Cheltenham is a perfect place to complete your studies

Amuda Adeolu is from Nigeria, he is studying MSc Mechatronics Engineering and wants to become a professor.

Ambition

When I was a kid I wanted to become a university professor. I still want to become a professor or work with Google or NASA, but to become successful in my career, I need a PhD.

I completed my first degree in my home country of Nigeria and I am now doing a Master’s in Mechatronics Engineering at University of Gloucestershire. After that, I hope to do my PhD – I am taking it one step at a time.

Joining university

When I started thinking about doing a Master’s, I applied to many universities. I got several offers and out of all these, University of Gloucestershire’s administrative staff were responsive and talked to me in a way that I felt at home. That was part of the reason why I chose this university. I did a lot of online research and concluded this was an ideal place for me. 

The International Grant award was just what I needed to help with my finances – it made it easier.

Settling in

I planned my journey properly and ensured I had everything I needed, from basic things to accommodation. The weather is definitely challenging, but the accommodation provided by the University and rooms in the student village have heating, so I am fine.

After I got my admission offer, I also got an email from the University with several accommodation offers. I selected and paid for my accommodation before coming to the country. My first night was at the student village which made life easy. It is easier to make friends when you are in a student village – you feel as if you are interacting with your second family. You meet people from different backgrounds and different cultures.

Cheltenham is a perfect place to complete your studies – it is quiet and safe. You feel as if you’re in your second home.

The course

I never thought that mechatronics engineering was going to be so interesting. The lecturers are very supportive, and they want to ensure you are successful in your career. They want to be sure that you reach out to them whenever you face a challenge, so they can help you.  

To be honest, the modules can be challenging. For example, the engineering modelling and simulation module is very tough if you do not have solid background in engineering. However, the teachers do everything they can to make sure you’re successful and achieve your goals.

As part of the course, we went to a fair at the Birmingham NEC – it was my first experience stepping out of Cheltenham. I got to see a lot, from the aerospace industry to biomedical and computing, and everything in between. I was introduced to different companies and possible future employers.

Facilities

We had a session on the robotic system in one of my modules. We interacted with TurtleBot3 using ROS (Robot Operating System), and it was really interesting. The equipment at University of Gloucestershire exceeded my expectations.

I spend a good portion of my time in the Pittville study room and the university library. It is open 24 hours a day. This is a very creative place to study and I can focus on my work. The library is well equipped and is a quiet place to work. I love reading, and there are a few books such as ‘The Art of Computer Programming’ by Professor Emeritus Donald Knuth that I’ve been looking for, but I couldn’t find a hard copy in my home country.

Advice

If you want to become successful, this is the right place. There are great teachers here with lecturers and supportive academic and non-academic staff. For me, success is making this world a better place by solving challenging problems.

University of Gloucestershire has a history of education going back to 1845, and is respected in both academia and industry. For me, there was no question that this is the right place to be.