Kseniia Harshina in our interview about the University of Klagenfurt Technology Scholarship

Kseniia comes from Ukraine. She studies the Master’s degree programme Game Studies and Engineering at the University of Klagenfurt. She talked to us about her passion for games and how she was able to benefit from being a Technology Scholarship holder. Kseniia has recently started her internship at Lakeside Labs and strongly encourages everyone to apply for a Technology Scholarship. Read more about her experience in the interview below.

Tell us something about yourself, where do you come from, what do you study at the University of Klagenfurt? Write a short story.

My name is Kseniia. I come from Ukraine, more specifically from Kyiv. I did my bachelor’s in the field of Software Engineering at the National Technical University of Ukraine. Here at the University of Klagenfurt I am very happy to study in the Game Studies and Engineering master degree program. Excited to be doing this interview, thank you for asking me to participate!

 

Why did you decide on your desired study program? Was it clear from the beginning what you want to study? Why did you choose the University of Klagenfurt for your Master’s degree programme?

I’ve loved games ever since I was a kid and so after getting my bachelor’s in Software Engineering it seemed like an obvious solution to combine my skills and my passion for games. I chose the University of Klagenfurt mainly because of the Game Studies and Engineering program, I was especially fascinated by its interdisciplinary nature – the way the program combines both technical and cultural aspects of games.

 

Has your view of the world changed through your studies? If yes, how?

Oh definitely, I think when you’re immersed in any topic for a long amount of time it changes your perception of the world. And I feel that having both technical and cultural  courses greatly enriched my worldview. Also, of course living in a foreign country can’t help but influence you in many ways from immersing you in a new culture and language to expanding your understanding of yourself and the world.

 

You are a Technology Scholarships holder. How is that for you? In what ways did you benefit from the scholarship?

I feel extremely lucky that I have found the OeAD Technology Scholarship grant. Being a Technology Scholarship holder has benefited me in so many ways, first and foremost it gave me the ability to pursue my dream of studying games. In fact, I don’t think I would be here in Klagenfurt at all if it weren’t for this grant! But besides giving me the opportunity to support myself through my first year of studies, I have also benefited from the scholarship in plenty other ways like: finding a great internship, taking German courses and getting overall support throughout the year.

 

Tell us a little bit more about your internship experience (Where have you done/are doing your internship? For how long have you been working there? Which task do/did you have to do?, etc.).  

I started my internship at the beginning of this month (October 2021) at Lakeside Labs GmbH. Lakeside Labs is a scientific research company that specializes in self-organizing networked systems. Currently I am working there on a project about swarm intelligence. I’m really excited to be working on the project as well being a part of a team of inspiring people.

 

Would you also recommend other prospective students to apply for the Technology Scholarships? Can you tell us why?

Of course! The application process for any grant or scholarship might seem daunting at first, however it is definitely worth the effort! With Technology Scholarships you will get all the support you need to get closer to achieving your academic and career goals and plus you will be a part of a supportive community of like-minded people. So please don’t hesitate, future scholarship holder, believe in yourself and go ahead and apply!

 

What are your future plans and goals?

After finishing my Mater’s thesis, I would like to continue doing scientific research, applying for a PhD position, and hopefully opening my own game development company sometime in the future.