E-mail: firhat@student.elte.hu

Hi! I'm Firhat; some people call me Fier. I'm from Indonesia, but I lived in Malaysia for 5 years, so I consider the country my second home. I love using concerts as a reason to travel around Europe and meet new like-minded people. I collect CDs (mostly hyperpop and Latin music), and I occasionally do sports during my free time.

"Research the department you're interested in and find out the fields of interest of professors working there. Also, Budapest is a very international city, so take it as a chance to go out and network with people around the world!"

WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU ABOUT ELTE?

Its reputation is not only in Hungary but also in Central Europe. It's easy to connect with other prestigious universities in the region.

WHAT MAKES STUDYING AT ELTE SO GREAT?

My department (Media and Communication) has renowned experts in the field, so it's great to know I'm learning from the right people as I explore my interests.

WHAT ARE / WERE YOUR CHALLENGES IN YOUR STUDY PROGRAM?

As I explore media studies, I've developed an interest in AI Ethics, which is a rather new research focus in my programme. Hence, there haven't been many topics related to it in the curriculum (at least not yet).

HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THESE CHALLENGES?

I connected with a professor in my programme who's also developing a research interest in the field, and he agreed to supervise my thesis. I also applied to CEEPUS (Central European Exchange Programme for University Studies) and secured a research visit to Vienna under the guidance of a renowned professor in AI Ethics.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE ELTE IN THREE WORDS?

Diverse, Inclusive, Supportive.

HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR DEGREE WILL HELP YOU IN YOUR LIFE AND CAREER?

I previously worked in digital marketing for several years. I believe some subjects in my programme, such as Data Visualisation, will be an asset to fill my knowledge gap and eventually become a better digital marketer. I'm also exploring opportunities to further my education to a PhD, and the research-oriented curriculum greatly supports my preparation.

DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE STUDENTS AT ELTE?

Research the department you're interested in and find out the fields of interest of professors working there. Also, Budapest is a very international city, so take it as a chance to go out and network with people around the world!