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My year as an Information Management student

From Environment to Information, I took a step ahead towards achieving one of my goals. As an environmental engineer with years of experience, I have always valued the contribution of Information in advancing my domain. So, after researching different universities and courses in the UK, I ended up choosing to study MSc Information Management at the Information School (iSchool). The University of Sheffield is one of the top universities in the world. It is particularly recognized for having highly distinguished information courses.

The course itself is a mix of theoretical and practical modules, both of which are research-oriented. I found myself especially drawn to the practical ones. For example, in User-Centred Design and Human Computer Interaction, I learned about the psychology of human behaviour and how it affects people’s perception of and interaction with different interfaces. In general, the assignments are typically research essays. They are not difficult but would require early preparation. Most teachers are very helpful and supportive and class interaction is great.

Choosing Sheffield was not by chance. Sheffield is one of the safest, greenest, and most affordable cities in the UK. I really loved taking walks in its many parks. Crookes Valley park was one of my most visited, especially to unwind after a long day of lectures or after spending too much time working on my dissertation. The good thing is that there are several parks right next to the university, so if I were studying at the Information Commons library, a visit to one of these parks is only minutes away.

Although Sheffield is one of the calmer cities, you can also do some fun activities like hiking at the amazing Peak District or ice skating at IceSheffield. Be sure to take many friends with you on these activities or interact with the very friendly people of Sheffield.

In addition to all this, I was fortunate enough to be chosen as a student ambassador for the Information School. This experience was one of the highlights of my time as a student for many reasons. I got to meet other ambassadors from different countries and backgrounds while doing common tasks and assignments. These tasks were varied and interesting like translating the school’s flyers to Arabic, writing blog posts, designing infographics, and shooting videos. My favourite task was probably shooting a video about the university’s iconic buildings. Not only did it push me out of my comfort zone, but also introduced me to some of the most historic, artistic, and contemporary buildings on campus.

All in all, as a student ambassador, I felt much more connected to the university. I also appreciated that my voice was heard. Suggesting new ideas and potential projects was always met with enthusiasm and recognition, and I was thrilled to see some of my suggestions materialize.

As a student who lived and experienced the calm yet vibrant Sheffield, I would say it is the ideal place for a student to study and live at. If you end up coming here, be sure to surround yourself with the green spaces and lovely people. Cheers!

From Environment to Information, I took a step ahead towards achieving one of my goals. As an environmental engineer with years of experience, I have always valued the contribution of Information in advancing my domain. So, after researching different universities and courses in the UK, I ended up choosing to study MSc. Information Management at the Information School (iSchool). The University of Sheffield is one of the top universities in the world. It is particularly recognized for having highly distinguished information courses.

The course itself is a mix of theoretical and practical modules, both of which are research oriented. I found myself especially drawn to the practical ones. For example, in User-Centred Design and Human Computer Interaction, I learned about the psychology of human behaviour and how it affects people’s perception of and interaction with different interfaces. In general, the assignments are typically research essays. They are not difficult but would require early preparation. Most teachers are very helpful and supportive and class interaction is great.

Choosing Sheffield was not by chance. Sheffield is one of the safest, greenest, and most affordable cities in the UK. I really loved taking walks in its many parks. Crookes Valley park was one of my most visited, especially to unwind after a long day of lectures or after spending too much time working on my dissertation. The good thing is that there are several parks right next to the university, so if I were studying at the Information Commons library, a visit to one of these parks is only minutes away.

Although Sheffield is one of the calmer cities, you can also do some fun activities like hiking at the amazing Peak District or ice skating at IceSheffield. Be sure to take many friends with you on these activities or interact with the very friendly people of Sheffield.

In addition to all this, I was fortunate enough to be chosen as a student ambassador for the Information School. This experience was one of the highlights of my time as a student for many reasons. I got to meet other ambassadors from different countries and backgrounds while doing common tasks and assignments. These tasks were varied and interesting like translating the school’s flyers to Arabic, writing blog posts, designing infographics, and shooting videos. My favourite task was probably shooting a video about the university’s iconic buildings. Not only did it push me out of my comfort zone, but also introduced me to some of the most historic, artistic, and contemporary buildings on campus.

All in all, as a student ambassador, I felt much more connected to the university. I also appreciated that my voice was heard. Suggesting new ideas and potential projects was always met with enthusiasm and recognition, and I was thrilled to see some of my suggestions materialize.

As a student who lived and experienced the calm yet vibrant Sheffield, I would say it is the ideal place for a student to study and live at. If you end up coming here, be sure to surround yourself with the green spaces and lovely people. Cheers!

Ali Mroweh

MSc Information Management

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