#UNYTGraduates that make us proud! – A.Ulndreaj

I remember it was the Orientation Day of the bachelor program at UNYT, in the fall of 2012, and a presentation was arranged by the academic staff of the university where every professor was to provide advice and clarifications to the freshmen about the different study programs that UNYT offered. At one point, Professor Adam takes the floor and after giving us very detailed insights of the International Relations program, he ends by saying this, “A few days ago, I happened to meet a former student of UNYT and she was telling me how much she misses her days as a student and if she had the chance she would gladly experience that journey all over again.” And me after hearing that, I was like in my head “Whatttt?! Experiencing it all over again? Is she serious? I haven’t even started and I cannot wait to get done with it and she wants to experience this twice?” Apparently, little did I know of what I was talking about and the great experience that was in store for me. The bachelor years at UNYT for me will always be remembered as a period of studies where it was not only about the hard word, but it truly felt like an exciting exploration of the unknown, but much-promising lands. Many times, the phrase “…you will discover new ideas and perspectives” is expressed, to the point of maybe becoming a cliché, but in this case, it couldn’t be less than an awesome truth. The objectives of developing and enriching yourself both academically and personally indeed can be realized through different academic institutions. However, what makes UNYT so special is its academic staff and its teaching philosophy. In particular, being a student of IR will give you additional benefits in contrast to other disciplines, due to the fact that you will have the chance to study a wide variety of subjects, besides politics. As such, you will gain a more complete education which will be significantly beneficial for you, both culturally and professionally. As for the teaching philosophy and the professors of the IR program, the main principal is the use of ‘critical thinking’. The professors will not only teach you what at first might be perceived as ‘stone-cold’ facts, but they will mainly train and encourage you to use this set of knowledge for the creation of your own ideas, arguments, and worldview. Sometimes, the professors may seem too strict and demanding towards you, but you should rest assured that the only reason they might behave in this manner is that they want to bring up the best of you. And the most unexpected thing that you will get to discover is the way that the professors are going to communicate with you. They will be formal and strict when they have to, but they will also be amazingly informal and easy-going when the circumstances allow it (usually most of the time). As for the aspect of your academic evaluation, you should know that this process will always be based on the principle of meritocracy. No matter who you are or where you come from, you will always receive an objective, uninfluenced by external factors, treatment. Finally, the fact that I am currently a MA student at UNYT, probably means that I, as well, missed UNYT after I finished my bachelors’ studies, and as such, I decided to relive it once more. This time through a new and unique path.