STUDENT IMPACT

Student-led platform UniMate reshapes decision-making 

Choosing a university can feel overwhelming: the options are endless, the information scarce, and the consequences life-changing. Alberto Macagno and Gabriele Tealdo, Human-Computer Interaction students at the University of Trento, Italy, know the struggle firsthand. They responded by creating UniMate, a digital platform built by students, for students. 

Text: Anastasia Bukhtiarova

In 2024, Alberto Macagno and Gabriele Tealdo  (pictured right with certificate in hand) presented the idea of UniMate to the European Commission for Education during the DigiEduHackathon. They won the Experienced Award.

The idea was to create a platform that would offer aspiring students insights into different universities, study programs and student life, helping them make well-informed decisions when applying. Participation in ECIU University events did what it does best – laid the foundation for future work and new partnerships. But even more importantly, it opened the door to new perspectives. ‘ECIU University has played a key role in our journey, not only by connecting us with our future teammates, but also by offering excellent learning resources and opportunities’, says Alberto. 

A new vision

Originally, the team wanted to launch a chatbot trained on university data to help students with orientation decisions, Alberto explains. However, the fast evolution of tools like ChatGPT and Gemini made them realise that a different solution might be needed – less similar to what they already knew and more human.

They also made an important observation that changed the project’s course. According to the team’s findings, a major reason for university dropout was the misalignment between students’ expectations and experience. Students wanted to understand what university life and courses were really like – but did not have the opportunity to find out.  ‘That is when we shifted focus,’ shares Alberto. ‘While still aiming to support students, we decided to offer something unique: insights from learners who actually experienced those universities.’

UniMate is a platform with a focus on real student experience and perspectives. Here, learners can leave reviews about their degree programs for others to look up, gaining a better understanding of what they might expect as well. 

How does UniMate work? There are two main features on the platform. In the Reviews section, you can leave your reviews on universities and degree programs, or read the ones created by other users. In the Explore section, you can browse universities and study programs to see the highest-rated ones. 

During a survey conducted among bachelor’s and master’s students across Italy, 8 out of 10 bachelor students said UniMate could positively impact their decision-making. Meanwhile, 9 out of 10 master’s students described the platform as ‘helpful’, and 8 out of 10 said they would like to use it for their studies. The participants praised the platform for offering a new, unique point of view – something they have not been able to find elsewhere.

Follow the UniMate journey on its website and social media – and stay updated as the platform grows.

STUDENT IMPACT

ECIU University places students at the heart of shaping education. What do they consider important? What could be improved? To gather this information, ECIU University works with so-called Student Ambassadors. Judita Švaikauskaitė at Kaunas University of Technology is one of them.

Text: Anastasia Bukhtiarova
Photo: Kaunas University of Technology

Švaikauskaitė had just begun her PhD studies when ECIU University learning opportunities caught her attention. Soon after, the KTU student enrolled in her first challenge hosted by Linköping University.   

‘At the very beginning, I had a lot of information available, but no one to ask about things, like their own experience with challenges or travelling to different universities,’ she explains. ‘I thought about how much easier it would be if a student at my university could answer my questions. So, when I received an invitation to join the ambassadors, I decided to become that student to others.’

Make sure voices are heard 

Being an ambassador is a two-way street – not only does Švaikauskaitė raise awareness among students, but she also helps to make sure their voices are heard. ‘As ambassadors, we represent both ECIU University and the students. We listen to what they have to say and try to find the most suitable solutions to their problems.’

While this comes with a fair share of challenges, for Švaikauskaitė it is also one of the best things about being an ambassador. ‘I am very independent by nature and used to working by myself. But now I am learning to adapt to others,’ she explains. ‘We are  all from different fields and disciplines, but we find a way to work together and find common ground. Be open to new perspectives.’