Aseel
Al Shawakri

What do you enjoy most about your course at NTU?

“My course is full of enthusiasm, and theoretical and practical applications. Each module provides a different way of teaching and course work. The staff provide full support, and an excellent level of teaching. I’ve made some lifelong friends from different cultures and backgrounds. We visited a site for one of our modules, which helped me relate to the planned work and strategy more effectively. Site visits are very important for engineers to help prove their proposed plans into real structures, which is the main aim for this course.”

What made you choose to study your postgraduate degree at NTU?

“Before accepting my offer at NTU among other universities, I had to read more about the city, University, and the course itself. There were many factors that encouraged me to make my decision. The most important one was the high demand for structural engineers with management majors. NTU had one of the best rankings in the UK, and I can now prove that it is one of the best universities based on its highly educated professors, and good teaching techniques.”

What do you think about the course staff?

“The course staff here at NTU are very organised. Lectures are organised well with regular updates on our timetable so we can plan our schedules better. Lecture rooms are well-equipped with excellent technologies to ease teaching and learning. Administrators and technical staff are always very helpful and cooperative will all students. All these factors encourage me to give my best for my studies, because there is no reason not to be an excellent student with all the support provided.”

As an international student, what do you like about studying and living in Nottingham?

“Nottingham as a city is suitable for all ages. It is a safe, clean and enjoyable place to live in. Although it is small, it makes it easy for people to move around, and has many places for entertainment as well.”

Can you tell us about your Masters project?

“My project is about steel portal frames and its optimisation using genetic algorithms.”

What advantages do you think having a postgraduate qualification will give you in regards to employment after graduation?

“This qualification will provide me with a very strong foundation for my future career. My postgraduate experience inspires me to continue my goal in applying for my doctoral studies and specialise in a more concentrated field of engineering, and to spread that knowledge for future engineers, becoming a role model like my professors.”