On the 16th of May, international students in chemistry and IT from Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg were welcomed to AstraZeneca. During the visit, students learned about the company’s background, sustainability goals, and future visions. They also had the opportunity to take part of an exclusive tour of the company’s chemistry lab and received valuable information about the opportunities AstraZeneca offers international students and academics. The company visit was organized by Unimeet Gothenburg with the aim of providing participants with a unique opportunity to learn more about the industry and expand their professional network.

A group of around twenty international students in Chemistry and IT from the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology had the opportunity to join Unimeet Gothenburg on a visit to AstraZeneca in Mölndal. The students met with several company representatives, including Matti Ahlqvist, Site Director of Gothenburg. Matti shared the company’s history and their important work in pushing the boundaries of science in the search for cures and life-changing medicines. He also explained how the company works to create a sustainable future for people, society and the planet.

The students had the opportunity to take part in an exclusive tour called ‘The Amazing Journey,’ during which they visited five different chemistry labs, including Automation/iLAB, Computational Chemistry, and Medchem. It was a unique opportunity for the students to gain knowledge about the various laboratories, interact with researchers in respective fields, and ask questions.

Furthermore, the students learned about the opportunities that AstraZeneca offers to international students and academics.

Nika Balouchzadeh, one of the participants, found the visit very good and fun. She feels that the visit gave her a better understanding of AstraZeneca and that she now understands the opportunities that exist within the company.

“Today I realised that AstraZeneca also operates in the field of software engineering, technology, and robotics, and more. Not just chemistry and medicine. It was enlightening for me, and now I understand that I could work here and potentially have a position here. I love chemistry and polymers, I’ve studied them before. So, I have some knowledge in both chemistry and software. The visit was a good opportunity for me to learn more about the company. It was also good to talk to people from the labs and other people”, says Nika Balouchzadeh, who is studying software engineering at the University of Gothenburg.

Unimeet Gothenburg’s ambition in organizing company visits for international students and researchers is to, together with the companies and employers in the Gothenburg region, showcase the city as an attractive workplace and attract future international talents to stay in Gothenburg after completing their studies.

Unimeet Gothenburg is a collaboration between the University of Gothenburg, Chalmers University of Technology, and The Trade & Industry Group at Göteborg & Co, aimed at strengthening the exchange between the universities’ international students and researchers and the business community, creating cultural and social meeting places, as well as networking opportunities.