisy and even hidden areas if trying to avoid friends. It also has a cafeteria, so if you want to get your study on, you have no reason not to do so! 

What do you do enjoy doing in your free time?
 At Sheffield, you can never fall short of things to do because there is a society for everything you could be interested in. Personally I enjoy swimming, playing tennis and occasionally playing football with friends. My advice to new students is to take advantage of the freshers week to enjoy societies, that offer some of the most adrenaline packed activities they won't normally be involved in like mountain climbing or even salsa if that’s what gets your heart rushing.   

What useful advice would you give a student about to leave home to study in  Sheffield
       Try to pack light. In the Sheffield there are major shopping centers and better still,  there are also local shops  that sell international and local products e.g. food.
       Do your research before coming to the UK. Ensure you are familiar with things like the food and culture of Sheffield.
       Ensure that you apply for a visa in good time so as to avoid missing key important information during the freshers week. You don’t want to miss that!
        Write a checklist to ensure that on arrival students have all the required documents at immigration and during registration. Book your accommodation beforehand as well!
Security
Sheffield is one of the UK's safest cities but nevertheless, it is sensible to take precautions to avoid crimes and prevent accidents. In my two years in Sheffield I definitely have not had a negative incident at any time of the day. I doubt security would negatively affect your stay in Sheffield.

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