YSU gave me the foundational knowledge I needed - student Nare Movsisyan

– Nare, you left for Germany on an exchange program while still studying at YSU. How did a six-month program turn into a full year, and what did you gain professionally during that time?

– I had gone for six months. But while I was there, I applied to the Erasmus+ program again and was able to extend my studies abroad to a full year. I also took the opportunity to complete my compulsory internship there.

At Aalen University, I studied several courses central to my field — Mathematical and Applied Statistics, Machine Learning, Time Series, and Data Analysis. One of the strengths of the program was its project-based approach: we worked on numerous projects across our courses, which allowed us to put theory into practice directly.

– In Germany, you didn't just study — you also taught. How did you go from student to teaching assistant, and how did the internship offer from Carl Zeiss AG come about? 

– Already in my second semester, two of my lecturers invited me to teach sessions for a mathematics preparatory course designed for students applying to their engineering departments. I later led practical seminars alongside lectures in linear algebra for bachelor's students. 

I then had the opportunity to join the university laboratory's machine learning team as an intern and complete my compulsory YSU internship there. At the end of the internship, I received an offer from Carl Zeiss AG, a German engineering company working in a related field, to join their machine learning and research team. That internship begins in June, which is why I am heading back. 

– You are now in your final year. What is your thesis on?

– I am in my fourth year and will be defending my thesis in a few days. I am working on a complex and highly relevant topic: numerical and machine-learning-based approximations for solving partial differential equations in problems of financial mathematics.

– What drove you to pursue your education abroad — strong academic results, or something else?

– Academic performance matters, I won't deny that. But my biggest motivation came from my university friends, who encouraged me to apply and believe in myself. I should say, though, that without the education I received at YSU, I would not have achieved what I did abroad.

– What differences did you notice between the two universities — in teaching approaches and in how lecturers engaged with students?

– My lecturers in Germany were a major reason I chose to stay for an extra semester. The way they recognized my knowledge and the opportunities they opened up for me were invaluable. We are still in touch, and they continue to support me as I prepare for my next internship.

It was YSU and my lecturers in Armenia who gave me the foundational knowledge on which my success is being built.

– Studying in a multicultural environment, which nationalities did you encounter, and what were the advantages and disadvantages of that environment? 

– I have always been drawn to different cultures, so this was a genuinely exciting period for me. I studied alongside students from across Europe — French, Spanish, Belgian, German, Romanian, Bulgarian, and Italian — as well as Japanese, Korean, and South American students from Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador, and Paraguay, and students from Mexico and the United States.

There were moments of culture shock, but a positive attitude went a long way. The one disadvantage was that many students came for only six months. You grow close to people quickly, form real friendships, and then suddenly you are left keeping those connections alive online — which is quite saddening. 

– What are your plans going forward?

– My immediate goal is to join the machine learning team at Carl Zeiss AG and develop my skills there. After that, I plan to apply for a master's program in Germany, again focusing on statistics and data science.