Ngozi Ogo (MSc Applied Computing, 2017)

After obtaining my bachelor’s degree in software engineering in my home country (Nigeria), I decided to immediately pursue a postgraduate degree in computing from a foreign university, preferably in the United Kingdom. The University of Buckingham was one of the few schools that had admission openings for April in my chosen field and going through the rankings of the Computing department, it seemed like the choice was already made for me.

From the beginning of my application, to the day of graduation; my experience at the university was one that I will never forget. The ease and speed of the application/admission process, and the support of the admissions office during my visa application is the first thing that greatly impressed me about the university. On resumption, I was introduced to welcoming lecturers and friendly classmates who made my time at the university very memorable.

During my time as a student, I was struck by how close-knit the student community was, and how the classes, lectures and tutorial sessions were structured to make sure that all students were carried along. The staff to student ratio also created an enabling environment for students to thrive in their academics as it was easy for us to meet and interact with lecturers whenever the need arose.

I also got to experience the overwhelming support of the Student Welfare (now Student First) team, when halfway through my studies, I went through a major crisis. Looking back on that period, I realize that University of Buckingham did not just care about my studies, but also about my general wellbeing and every staff I interacted with in that time showed me that.

Since leaving Buckingham, I have engaged in quite a number of IT based projects both as a programmer and an analyst, consulted on a project for the ILO and ITU (agencies under the UN), and I currently work as a System Analyst for the government of my country. I also volunteer with a non-profit organization where I teach young children who have been displaced and are out of school Mathematics and basic Computer Science.

While I am still trying to carve out my niche in the world, I realize that a lot of what I have accomplished so far would not have been possible without everything I gained while studying at The University of Buckingham. I really enjoyed my time at the university because it truly felt like home, and I always look back on that time with fond memories.