Zeno Koller, Bachelor's student
Switzerland

If you could study computer science at any university in the world, would you still prefer ETH above other institutions? Why or why not?
I've had the chance to study abroad for a semester at the University of Washington, Seattle. Compared to ETH, the style and quality of teaching is very similar. However, there is a systematic difference: In Seattle, all of the exams are taken directly at the end of instruction, while at ETH you study the whole summer long. As an exchange student, I've enjoyed the former arrangement, as I could explore the US in the free time after the exams. Nevertheless, I feel like ETH's method provides a more sustainable insight into the subject matter - so in the end, I prefer ETH in that sense. The University of Washington, though, had a lot more events, more projects and also some interdisciplinary courses due to the size of the institution. For me, in the end, it's a tie.

What is it like to be a student at ETH? What do you like most? What has been particularly memorable?
When starting as a student at ETH, it takes some time to get well-organized and used to the workload. But once you're up and running, the courses, especially those after the first year, are very interesting and provide intrinsic motivation. In mid-semester I often discovered that I particularly enjoyed a course I wouldn’t have imagined could have interested me at the start of the semester. Moreover, what I like about ETH is the fact that a university with such high-quality instruction can exist in such a small country - which is, of course, also due to the fact that it can attract people from all over the world.

In your opinion, what has been the biggest change compared to your experience as a student at high school (Mittelschule)?
The biggest change was to switch from a broad range of classes to just one field. I enjoyed high school as a time that offered a lot of freedom: Not only did I get to study a lot of different topics, but there was also lots of time for leisure. Studying computer science was a good choice for me in that sense, as the discipline still carries some of this variety I enjoyed before, as there are many different subfields to explore.

If you had the possibility to change one thing at ETH, what would it be?
One area where I see room for improvement is teaching how to transfer theoretical knowledge into practice. To this end, I would introduce team and project work as a requirement in more courses. For instance, the compilers course really made me understand how function calls work because I had to implement them. This way, students additionally improve their soft skills - how to collaborate efficiently and how to give and receive feedback. Interdisciplinary projects could also give students insight into other fields and spark innovation and ideas.

Studying at ETH can be tough. How do you motivate yourself and create a fun learning experience for yourself and possibly others? On the whole: do you find Zurich the perfect environment in which to study, live and party?
It's important to keep a healthy balance, meaning not to get overworked during the semester and rather compensate with sports and by regularly going to events. Zurich is a great place for sports and culture: Public transport is a very practical way of getting around and some of the nicest hiking and biking trails aren't too far away. If the weather isn't that good, there's also a nice selection of art-house cinemas. And, last but not least, there's the Schauspielhaus (theatre). My only complaint: Eating out is not very affordable for students. But on the whole, I fully enjoy Zurich.