It’s been almost a month since Ximena, Zack and I (Andrea), arrived in Lund to start the second year of the master’s, following the specialization in Food Packaging Design and Logistics. Some of us arrived earlier, some later, but the official "arrival date" was August 18th.
Coming to a new country, as FIPDes students we know what it implies: getting off a plane, learning again how to buy a train ticket, getting a SIM card, getting to your home for the next six months and, even though we’ve done this twice already, there’s always some worry. Lund University makes it easier. On arrival date, after a long flight, you walk out of immigration and there’s already someone waiting to guide you: where to go, where to pick up your housing keys, set up a SIM card and even organized shuttles that drive you to your accommodation if you’re staying with LU Accommodation.
Familiar faces, new faces
Then, Orientation weeks started. We also finally got to meet the international master’s coordinators in person, the people who had been emailing and supporting us remotely since before we even arrived, making sure our arrival went smoothly. It was nice to put a face to the person who’d been behind all of that.
Since the Cohort 13 students were still around Lund, they invited us to fika - a Swedish tradition - at Broder Jakobs, a very well-known spot for that here. They shared their experience and gave us tips on how to adjust, both academically and day to day. It feels there’s real warmth in the support between cohorts in this programme.

We were officially introduced to the programme directors, Lars and Yulia. This time they showed us the Ingvar Kamprad Design Centrum (IKDC), where we’ll be taking of some our classes, and they shared us a bit about the building’s history. It’s nice to see how the university, and the city in general, feel designed to include everyone - with universal design.

As part of Orientation Weeks, we went on a trip to Kullaberg, a beautiful spot for hiking with stunning ocean views. We did a short hike, about an hour long, but you can tell there are different routes to explore, worth going back for. It was also a great opportunity to learn more about the Skane region and meet other students from international programmes.

Scandi Candy visit
As part of the programme’s tradition, we visited Scandi Candy, a gelatine free sweets manufacturer, where we saw the whole production process: from gummies to the classic Swedish liquorice, made in starch moulds. They told us the company’s story - a success story of a business in expansion, and an inspiring one for anyone thinking about starting something of their own.

And then, classes started
Classes officially began on August 31st, and so far, it’s been genuinely exciting: guest lectures from companies like Tetra Pak and Remondis, and experts on the subject, both from the university and from industry here in Lund and across Sweden. You can feel the university’s commitment to sustainability, and it’s worth being here. Excited to see the classes and the different projects across them.
As a new tradition, Lars and Yulia organized a multicultural welcome dinner to kick off the Packaging and Logistics specialization. We got together and shared dishes from our home countries, a great way to get to know each other a little better while celebrating a successful year ahead.