Vasilis Markopoulos took a leave in the 5th year of his mathematics studies at his Home University, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, to do a semester abroad with the mobility program CIVIS Erasmus+. CIVIS is an alliance of 11 leading Universities across Europe and their mobility program differs from Erasmus+ as you can only visit one of the member Universities. Vasilis is an excellent English speaker and his first choice for the cooperation partner was the Stockholm University, where a lot of lectures are provided in English. Instead, he was chosen for the spot at the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg.

Typically undertaken at an early stage of the studies, some of his friends had already completed the experience with Erasmus+ and highly recommended the program. They motivated him towards his own adventure, but none of them had been in Salzburg. Despite his at first overwhelming fear to go to a foreign country with almost no background information in hand and the doubts he felt about making the right decision, his journey turned out to be wonderful.

“My time as an CIVIS Erasmus+ exchange student at the Paris Lodron Universitat of Salzburg has been an enriching academic odyssey. Embarking on this journey was a leap of faith, tinged with skepticism about studying and living abroad for the first time. Nestled amidst the stunning landscapes of Austria, the university’s breathtaking architecture, a blend of historic elegance and modernity, served as a welcoming beacon, reassuring me that I had made the right choice.”

Vasilis experienced typical struggles at the beginning, such as the language barrier and not knowing anybody here. Only one class was provided in English throughout, named “Complex Variables” by Dr. Liao – all the other courses were held in German. But after a while he got to know some classmates, who explained how things work here in Salzburg and at the PLUS and who shared material for the classes. In addition, a friendly teaching assistant helped him not only to obtain proper study notes but also with translation problems during the lectures.

In Greece on the other hand, its common sense that professors introduce Erasmus+ students right away to the class, so that at the end of the lecture students always come to socialize with the expats. By exchanging social media contacts and inviting them to join their study groups or share their learning material, exchange students have a great support in the initial phase of their semester.

However, in Greece there are no exercise courses and because of the high number of students, one doesn’t have the chance to ask questions during the lectures. Students must keep up with the pace of the lecturers and are forced to do a lot of self-studies afterwards. Furthermore, information is mainly provided via the blackboard, and one is never forced to present their own solutions to the audience. Vasilis thinks, that applying the knowledge one gains during the lecture is a key part in understanding the subject matter and contributes mainly to the outstanding education here at the mathematics department in Salzburg.

“Despite the initial challenges of adapting to a new culture and environment, the kindness and support of both my professors and my peers eased my transition. Their willingness to lend a guiding hand and offer words of encouragement transformed my uncertainties into opportunities for growth. In the lecture halls of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, I discovered a dynamic learning environment, characterized by interactive teaching methods and engaging discussions. The professors‘ eagerness to assist me, regardless of the natural barrier that separated us, was truly commendable. Whether through patient explanations, supplementary material in English or extra office hours, they went above and beyond to ensure my engagement with the course material and the success of my studies.”

Vasilis would especially like to thank Prof. Schröder for switching the spoken language in his lecture “Numerical Analysis” spontaneously to English for the ongoing semester! For him, this is a good example of the friendly supervisor – student relation at the mathematics department here at the Paris Lodron University Salzburg. Furthermore, Vasilis enjoyed not only the landscapes and nature in and around the city but also the people and kindness he experienced.

“Moreover, beyond academia, the beautiful city of Salzburg itself served as a captivating backdrop for my CIVIS Erasmus+ experience, since I did not only expand my academic horizons but also embraced a lifestyle brimming with new adventures and friendships.”

Facts File:

sporty
Vasilis was competing in track and field as well as men’s artistic gymnastics in the past. In Salzburg, he started playing beach volleyball and was pleased by the large number of public courts one can use

unpleasant
Vasilis has bad hay fever and suffered throughout the semester because of the pollen

unexpected
Spring is so beautiful in Salzburg and it’s even hotter than he imagined (running around in just a t-shirt)

stunning
The CIVIS exchange student was impressed not only by the architecture of the city and the big public parks such as the “Volksgarten”, but also by how well organized everything was

convenient
It’s nice that Salzburg is such a walkable city

impressive
At the age of 7 Vasilis started to learn English and was already proficient by the age of 16

social
He worked for 2 years as a math teacher for kids aged between 10-16 in a private school (typically afternoon schools in Greece)

enthusiastic
His chosen specialization within the mathematics study is “applied mathematics” due to his interest in economics, AI and programming

organized
At the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens 14 subjects are mandatory, to be completed with 36 chosen subjects out of 100 possibilities

selectable
Vasilis chose 4 subjects, each consisting of lectures and exercises:

• • • Complex Variables by Dr. Naian Liao
    • Numerical Analysis by Prof. Andreas Schröder
    • Algebra 2 by Prof. Clemens Fuchs
    • Number Theory by Prof. Wolfgang Schmid

important
Exams are usually scheduled to take place after the courses have ended, but as financial support from CIVIS ERASMUS+ ends on the last day of the courses, earlier exam dates have to be arranged with the lecturers in order to gain the required ECTS points.