Rukudzo Paradza

Hey there! I am Rukudzo, a Structural Engineering postgraduate student. I was born and raised in Zimbabwe where I completed majority of my schooling but moved to the UK for my tertiary education. I am also a recipient of the Beit Trust Scholarship.

I worked for two years in industry before coming to the University of Leeds, having previously completed an Honours degree in Bachelors of Civil Engineering. Taking a gap between my Bachelors and my Masters degree was crucial because at the time I was not sure what I wanted to specialise in. University of Leeds could not have been a better choice. It was important to me for my postgraduate university to be one that is research intensive, highly ranked and has a high graduate employment rating.

Having been out of teaching and coming from another country, my biggest fear was that I might struggle to grasp particular concepts or find it difficult to adjust to a new environment on top of the sudden demand in workload. A concern that is also shared by mature students and someone who is pivoting from their career. However, seeing the systems and resources that University of Leeds have in place assured me early on that help is everywhere, I just have to ask. The module leaders and lecturers appreciate your background and therefore their teaching takes that into consideration. And as they always say, there is no such thing as a silly question.

One thing that impressed me about University of Leeds has to be their intentionality in their career support throughout your studies and even after graduation. The university makes it a point to help you achieve your career goals with extended support even after you become university alumni, you will still have access to their graduate schemes and jobs exclusive to the university and one-to-one career support.

The University of Leeds is situated in West Yorkshire, much quieter than London which makes a perfect study environment for the average student — less distractions. I live in a shared university student accommodation, where the university campus and city centre are both a 10 minute walk away. Around Leeds are other accommodation options whether you are looking for comfort or budget. I prefer student accommodation as I am likely to meet my peers and the contracts align with university term dates as well, making it less stressful for planning especially during dissertation period.

Leeds is still a vibrant city. Plenty of activities to do especially if you are into hiking and nature. The university also offers more than 350 sports and societies to chose from and if you can't find the one, there is a chance to make your own. There are societies related to your course such as Women In Engineering society and other groups that are for fun whatever level of skill or proficiency.

Overall I think the University of Leeds is a great place and I have been happy with my decision. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at [email protected].