Bleona Kuleta

Përshëndetje / Ahoj, I’m Bleona from Kosovo. I’m excited to introduce myself and share a little about my journey with you!

So, how did I end up in Spin Magazine?

As someone passionate about the environment but also eager to travel and experience more, I came across the IMETE joint Master’s programme hosted by UCT Prague, IHE Delft, and Ghent University. I was immediately drawn to it. The programme’s curriculum, multicultural environment, and broad future career opportunities were exactly what I was looking for. My journey started at UCT Prague, and it left such an impression that I knew I wanted to return at some point. One year later, when I saw a list of Master’s thesis topics offered here, the decision to come back was an easy one. With welcoming people, a vibrant international student community, excellent education, and the charm of a beautiful (and affordable!) city, choosing Prague as my new home for six months felt like the right choice. While writing my Master’s thesis at UCT Prague, I felt very supported by my supervisors, which gave me the motivation and confidence to take a step I had never imagined for myself, starting a PhD in the same environment. If someone had told me two years ago that this would be my path, I wouldn’t have believed it. Yet here I am, excited and fully motivated to start this new chapter.

How does studying at three different universities differ from your university back home?

Each of the three IMETE universities had its own teaching style, facilities, and academic culture. These differed not only from my university back home but also from one another. The most unique part for me was the international environment. Learning from professors from all over the world and working with classmates from diverse backgrounds and cultures gave me a perspective that I wouldn’t have experienced otherwise. Back in Kosovo, I was within my comfort zone, surrounded by my family, old friends, and my own culture and language. Here, I’ve been constantly challenged to adapt, to be more flexible, patient, independent, and open to new approaches and viewpoints. It wasn’t always easy, but it has definitely been rewarding by helping me grow both academically and personally.

What’s the most “Czech” experience you’ve had so far?

I’ve had plenty of “Czech” experiences, but my favourite has to be a UCT Prague excursion to a brewery lab. We learned how beer is brewed; part of the process was tasting the results at 10 in the morning. I hadn’t even had breakfast yet! It was such a contrast to my own culture and honestly, pretty funny, because I was definitely not prepared to start my day with beer instead of coffee.