Srishti, an MA student from O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India, spent a semester at the Europainstitut/ Institute for European Global Studies from September 2023 to February 2024. The exchange was facilitated as part of the partnership agreement between the Europainstitut (EIB) and the Jindal School of International Affairs. In this interview, Srishti tells us about her experiences in Basel.

Why did you decide to come to Basel for a semester abroad?

I was delighted to have the opportunity to spend a semester abroad at one of our partner universities in the framework of my Master’s studies. Europe was particularly attractive to me, and I had heard so many positive things about Switzerland from my peers that Basel was an easy choice. It also made sense with regard to my personal research interests and my MA program in Diplomacy, Law and Business at Jindal. The specific approach taken by European Global Studies interested me greatly – the European vantage point offered a different perspective on global issues from the context I was used to from India.

It’s interesting that you raise the European perspective. Can you give an example of how your time at the Europainstitut differed from your experience of university in India?

Within my course of studies in India, much of the emphasis is on the local or regional context, such as relations between India and China or political developments within the Asia-Pacific or Indo-Pacific region. The courses offered through the MA in European Global Studies opened a whole new area of focus for me, namely India-Europe relations, that simply would not have been possible in the same way at home.

What courses did you take while you were in Basel?

I really took advantage of the interdisciplinarity and breadth of programs offered at the EIB. I come from a legal background, so I took a course in EU law with Professor Christa Tobler, who was a great source of inspiration and guidance for me throughout my time in Basel. In fact, I’ve just completed my Master’s research project, where I explored relations between the EU and India, the idea for which very much stemmed from the experience I gained at the EIB. I also took a course in WTO law with Dr. Krista Nadakavukaren Schefer and the lecture series on transnational repression coordinated by Professor Ralph Weber and Shrey Kapoor. The Katekisama partnership with the University of Bonn enabled me to take further courses on BRICS and emergent powers as sources of multipolarity, and on the political economy of development practice and sustainability.

How would you describe your experience in Basel, outside of the lecture hall?

Coming to Basel for the exchange semester was my first time living outside of India, let alone on another continent. In that sense it was definitely a big step out of my comfort zone at the start. But I came to Basel to learn and to have an entirely new experience, and the challenges were just as much a part of that. So I guess I tried to remind myself of that as much as possible, and embraced all the aspects of the experience with an open heart and open mind! It also helped that Basel is such a welcoming city, and being such an international environment somehow made the hurdles seem easier to overcome. Being away from the comfort of home for the first time meant I had a steep learning curve in terms of having to figure many little things out for myself. I was delighted to be living in a WG with some of my peers, having the real ‘everyday’ student experience in Basel. And even being out and about, the people were extremely helpful, for example when I struggled with finding my way around on public transport – or trying to find the yogurt section in the supermarket! I will say, though, that the paperwork required for living in Switzerland was quite a headache – and just when I’d finally completed the last form, it was time to start preparing the paperwork for departure!

You’ve mentioned Swiss bureaucracy; can you tell us a little more about the logistics that made your exchange possible? How did you prepare for the exchange?

The fact that there was an already-established partnership between the two universities made it a very smooth process overall. Isabelle and Dominique, the course coordinators at the EIB, were in touch with me from the very beginning, giving me plenty of guidance throughout the whole process, supporting me with the visa application, finding accommodation, helping me find suitable courses which aligned with my interests, and so much more. I was so grateful for the support system at the EIB! The Erasmus student network for visiting students (ESN) was also a fantastic way to get to know other internationals in Basel and participate in various activities and trips. In terms of preparing for the exchange semester, I did a lot of primary research myself – reading about the university and the research areas of the EIB, but also watching videos and reading articles about life in Switzerland to prepare myself for the new environment. As a second step, I reached out to people I knew in India who had been to Switzerland and asked them for advice. Obviously, you’ll hear good and bad things when you are preparing to move to a new place, but I just had to remind myself that these are subjective experiences and put my trust in my own instincts.

Do you have any standout memories from your time in Basel?

I loved the atmosphere in the city – there’s always something happening, so many activities to participate in. My favorite place to go in Basel was definitely the Rhine. I was lucky enough to arrive during the last few days of summer, so I could experience swimming in the river. I also loved the Herbstmesse and the Christmas markets. However, I was somewhat apprehensive about spending Christmas and New Year’s in Basel, as many of my friends were leaving to go home over the holidays. But they turned out to be some of my best intercultural experiences, as I was taken in by some of my other international friends – for a Polish Christmas and then a Guatemalan and Mexican New Year’s Eve! It’s impossible to choose a single favorite memory, but one particularly magical experience was seeing snow fall for the first time with my own eyes!

Finally, what advice would you have for other students, given your experience in Basel?

My time in Basel did not only meet, but really exceeded my expectations of studying and living abroad. I would absolutely encourage every student with the opportunity to go on an exchange semester to seize it! It’s not easy, but it is so rewarding, as you will get to know a city and its people in the closest way possible. I’d also recommend EIB students to move continent, if you can, because you’ll see how many similarities there are between how we all live – especially students’ experiences and struggles. You’ll also learn a lot about yourself – the little victories as well as the negative experiences are very fruitful for self-growth. Moving alone to a new city, country or continent is certainly a gamble, but I think it’s a game worth playing!

Interview by Niamh O’Neill, student assistant at the Institute for European Global Studies