Erasmus Mundus Scholar from Mexico, Angel Vargas, Shares His Journey of Pursuing a Double Master’s in Management and Engineering of Environment and Energy (ME3+) Across Hungary, France, and Sweden

My name is Angel Vargas. I am a master's student from Puebla, Mexico, with three years of experience in technological innovation and a strong personal commitment to climate action, which later led me to pursue a double master’s degree in Management and Engineering of Environment and Energy (ME3+), specializing in Life Cycle Assessment and resource recovery, in Europe through the fully funded Erasmus Mundus program. My studies have taken me to the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, IMT Atlantique in France, and the University of Borås in Sweden. I am currently completing my end-of-studies internship in Lyon at Rainbow, a startup focused on science-backed carbon credits.

Educational Background 

I studied Renewable Energy Engineering, a five-year program focused on understanding, researching, and applying sustainability and renewable energy technologies. Its holistic approach, which also emphasized sustainability systems, prepared me well for an international academic path. For example, I studied waste management models in Sweden during my undergraduate courses and later experienced them firsthand during my Erasmus Mundus studies. Throughout my degree, I developed strong analytical and critical thinking skills, as well as openness and adaptability. These skills led me to co-found a biodigester startup and work for two years as a patent engineer, and they have been essential in navigating a multi-country academic experience.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship?

I was in a comfort zone, professionally talking, but felt the need to deepen my expertise to create a greater impact in climate action. I explored several scholarships, including Fundación Carolina, Chevening (UK), and CONACYT (Mexico). However, Erasmus Mundus offered the most comprehensive academic and international program aligned with my goals, so I chose to apply exclusively to it. I was fortunate to be awarded the scholarship despite its high competitiveness, with only 14 selected out of 1,206 applicants for my program. I believe my strong convictions, clear career vision, and demonstrated impact in innovation and sustainability, including being awarded the state and municipal youth award of Puebla in innovation and climate action, made my application stand out.

Could You Briefly Discuss the Erasmus Mundus Program You Pursued and the Specific Field of Study It Focused On?

The Erasmus Mundus master’s program focused on project management within the environment and energy sectors. It offered three study tracks: 1. renewable energy integration; 2. environment and resource recovery toward the circular economy; and 3. smart cities and Industry 4.0.

I chose the track 2: Environment and Resource Recovery track. The program strengthened my foundations in energy engineering, finance, and climate change during the first semester, then progressed to environmental technologies and systems modelling during the second semester, and finally specialization in Life Cycle Assessment, circular economy, and resource recovery through real-world company projects during the third semester.

What Did You Pursue After the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship?

I’m looking forward to continuing to work at the intersection of Climate change mitigation & climate finance, more specifically in the carbon credits or sustainable finance field.

How Did the Cost of Living Vary Across the Countries You Studied In? Which Country Was the Most Affordable or Expensive, and How Did You Manage Financially?

The cost of living varied significantly. The most affordable country was Hungary. France was the most expensive in rent, but the government offers aid to students. Sweden was the most expensive, but as it was the third semester, I had more experience planning and taking care of the money. The most important thing throughout my studies was to make a budget that includes savings and that allows you to have structured and sporadic visits to the supermarket.

Did You Face Any Language Barriers, and if So, How Did You Overcome Them? Did the Language of Instruction Change from One Country to Another?

In Sweden and Budapest, I faced language barriers since their languages are significantly different from Spanish or English, but people were very kind and patient, so I never felt ashamed for asking or not being able to communicate. Most of the people talk English, and if not, signs of online translation are of big help.

In France, I faced language barriers, but as it is more similar to Spanish, and I would like to stay there, I enjoyed a lot learning French and trying to communicate in French.

Would You Recommend the Erasmus Mundus Program to Others? What Advice Would You Give to Someone Considering This Scholarship?

I totally recommend the Erasmus Mundus Program; there are many options, and as it is a multi-country program, it gives different perspectives for different subjects, improves your capacity to adapt and resilience, and provides you with a network of friends and connections throughout Europe.

My advice for someone considering the scholarship is to have a purpose, a mission, something they want to accomplish through getting the scholarship. The scholarship is not free money; it is an opportunity to maximize your positive impact. So, look deep into yourself and ask what do I want for my future? Why this program and what will I do with it?

Those questions will help you to prepare for applying, but also to start now to maximize your impact and stand out. For instance, I was a youth climate ambassador European Union-Mexico 2023, an honorary position that allowed me to implement climate-related projects, and it was something I did because I wanted to have a beneficial impact, but later it also made my application stand out.

Looking Back, Would You Have Done Anything Differently During Your Time in the Program?

I would have worried less. Being here was not easy; it is the product of a trajectory of constant effort, working in multiple projects, activism, volunteer roles, professional experience, and academic work. So, when I arrived here, I had the same sense of urgency.  Looking back, I realize it was time to enjoy the experience, plan more thoughtfully, and continue working at a steady pace, but with greater calm.