Ambassadeurs IDIL

« Hi! I am Alexandros, originally from Greece, where I did my bachelor’s in Oceanography.

After finishing my primary studies, I came to work in France as part of an Erasmus placement program in a city near Montpellier. My then (and now) supervisor heard that I was on the lookout for a master’s degree and suggested the newly founded graduate program IDIL.

It’s funny to think that, at first, I thought there’d be some catch to it, I mean, getting paid a monthly stipend and working on marine ecology like always wanted? Fortunately, it was all quite true, moreover, I learned that the university of Montpellier is a leading institution in my area of research.

I was ecstatic when I was accepted and spent all my summer preparing for the difficult transition of living in a foreign country. My anxiety was unfounded, however, as the IDIL staff welcomed everyone and tried their hardest to solve any issues we might have, especially with the notorious French « paperasse ».

Coming from a franco-Hellenic school, I was no stranger to French, however I was still not at the rap-battle level of the average French conversation, so it was very good news that all my classes were to be held in English, which is an indispensable language for any researcher as almost all literature is written in it.

Also, the IDIL program organized several events for us students to bond with people from the 10+ IDIL tracks, and as a Greek, I really (really) enjoyed the partying. The professors were outstanding, teaching at a level worthy of a leading institution in ecology, which made these social events even more necessary to unwind.

Finally, I really appreciated the 2 internships we did in both spring semesters, I worked with my previous Erasmus supervisor (now IDIL mentor) and learned innovative modeling techniques from the best in the business.

What took me a lot of words to say is, thanks IDIL!« 

« I entered IDIL not knowing a lot about the program since mine is the first Modeling master’s generation of IDIL, and it has surpassed my expectations.

Being Spanish and having done my bachelor’s degree in France, it has been really interesting to exchange in a multicultural environment that I missed during my bachelors.

The non-core and transversal units of the first semester gave me an insight into other fields and into the importance of soft skills in research. In my case, doing physics, I feel like sometimes we get too focused in our subject and loose the interdisciplinary view and the importance of communicating that IDIL gave me.

During my 6 months internship I could have a hands-on experience in research that has proven valuable and motivated me to pursue a PhD. »

« I’ve made friends from every corner of the world and met people that have really changed the way I think.

I love the structure of my program – the first semester was focused on enriching my knowledge and giving me the necessary foundational concepts for the internship, and then the next semester is hands-on learning, applying those same concepts in a lab while surrounded by ingenious researchers.

This was my first student experience in France, and I have shared classes and spent time with people from the classic master’s programs. After hearing their own experiences as master’s students, I never felt so reassured about the choice I made when picking the IDIL program! It has been one of the most enriching periods of my life, and I have seen myself succeed in domains I would’ve never imagined – The interdisciplinary in IDIL is a capital letter for a reason.

Since most of these programs are recent, I feel that I can pave my own road to what I want to learn and who I want to become. »

« One of the best decisions I made during my university life was to pursue an IDIL master’s degree.

After the exhausting rhythm of my bachelor’s program, this master’s provided me with the space to explore and improve. The opportunity to take courses across different disciplines enhanced my interdisciplinary understanding. Close interactions with professors helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses, allowing me to work on them effectively. A lengthy internship introduced me to the research environment, and I realized it was what I wanted to pursue.

On the social side, collaborating with students from around the world who were also part of this new program created a strong sense of connection. The activities organized by the master’s program further strengthened these bonds, and I never felt alone.

The motivated and dedicated organization team consistently supported us. When I first arrived in France for my bachelor’s, I found little help or guidance from the university. However, for my master’s, from the moment I was accepted, I always found someone ready to assist and motivate me whenever I needed help or felt lost.

I thank the IDIL team and my professors for this transformative year. See you next year! »

« It has been a really wonderful experience to study at the university as an IDIL student.

At the beginning of the year, we were given the opportunity to learn French, which helped us better adapt to everything here.

For the internship, my supervisor has been very supportive and offered many helpful suggestions. Everyone in the lab has also been very kind and assisted me a lot.

Except for the courses study and Internship, our program also organizes activities every 2 or 3 months in several houses. These events are great for getting to know others in the program and learning about their work. And it’s also very exciting to compete as a house member to win the games. For me, being an IDIL student has been a fulfilling and enriching experience. »

“What I enjoy the most about being an IDIL student is the opportunities and resources that are given by the program to discover research.

I got to talk to researchers and PhD students, and we had some really valuable and interesting exchanges.  Having personal mentors to guide me through the process is also very important; their advice and support are essential. 

The courses and internships are tailored to fit my own research interests, making everything feel very personalized and relevant to my goals. It’s a unique setup that keeps me engaged and constantly learning. 

My experience in IDIL has been incredibly rewarding and enjoyable!”