The right time to return to academia

What motivated me to study in the UK?

Studying for a postgraduate degree abroad had been one of my goals since graduating from university. After several years of developing my career as an architect, I felt it was the right time to return to academia, question some of the ideas and approaches I had worked with until then, and discover new ways of understanding architecture and the city.

I chose the UK because I was looking for an education that combined research, experimentation and design, while allowing me to explore methodologies that were different from those, I was already familiar with. Among the different options I considered, the University of Edinburgh particularly caught my attention because of its academic approach and the opportunity to study architecture in a city with such a distinctive urban, historical and landscape identity.

Edinburgh itself also became an important part of my learning experience. Being able to study the city while living in it allowed me to observe the relationships between architecture, landscape, heritage and nature from a different perspective, and to reflect on how some of this knowledge could eventually be transferred and adapted to other contexts, particularly my own country.

Another important motivation was the challenge of studying entirely in English. Beyond the language itself, I wanted to prove to myself that I could develop academically and professionally within an international environment, communicate my ideas effectively, and work alongside people from different parts of the world.
 

What was my academic, personal and cultural experience like?

My experience throughout the Master's has been intense, but it has also been one of the most enriching periods of my academic journey. The teaching methodology allowed me to explore architecture from perspectives that I had not previously had the opportunity to develop in such depth.

One of the things I enjoyed most was the opportunity to experiment. The University offers workshops, fabrication facilities and a wide range of resources that allow ideas to move beyond drawings and screens. Throughout the Master's, I was able to conduct research, produce physical models, work with different materials and explore different forms of representation. This made the design process much more open and experimental.

Architecture is a demanding discipline, and the pace of the Master's can be quite intense, particularly during submission periods. However, something that made an important difference was knowing that support was always available. My professors and supervisors were present throughout the development of our projects, not only providing academic guidance but also understanding the challenges that can arise during such a demanding creative process.

Outside the University, living in Edinburgh greatly enriched the overall experience. It is a city where history, architecture and landscape are constantly present. Walking through its streets allows you to encounter different layers of the city's history, while at the same time experiencing a very active cultural life, with festivals, exhibitions and events taking place throughout much of the year.

Studying here made me realise that the university experience does not take place only inside the classroom. The city itself, the people you meet and the culture you experience also become an important part of your education.
 

What have I learned from this experience?

Probably one of the most important things I am taking away from the Master's is a much broader understanding of architecture.

Previously, I tended to approach design primarily from the perspective of human needs and the relationship between people and space. During the Master's, I began to understand territory as a much more complex system, in which climate, water, topography, vegetation, ecosystems and other species also play an important role.

This perspective gradually changed the way I design. Architecture stopped being, for me, simply a built object and became an intervention within a much broader network of environmental, social and territorial relationships.

I believe this way of thinking is particularly relevant in light of the challenges we currently face, such as climate change, biodiversity loss and the transformation of our ecosystems. As architects and urban designers, we have the opportunity, but also the responsibility, to imagine ways of living that respond more consciously to these conditions. This reflection is also connected to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the need to incorporate these challenges into the education of future generations of professionals.

However, my learning has not been purely academic. Moving to another country, studying in another language and adapting to a different culture also means constantly learning about yourself. This experience has taught me to be more independent, flexible and open to different ways of thinking. It has also given me the opportunity to meet people from different cultures and understand that there can be many different ways of approaching the same challenge.
 

What do I wish I had known before arriving?

If I could go back to the time before I arrived, one of the first things I would have liked to know is how challenging it can be to find accommodation in Edinburgh, particularly between August and September. During this period, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the large number of visitors to the city and the arrival of new students all coincide, significantly increasing the demand for accommodation. My recommendation to future students would be to start looking for accommodation well in advance.

I also wish I had known more about all the resources available to me as a student before starting the Master's. The University has numerous workshops, fabrication facilities, libraries and other academic resources that can contribute enormously to the development of projects. A more specific introduction to these opportunities from the beginning would have been extremely useful and would have allowed me to make the most of them from my first few months.

There are also some small aspects of everyday life that I wish I had been better prepared for. One of them is the weather. For someone coming from Latin America, adapting to the cold, wind and rain and particularly to the changing hours of daylight throughout the seasons can take some time. Knowing what type of clothing and equipment is genuinely necessary would have made my first few months considerably easier.

Finally, I would recommend listening to different Scottish accents before arriving. You can have a good level of English and still need some time to adjust to certain accents and local expressions. Over time, your ear becomes accustomed to them, and this eventually becomes another interesting part of the experience of living in Scotland.

Looking back, even these small challenges became part of the learning experience. Studying abroad has not only meant gaining new knowledge about architecture, but also learning how to navigate a completely different environment and discovering new perspectives that I hope to carry forward into my professional future.

- Djanira Alexandra