Why I chose Europe over UK for research, explains Jayakumar

A science exhibition inspired Ganesh Jayakumar from Bengaluru to research on electronic design in Sweden after winning prestigious scholarships


My fascination with electronic circuit dates back to class V, when I took part in a science exhibition where I was introduced to the complexities of different structures and its functioning. A few months later, my father presented me with an electronics kit with all the components along with a book on some basic projects and there was no looking back since then. I mastered the science and won a few prizes at various science exhibitions.

This quest of the young mind made me choose Electronics as part of my core subjects in class XII along with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. I went on to specialise in Electronics and Communication Engineering at graduation level from Bangalore Institute of Technology (BIT).

After completing Engineering, I got placed as a software developer with IBM but left it within six months, as I was not satisfied with the idea of Mechanical or Electronics and Communication Engineers working as software developers or test engineers, which is a common trend in India.


In 2009, there were fewer opportunities in core Electronics in Bangalore. Thus, I decided to specialise in Electronics Design and opted for MSc at the University of Glasgow, UK, where I specialised in analog, digital and RF circuit design.

I was to pursue research thereafter and got accepted for a PhD position at the University of Glasgow as well but due to lack of funds I had to apply for a scholarship to pursue my PhD. In the UK, the chances of students from commonwealth countries such as India landing a PhD scholarship are very slim as they prioritise local and European nationals for the scholarships. I could not secure a scholarship in the UK despite having a post-study work visa.

In contrast, Sweden treats its PhD scholars as employees and provides attractive salaries, pension, sports benefits and healthcare facilities. Europe also offers several scholarships to pursue PhD, one of the most prominent ones being the Erasmus Mundus.

Sweden also has a lot to offer to people who love wilderness and nature. The several thousand islands, the spectacle of the midnight sun and northern lights is something any person should experience at least once in a lifetime. Also, Universities in Sweden offer scholarships for exchange studies at other premier Universities in Europe and USA.

These studies can span over few months. Students are also encouraged to apply for these funding options. Furthermore, many research projects also have collaboration with industry partners which exposes the research scholars to real-world problems and prepares them for future careers.

It was with this aim that I applied for PhD positions in other parts of Europe. Switzerland and Scandinavian countries were the most attractive options in Europe because they have some of the top-ranked universities in the world in the area of semiconductors and nanotechnology. I enrolled in the KTH, Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden and feel thankful for the experience.

I was awarded Alice Wallenbergs travel scholarship, Nills Backmark and ASCENT scholarship in appreciation of my research and writing skills. I also had a strong scientific collaboration both with GINP University in Grenoble, France and AMS semiconductor foundry in Austria, thanks to KTH's collaborative approach.