Dachi Gvinadze

What’s your background?

I grew up in Georgia, where I was always drawn to STEM and engineering projects from a young age.

I was always fascinated by building model structures, experimenting with electronic components, solving puzzles, and finding creative solutions to real life problems.

This early passion for creative problem-solving and innovation inspired me to explore engineering fields more deeply and shaped the path of engineering I’ve followed ever since.

How is the UK education system different to your home country?

The UK education system differs significantly from the Georgian system in a few key ways.

In my country, education follows a different structure when compared to the one in the UK. Most importantly, the private school that I attended followed an American school system that differed from typical A-levels in the UK. Despite the competitiveness of my high school, I had to undertake a foundation programme at UCL to apply for an undergraduate degree.

Now as a first year student at UCL, I am really appreciative of the foundation programme for supporting the students in adapting to the UK system.

Why did you choose to study your International Foundation Year at UCL?

I wanted to apply for a mechanical engineering programme at UCL for my undergraduate degree.

Apart from the prestigiousness of the university, I really liked the programme that the university offered for my desired degree: Integrated Engineering Programme (IEP).

IEP is designed to offer students experience of working with engineers of other fields that is natural in the real-world situations.

In the first term of my degree, I was able to work with civil engineering students on a group project, where I got to learn how different engineers work together to solve problems.

Was your time on the UPC as you expected?

I completed UPCSE (Undergraduate Preparatory Certificate for Science and Engineering) which was required for the Mechanical Engineering degree at UCL.

During the programme, I had intensive classes in both maths and physics, giving me the necessary boost for my undergraduate degree.

The programme was intense but exciting.

We had many laboratories and interesting discussions with the lecturers regarding the material that further grew my passion for the engineering discipline.

What was your personal highlights from the course and why?

During the UPCSE, I really enjoyed the laboratory work.

The laboratories were designed to help us better understand the physics behind different concepts, while getting practical skills required for conducting laboratory experiments.

Working with others helped me communicate with people from different backgrounds, while writing laboratory reports for the given experiments and measurements.

I really enjoy practical assignments because that’s when I feel like I’m getting the most knowledge from the respective topic.

Where did you live during the UPC, and how was your experience?

During the foundation programme, I lived in a UCL accommodation. The one that I lived in is called Ramsay Hall, which is one of the closest student accommodations to the university main building.

It was amazing to live this close to the university, just a 10-minute walk!

Additionally, living in student accomodation gave me access to common rooms where students gathered for various events and gatherings. We also had access to the accommodation study space, where some of my friends spent a lot of time studying for the exams.

Which degree are you studying now and what is it like?

Currently, I’m studying Mechanical Engineering at UCL.

The degree is intense and there is a lot of studying and attention to detail involved.

However, there are interesting labs like the engine lab where you disassemble and reassemble an engine, which gives you a chance to obtain practical skills and knowledge regarding engines.

It is really exciting studying something you’ve a serious passion for and are able to use the knowledge for personal things.

How has the UPC helped you in your degree?

UPC has contributed a significant amount in terms of developing the necessary skills to handle the tasks on the undergraduate level.

Without the UPC, I imagine myself really struggling with the assignments that we’re given.

Additionally, I find it really useful to know the place as I know good studying spots and places to have lunch with friends during the breaks.

What is it like to live and study in London?

Living in London is so far one of the best and most exciting part of my life and career.

The city provides countless opportunities for learning and career development, as well as making new connections along the way.

I love living in a city with a developed infrastructure and classical architecture.

It is a lot more diverse than my home country which gives me experience of meeting new people from various backgrounds.

In terms of studying, the people that I work with are passionate about their degree and it boost my will to better prepare the given material.

What advice would you give to future UPC students?

Coming from my personal experience, I would advise the new students to start preparations for the programme as soon as possible.

When I first started the UPCSE, it turned out to be harder than I anticipated.

Although I was able to catch up and succeed on the course, I wish I had prepared more during the summer prior to UPC.

Also, I recommend becoming a part of UCL club to interact with more interesting people and do something outside of the foundation programme.