Is this programme right for you?

Name: Emma Kuusela-Opas
From: Finland

I want to find work which helps to combat climate change and biodiversity loss.

How did you choose your programme?
– After graduating from my law studies I knew I wanted to continue with a specialisation in environmental law. I was interested in doing my Master’s abroad and the Joint Nordic Master Programme in Environmental Law caught my attention. After looking into it I was convinced that all the three universities jointly organising this programme have high expertise in the field of environmental law and offer a very versatile and topical curriculum.

What is something special about your programme?
– The programme, between friends “NOMPEL”, is not only bringing together the academic talent of three Nordic universities but also letting the students discover all three countries during their studies. It was amazing to experience the historical student city of Uppsala during the first semester, to then move to Joensuu in Finland for the second semester. There, we get to enjoy the wintery landscapes and lively student festivities. Lastly, we spend the third semester in Tromsø, Norway in the middle of the breathtaking fjords.

What is the best thing about studying at Uppsala University?
– Hands down the best part of studying in Uppsala is the student nations. Their events and parties are some of my best memories in Uppsala and I met some of my best friends there. It is great how Uppsala University really values the social input of nations and recommends international students to engage in them.

– One memory that I will always hold close to my heart is combining my love for books and dancing in the club evening of Värmlands nation. One of their dance floors is in their library, where this bibliophile could dance the night away with friends.

Do you remember your first impression of Uppsala? Please tell us!
– I remember the morning I biked to my first lecture in Uppsala from my student housing. It was the end of August, and you could still easily be out just with a t-shirt. The bike lanes were filled with a steady queue of students, and I admired the passing buildings which whispered history from past centuries. Suddenly the Uppsala cathedral was in front of me. I was looking in Google Maps where to find my lecture room and to my surprise, it was situated right next to the cathedral on Trädgårdsgatan.

Name three things you are doing this week!
– We are done with the exams of the third semester at the University of Tromsø and now I have time to enjoy the winter in Norway. I will have a dinner party with my study friends, go to my dance lessons and hunt for northern lights in the night-time.

What is your reason for studying, or your ultimate goal?
– I want to find work which helps to combat climate change and biodiversity loss. I believe that understanding the systems of international environmental law can open doors that will lead me down a career path to such jobs.

Three quick questions:
What is your favourite place in Uppsala?
– The picturesque roads, next to the Fyris river.

Where is the best place to study?
– The quiet starry room in Ekonomikum.

Spring 2023.