Christine Agalomba comes from Kenya and is studying her second year on the master’s programme Electronic Government at Örebro University. She is here on the scholarship –Spider (Sida), which is administered by the e-government department.
- I started looking up anglophone countries. I always dreamt of going to London. Actually, it was some friends at a NGO in Tanzania that first suggested that I should come to Scandinavia. There were no tuition fees here, so all I needed was money to support myself.
At first, she came to Örebro University to study global journalism but she soon found the e-government programme much more interesting. The e-government programme studies the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in public administration combined with organisational change and new skills in order to improve public services and democratic processes. The master’s programme e-government is tailored for developing countries.
- The e-government programme is wonderful. It is challenging with Wikis, conceptualization and making it real. It is scientific thinking as well as very practical. It also has a clear focus on the future. ICT is important for countries that are developing, like my home country. I want to be an ICT 4D Consultant. When I go back I have the chance of becoming a pioneer!
Örebro University has also grown on Christine.
- It is a modern university, with new buildings and great facilities. There are very good teachers at the e-government programme. Here you can really cultivate your critical thinking. You have seminars here, which are very rare in Kenya. Seminars are a good thing. You can discuss the work of your class mates and you can train your skills in critical thinking.
The Swedes do intrigue Christine.
- My first impression was that it seemed like they did not care about other people. After some time they started to open up. You have to make contact with them, go and say hello and they will respond. Swedes are really very helpful. They stand and listen to you when you ask them a question or for directions. In Sweden maybe 90 per cent understand English, so it is easy to communicate with Swedes. The Swedish society is very much about equality. I really like that.
When Christine is asked about what she thinks of Örebro she smiles.
- Örebro is a good place for students. It is very cold here in the winter. So people tend to stay indoors. There are many class parties, and parties in the student hall. It is also fairly cheap here with accommodation and stuff. It is clean and a calm place.
The plans for the future are not set in stone but Christine would like to stay in Sweden to do her PhD.
