João Paulo Ribeiro, Joaquim Matos, and Jorge Faria are the first students from UNIPVC to undertake a mobility program under a dual degree agreement with Østfold University College in Norway. Now in the final phase of their Master's in Cybersecurity, they are preparing to obtain two diplomas, one Portuguese and one Norwegian, following an experience that allowed them to discover new ways of learning and working.
The opportunity to study in Norway was presented by lecturer Silvestre Malta during their first year of the master's program. The three students were balancing their studies with professional activities in a part-time capacity, which involved a decision that profoundly altered their routines. Jorge Faria, originally from Barcelos, had already completed his degree in Graphic and Multimedia Computing Engineering at UNIPVC and sought professional experience abroad. João Paulo Ribeiro, from Maia, saw the mobility as the incentive needed to break his routine and experience a different reality. Joaquim Matos, from Penafiel, aged 26, seized the opportunity to gain an experience he had long desired since his undergraduate studies.
They departed in August 2025 and returned in June 2026, after approximately ten months of training, research, and exposure to a distinct academic and cultural reality. The mobility is a result of an agreement signed in 2024 between UNIPVC and Østfold University College, allowing students to also obtain a Master's degree in Applied Computer Science from the Norwegian institution. The program operates in both directions.
The program included the development of their master's thesis with supervision from both institutions. The students highlight the differences they found in the organization of teaching, the autonomy required from students, and the laboratory working conditions, but they value the support from lecturers, access to research equipment and resources, and the different approaches to Cybersecurity. However, they acknowledge commonalities between the Portuguese and Norwegian education systems, such as academic rigor and teamwork.
Beyond their studies, friendships and experiences outside the classroom were crucial. The welcome from the academic community facilitated their adaptation. João Paulo Ribeiro, at 24, emphasizes the friendships he maintains. Jorge Faria, now 27, felt his desire to work abroad and travel reinforced. Joaquim Matos values personal transformation, autonomy, and the discovery of his capabilities.
The three students, who call themselves the "3 J's", highly recommend the experience. They believe that, despite temporarily giving up professional stability, the exposure to a different reality, the adaptability, and the creation of international connections outweigh the challenges. The decision to leave meant interrupting their routine, but they returned with new knowledge, professional perspectives, and friendships they maintain from afar.
This experience represents a concrete outcome of the partnership between UNIPVC and Østfold University College, opening new avenues for specialization and internationalization for students.
