Participation in international exchange programs is not only an opportunity to see the world, but also a chance to experience a different style of learning, meet new people and look at education from a new perspective.
Valeriia Debretsena, a third-year student majoring in Architecture and Urban Planning at Lviv Polytechnic, shared her experience of participating in the BUP Student Conference 2025, which took place at Tallinn University, Estonia. She told about how student life is organized abroad, how Estonian education differs from Ukrainian, and why after participating in an exchange program it is difficult to say goodbye not only to the people, but also to the atmosphere of study.
– How did you find out about the exchange program and where exactly did you study?
– I follow the updates on the Lviv Polytechnic website, but I learned about the BUP Student Conference 2025 from a friend who also participated in it. The conference was held at Tallinn University in Estonia.
It is worth noting that participation in the program involved a competitive selection process that was conducted among students throughout Ukraine. Thanks to the active work of The Baltic University Programme, which has been operating at the National Center at Lviv Polytechnic since 2024, Valeria and several other university students passed this selection process and represented Ukraine at the conference.
– What are the peculiarities of studying in Estonia?
– At Tallinn University, there is less theory and more practice. Lectures were not long – if the topic was exhausted early, the class was over. There were lots of workshops and panel discussions. I really liked the lack of hierarchy among teachers and students – it created an open, creative environment.
