Upon graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Pisa, it was his passion for the circular economy that put LUT University and studying in Finland on the map for him, and LUT’s interdisciplinarity sealed his decision. "The idea of having a campus where business students work alongside engineering students was fascinating to me," Matteo recalls.
"It created an environment where we could learn from each other and tackle projects together, which is exactly what happens in the real world."
Building Connections and Embracing Campus Life
Like most international students, weathering the Finnish winter was a challenge at first. The warm connections he made with the campus community helped him ease into the cold climate. "I arrived in late August, and it was already quite cold for me," Matteo laughs. Despite the cold, Matteo found the first weeks amazing as he met people from all over the world.
Matteo described it as "a continuous discovery of new things and new people." His initial acquaintances evolved into genuine friendships: to this day, Matteo keeps in touch with some of the people he met on campus.
The key to not succumbing to hibernation, Matteo finds, is staying positive and productive: "I kept myself busy with studies, work, and social activities. It really helped me stay focused and enjoy my time in Finland."
Non scholae, sed vitae discimus - LUT Lessons for working life
Driven by ambition, Matteo dove headfirst into his study projects, which often consisted of real-life business cases. They taught him about group work and the importance of realistic planning: "Sometimes, I struggled with group projects because I wanted to do more interesting stuff, but my classmates preferred to keep it simple. These experiences ultimately prepared me for the collaborative nature of the workplace."
The independent and self-directed learning style that LUT fosters surprised Matteo at first, but he came to appreciate the freedom and how well it prepared him for the working world: "The independence to assign myself tasks or set my own standards was something I learned at LUT and found very useful in my workplace.”
Looking back, Matteo recounts the importance of minor studies and following curiosity. "A great course that I took was advanced business analytics with Excel, taught by Mariia Kozlova. It boosted my confidence in my strong Excel skills, which proved very useful."
Connections Count – University Networks as the Key to Landing a Job
It was a combination of showing interest and seizing opportunities that allowed Matteo to get a foot in the door of the professional world. "My mentor introduced me to a professor who was looking for someone to join her team. This opportunity was a game-changer for me."
Matteo emphasizes the importance of extracurricular activities and networking during studies as well. He took the advice offered by Career Services, used the Erasmus scholarship for international traineeships, and kept asking questions.
"Joining the MIMIR Fellows programme, an extracurricular course at LUT, was very useful for me. It included a trip to a startup hub and attending the Slush event, where I met people with whom I eventually co-created a role for myself."
His advice to internationals on the job market? "Showing interest and being prepared for conversations helped me land my current job in Denmark."
