International Alumni participants of E-JUST Visiting Program in Spring 2024 (Part 2)

During the E-JUST visiting program, the interview was conducted to all participants. Here are their messages for E-JUST current students and alumni.

“For current students, work hard. It is possible to achieve everything, but everything is based on you. Trust that E-JUST is a stepping stone that can actually take you anywhere in the world. Keep in contact with your professors and keep the tie close, as it will allow you to share your skills. For alumni, come back to E-JUST because we are the one making it stronger. When our fellows see us coming back, we act as a motivation for them. They will feel like I want to become like Stephen. We are the one to build E-JUST. “(Mr. Stephen/Kenya)

“Work hard and do your research, this is my message to current students. Your MSc degree from E-JUST will make a difference. The paper that you are going to get from E-JUST is not the same as what you have. From this you can pursue your dreams like PhD. For alumni, be more engaged and apply for programs like this to connect to professors for future collaborations. Having a face to face discussion with the professors is better than online discussions.” (Ms. Mwayi/Malawi)

“I know that research can be tough especially if you are coming from an African country. You may feel that the level of research you will meet at E-JUST is of a higher spec. You will need to put a lot of effort, which may seem discouraging to some. As an international student, you have more challenges than the local students, because of the long distance from home, no family etc. At E-JUST, your only support system is the international student’s association, who are your second family along with the Egyptian professors and students. So don’t think that you are alone. Always communicate when you need assistance. Try to develop skills to become sociable and connect with people even when you face a challenge. Research can be challenging but it’s not impossible. There are a lot of Alumni who are a living proof that it can be done and you can do even more than them. Reach out to them when you need support. Wherever you go, you are representing E-JUST with how you carry yourself, how you assist others and how you approach research. E-JUST is a very good place for research and is a foundation for research because there are sophisticated resources and equipment for experiments, which you may not find in other places. E-JUST is a very rich place filled with good equipment for characterization, investigation, and analysis.” (Mr. Allan/Zimbabwe)

“Keep pressing on, and never give up. There is always hope no matter the challenge you are facing. Come back to E-JUST and engage with current students. Try to joins programs like this because it builds a strong network in terms of career progression. It gives the hope you need when you are working on a research and feel stuck somewhere or lose hope. Once you see people, maybe people in your own field coming around and talking to them, receiving guidance and tips is a very good initiative”. (Mr. Hudson/Kenya)

“It is normal to feel stressed or overwhelmed, but in the end, you can do it. It is really important to collaborate within yourselves, you can realize many things amongst yourselves and the professors. Don’t restrict yourself. Appreciate the culture around and make friends because they will act as your support system. You have to realize that being an EJUST Alumni is something very exceptional, specifically when it comes to the quality of knowledge you get from E-JUST. Because it is this knowledge that has led me to where I am today and become a deputy coordinator of Research and Development center which was a competitive position. You should be confident to be an E-JUST alumni”. (Mr. Roice/Uganda)

“Current students, work hard. Life in general is not a rosy park, there are a lot of challenges and I believe these challenges make life interesting because when you overcome one, you feel fulfilled. Not everything is smooth in life. You need to be prepared for any unfortunate circumstances. Be persistent and never give up. And, try to come back home to E-JUST. Even if you had challenges during your stay at E-JUST either because of being treated unfairly in the course work or other reasons, E-JUST’s research level is advanced which increases your chances for future opportunities. So, no matter how you feel about the treatment at E-JUST, E-JUST has left an indelible mark in your academic milestone, so any time E-JUST calls for the alumni, try to come back”. (Mr. Prince/Ghana)

These messages from active alumni give encouragement to current and other alumni for their study in E-JUST and their future career. Also, introducing these voices can be a valuable support to promote TICAD8 scholarship, which is for studying in E-JUST for African students.