Rome, 27 July 2022

Among the most popular destinations for university students in the EU4EU – Erasmus+ programme is undoubtedly Belgium and in particular Brussels, the core centre of political and economic decision-making in the European Union. So we wanted to give voice to the experience of Shakeer Shaik, a student at the Università di Roma La Sapienza, enrolled in the second cycle of the IT & Engineering studies sector. Shakeer lived and worked 6 months in Brussels at EU About, an EU project management and consulting company established in 2016.

1 – Why did you decide to join the EU4EU program?

I chose EU4EU program because it is a great opportunity for students like me to explore and get an on-hands experience of the industry and work culture in corporate firms and industries all around Europe. This experience is very crucial in a student’s life.

2 – Was it easy to join the program?

Yes, joining the program was quite easy and convenient.

3 – Tell us your experience about living in another country (finding home, social relationships, friends, language, ecc…)

My experience of living in Brussels was amazing. The city is very well organised; there are many Erasmus-related activities and places to explore in and around the city.

Finding accommodation is a bit complicated according to me because Brussels is expensive. Finding a shared room costs around 450 euros without bills. I would suggest other students to contact the Host Organization before their arrival and get information about the agencies and platforms to confirm their accommodation.

In my experience, people in Brussels are very friendly and welcoming. More than 40% of people speak English which was quite helpful during my stay. I do admire the French and Dutch languages and tried to learn a few basics to hang out with locals. I made friends with fellow interns and had an amazing time working alongside people all-around from Europe.

4 – Tell us your experience about working in another country (it was hard/simple, my supervisor was great/bad, my colleagues were great/bad, difficult to understand, ecc…)

My experience of working in EUAbout Brussels was wonderful. My supervisor is a very kind and supportive person. He helped me to understand the working procedures and he worked alongside the interns on the topics of business plans, data handling, project proposal writing, etc. He used to encourage and supervise me and fellow interns working on different topics and he guided everyone to obtain overall experience in the field of European union project proposals and project management.

5 – How important do you think it is for a university student to get an internship in Europe?

In my opinion, students needs to perform an internship in Europe to get a hands-on experience in their field of study.  The internship allows a student to explore career opportunities and to gain a lot of experience in his/her professional field..

6 – What do you think will be the advantages from this experience?

Through this experience, I have learnt to understand corporate work culture, how to approach a project and resolve issues of the project. I worked alongside company delegates, engineering professionals and businessmen who enhanced my understanding of the industry and gave me a rough insight into how things work around in the European industry. I believe that having obtained this scholarship will help me grow in the industry and will enhance my career opportunities.

7 – Did you get what you wanted from this opportunity?

Yes, my expectation has fulfilled. Working on a real-time project gave me a clear understanding of how things work in the field of project management, proposal writing and core engineering. During my internship, I got the opportunity to work with company delegates and project engineers. This experience enhanced my view of the working procedure of the industry.

8 – Will you participate in the EU4EU program in the future?

I would love to participate in the EU4EU program in the future to enhance and prepare myself for the industry-ready experience.

9 – Would you suggest another student to join the EU4EU program? Why?

I will suggest to my fellow students and my juniors the EU4EU program and I will explain to them the importance of the program in detail. I hope other students get this wonderful programme to enhance their work experience and career opportunities.

EU4EU Team