Student testimonials

Find here the very nice testimony of Kathryn, English Erasmus student coming from Spain, about her stay in 2018/2019, coming back to Normandy in September 2020 to do a Double Degree at INSA!

https://webtv.insa-rouen.fr/videos/erasmus-1819/

What's your background?

I'm currently doing a Master 2 at INSA Rouen Normandie in the Civil Engineering and Sustainable Construction department (GCCD). I applied for international mobility at my home school, the Institut International d'Ingénierie de l'Eau et de l'Environnement (2iE). I was awarded an Erasmus MIC scholarship for this academic exchange over two semesters.

What was your biggest surprise at INSA?

I was accepted at INSA Rouen Normandie in the context of covid 19, but that didn't stop the International Relations Office or Welcom'INSA from welcoming me for this academic exchange. The teaching staff are dedicated and do their utmost to ensure that students receive a quality education, while training them to be more successful in their professional lives. The campus has a friendly atmosphere, and all the conditions are right for studying, with a rich library full of books in all fields, and having fun with the many activities organized by the BDE.

Has this exchange changed your vision of your professional future?

One thing's for sure, my vision of my professional future has changed, and I realize that I love the field of engineering more than ever, thanks in part to this exchange program and the end-of-study internship I did abroad.

Any advice for future students waiting to leave (once the situation has improved)?

For my part, I would advise any student who has the opportunity to undertake international mobility as part of his or her studies, not to hesitate, as there is a great deal to be gained through this program on many levels. Remember that you're neither the first nor the last person to do it, and in the words of Nelson Mandela, “It always seems impossible, until you do it”.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I'm Norlin De La Cruz, an 8th semester student at the Universidad Autonoma De Santo Domingo, studying civil engineering.

What was your biggest surprise at INSA?

The biggest surprise I had with Insa was the teacher-student relationship.

Did this academic exchange change your vision of your professional future?

Yes

Any advice for future students waiting to leave?

The best advice I can give you is to be patient, because it's another culture, another language, another education system..... Adaptation doesn't happen overnight, and that can be frustrating. I think my time at INSA was very good.

Can you tell us a bit about your background?

INSA has a lot of resources: computers, robots, to do really interesting projects and learn things in a different way than we're used to in Argentina. With that I found it easier and more motivating to learn computer-related things. The classmates are very pleasant, always willing to help me on subjects I didn't understand very well or with the administration, which was complicated for us at first. The courses were a little difficult to follow at first because of the French language, but with time and by practicing French in everyday life, it became easier. The assessment system is very different from the system we use at university in Argentina: we're not used to having all the exams in the same week, so I found it a bit difficult to study all the subjects at the same time.

What was your biggest surprise at INSA?

The biggest surprise was the building, very pretty and modern, it's very big and at first you sometimes got a bit lost, but I like the way it's organized and distributed for each department, with all the necessary resources in each room. Even the library, with lots of color and space for comfort, and little books to read during breaks. I think it's important to have these spaces in the university and I loved it.

Did this academic exchange change your vision of your professional future?

My studies gave me a vision of IT that I didn't have before, because I come from the Industrial Engineering field, so it was a good apprenticeship in another engineering field, and I think all the things I learned are very useful and important for my professional future, because IT is practically in every job and position today.

Any advice for future students waiting to leave?

A word of advice: don't expect to understand everything at first, it's a process that takes a little time, but with time and practice you can succeed and understand everything and have a very good level of expression and understanding of the French language. Knowing and relating well to other foreign students: we're all in the same situation and we're always helping each other out, so it's important to have this support between us.