Student Profile

About me

Name: Goran
Course: Architecture, Planning and Landscape MPhil, PhD
Study mode: Full time
Where I’m from: Iran

Choosing Newcastle

I always wanted to study in a high ranking university but this was not the only reason for choosing Newcastle. The Newcastle University campus is located within the city centre and this gives you a sense of being in the middle of the friendly city of Newcastle.

Before coming here I got offers from other universities in the UK. My friend told me about the city and advised me that I would enjoy life here, choosing a university is not all about the studying. I like that the university here is not shut off, but is connected to the city.

Studying at Newcastle

Studying at Newcastle not only gives you a high chance to improve your career prospects, both professional and academic, but also gives you valuable experiences regarding experiencing new people and cultures.

Before moving to Newcastle I worked on a project related to participation for the municipality, so I wrote a proposal based on participation and how people perceive sense of place before and after participation.

Doing a PhD at Newcastle University has been like a journey from uncertainty to certainty. Before, doing a PhD to me was simply writing a thesis but very soon I found out that it is much more than this. Thinking about my research impact in a wider context, looking at it from different angles and, more importantly, keeping a balance between social and academic life were some of the skills I learned here.

Postgraduate community

We have a friendly community in both our School and Faculty. This summer we held a student conference, this was an international student-led conference. Students from many countries were involved and it was a great experience. We had to learn how to put together and organise an academic event, and this kind of event can be quite difficult to organise!.

Funding my studies

I am a self-funded student.

Career aspirations

I would probably like to work in an academic area teaching and I would also like to work outside teaching. I currently work for the RIBA, I am doing research into the market for them.

Accommodation

I am living in a shared house with two other postgraduate students. We live in Arthurs Hill which is only a 15-20 minute walk from campus and is quite cheap.

I used to live in University accommodation for one year (first year), this was called Jesmond Road and was really good because there was always someone nearby.

Living in Newcastle

I enjoy living in cities like Newcastle because they are not too big and not too small! It is not a very big city which warrants spending hours and hours in traffic and commuting, but it is also not so small that it feels boring. This scale allows you to cycle and walk through the city every day, which makes the city spaces very reachable.

I think the most important part of every city is the people, and the people are very friendly and happy. If you compare with the south of the UK I feel very comfortable here.

Remembering Newcastle

I would never forget Newcastle. I think this city and also the University have had big impacts on me. I can remember the first day when I arrived here and now I am a different person in both academic and non-academic life.