How Abdul Wahab, a Pakistani Scholar, Secured a Fully Funded Master’s Through the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship

Name: Abdul Wahab

Country: Pakistan

Universities: Åbo Akademi University (Finland) and Mälardalen University (Sweden)

Degree: Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Degree in Engineering of Data-intensive Intelligent Software Systems (EDISS)

Previous Education: Bachelor's in Computer Science, FAST National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Pakistan, Summa Cum Laude

Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Details

Erasmus Mundus Scholarship, fully funded (tuition fees, monthly living allowance, health and accident insurance, and travel support)

Educational Background

Before joining Erasmus Mundus, I completed my Bachelor's in Computer Science from FAST National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Faisalabad, Pakistan, graduating Summa Cum Laude. During my studies, I received several academic distinctions, including gold medals, Rector's List honors, and a merit scholarship.

After graduation, I worked as a Software Engineer for around two years, gaining experience in backend development, databases, cloud infrastructure, and different stages of software development, from understanding client requirements to delivering the final product.

This experience gave me a strong technical foundation and sparked my interest in how machine learning and data engineering could complement traditional software systems, which eventually led me to EDISS. Working with international clients, particularly from the US, also helped me become comfortable collaborating with people from different backgrounds.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Åbo Akademi University & Mälardalen University?

My preparation started with researching EDISS thoroughly, including its structure, courses, career opportunities, and what the program expected from applicants.

I also connected with current students and alumni on LinkedIn to learn from their experiences. Many were kind enough to answer my questions and even review my CV, which I really appreciated.

One thing I paid particular attention to was tailoring my CV to the program. I tried putting myself in the evaluator's position, focusing on what would actually matter to them. Since the reviewer might not necessarily have a technical background, the challenge was to explain my achievements clearly without overwhelming them with technical details.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship? How Competitive Was It, and What Made Your Application Stand Out?

Erasmus Mundus is highly competitive, so I knew a generic application wouldn't be enough.

I managed to apply to only two programs, EDISS and SECCLO. Fortunately, I received the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for EDISS and made it to the top reserve list for SECCLO.

A significant amount of time went into refining my motivation letters. I still remember making more than 30 revisions for one of the programs, trying to explain not just my achievements but how my background and future goals aligned with the program.

I believe my academic record, professional experience, and the effort put into connecting both with the program's objectives helped my application stand out.

Were You Offered Any Other Scholarships?

N/A for other master's scholarship offers.

I also applied to the Erasmus Mundus SECCLO program and reached its top reserve list, but did not receive a scholarship offer.

Could You Briefly Discuss the Erasmus Mundus Program You Pursued and Its Field of Study?

EDISS (Engineering of Data-intensive Intelligent Software Systems) is a two-year Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's program focusing on software engineering, data-intensive systems, and machine learning.

The first year was at Åbo Akademi University in Finland, followed by Mälardalen University in Sweden, where I specialized in Industrial Machine Learning.

One of the things I particularly enjoyed was working on real industrial problems. For example, our team collaborated with Volvo Construction Equipment on a machine learning solution for early gearbox fault detection. We even visited their facility in Sweden, saw the manufacturing process, and presented our solution.

The program also included winter schools in L'Aquila, Italy, and Helsinki, Finland, offering opportunities to meet researchers, connect with fellow students, and visit companies such as Nokia and Nordea.

What Did You Pursue After the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship?

During my master's, I joined Zoined, a Finnish analytics company, as a Data Engineer Trainee. My work involved developing custom data integrations, maintaining data pipelines, and handling customer-related technical issues. This opportunity later turned into a full-time Data Engineer position.

My master's thesis was also based on a research idea provided by Zoined, titled "Evaluating Grounding Strategies for Factual Accuracy and Information Coverage in LLM-Generated Review Summaries."

In simple terms, the research explored how to make AI-generated customer review summaries more accurate and reliable. I compared different approaches to understand how well they could summarize information without introducing incorrect or unsupported claims.

The results showed that each approach had its strengths and weaknesses, with no single method performing best in every situation.

The thesis is publicly available here:
https://doria.fi/handle/10024/195585

How Did the Cost of Living Vary Across the Countries? How Did You Manage Financially?

Finland and Sweden were fairly similar in terms of living costs, although Sweden was slightly more expensive in my experience.

The Erasmus Mundus Scholarship made managing expenses much easier, covering tuition fees and providing financial support for living expenses.

Personally, I found Finland more convenient for students, particularly because of affordable student housing, subsidized meals, and other student facilities.

The EDISS administration was also very supportive, helping us settle in Finland and later transition to Sweden. Overall, managing expenses wasn't particularly difficult, largely thanks to the scholarship.

Would Potential Students Have Any Problems Not Knowing Finnish/Swedish? Did the Language of Instruction Change?

Fortunately, language wasn't a major barrier in either country. English is widely spoken in Finland and Sweden, and the language of instruction remained English throughout the program.

Of course, everyday situations sometimes required translating Finnish or Swedish. In fact, I still have Google Translate as a shortcut on my phone's lock screen!

Both countries also felt quite similar in terms of weather, lifestyle, and education, which made the transition relatively easy.

Would You Recommend Erasmus Mundus to Others? What Advice Would You Give?

Absolutely! Erasmus Mundus is an experience I'd highly recommend, not just for the academics but for everything that comes with it.

Studying in different countries, meeting people from around the world, understanding their cultures, and working together despite different backgrounds are experiences that stay with you.

Being somewhat introverted myself, the program also pushed me outside my comfort zone and helped me build connections I might not have made otherwise.

For future applicants, my advice would be to start early, research the programs thoroughly, and put genuine effort into the application. Don't treat your CV or motivation letter as just another requirement; make sure they complement each other. Make them relevant to the program and clearly explain why you're a good fit.

I'd also encourage reaching out to current students and alumni. Their experiences can offer insights that aren't always available on university websites.

Most importantly, be patient and don't cut corners. The process is competitive, but it's worth giving your best.

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Were Going Through the Process Again?

Looking back, I would have made more effort to connect with people earlier and explore the countries I lived in.

Being somewhat introverted, it took time to realize how much you can learn simply by meeting people from different backgrounds.

Two years pass surprisingly quickly, and while academics matter, the people you meet and the experiences you gain outside the classroom are just as valuable.