Originally from Chennai in the south of India, Vignesh Meenakshi Sundaram has spent time living and studying in the Middle East, and is now about to graduate from a two-year master’s degree which he started in Sweden and is completing in Estonia. Though still studying, he’s already fulfilled his dream of becoming an entrepreneur, as the founder of an IT services company – and he says Estonia provided the perfect setting for this enterprise, thanks to its IT leadership and startup-friendly environment.
Vignesh is completing his studies at the University of Tartu, one of five institutions across northern Europe collaborating in the NordSecMob program (short for Masters in Security and Mobile Computing in the Nordic Regions). The program is supported by the EU’s Erasmus Mundus initiative, which provides financial support for international study and collaboration.
While he knew the University of Tartu had a strong reputation in security-related fields, Vignesh says he had no idea that he’d also discover such an IT- and entrepreneur-friendly environment in Estonia.
Discovering Estonia’s IT leadership
“Frankly speaking, I did not know what to expect from Estonia. But since coming here I’ve been completely fascinated by the IT-friendly atmosphere. You’ve got free Wi-Fi, high-speed internet, almost everywhere you go. It’s basically a very internet-filled life.”
While recognizing that the same could be said of other countries, Vignesh believes Estonia’s IT leadership really does make it stand out. “All decisions are made are in the direction towards internet-driven approaches. For example, this was one of the first countries to adopt an e-voting system.”
For a self-confessed IT buff like Vignesh, this has made Estonia the perfect setting – both for his academic development, and as the starting point for his own path towards becoming an entrepreneur.
“The best part about Estonia is the fact that they encourage entrepreneurship skills,” Vignesh says. “It’s very easy to start a new business here; it takes about 20 minutes to get your company registered legally. And then it’s very easy to continue the company – which is the more important part!”
A year ago he took advantage of this startup-friendly environment to fulfil his ambition of becoming an entrepreneur, founding an IT services business which develops applications for web and mobile platforms. “The IT-friendly atmosphere here makes it very easy to get the applications developed, and to get reactions very quickly, which has been very beneficial,” he says.
Joining Tartu’s international community
More generally, living in Tartu has allowed Vignesh to establish contacts with lots of IT professionals, establishing a strong professional network – as well as making new friends from around the world.
“It was very easy to settle in. Almost everyone knows English, and they’re very friendly and helpful. It’s very easy to make new friends and it’s quite a small town – everywhere is within walking distance – so it’s very easy to catch up with people. I’ve never had even a single thing to worry about since coming here.”
In fact, Vignesh says he believes he’s benefitted from opportunities for international exposure and developing IT leadership even more here than during the time he spent studying in Sweden or Dubai. This is perhaps in part due to Tartu’s relatively small size, and the strong ties that result from this. He says he’s learned as much from his professors outside the classroom as he has during formal tuition, emphasizing how approachable they are, and how ready to share their insights.
Vignesh has also enjoyed being involved in the Erasmus Student Network, which organizes events and social activities, having spent time as a local coordinator for the scheme. And he adds that the cost of living is relatively affordable when compared to many European study destinations, further contributing to the overall comfort of his experience.
Many reasons to study in Estonia
In summary, Vignesh says coming to study in Estonia has been “a wonderful experience” – and he’s keen to encourage more international students to consider Estonia as a destination. “I think somehow people missed Estonia – they just looked past it and they went to other countries. But it’s such a beautiful place to be in, very eco-friendly, the lifestyle is amazing. I don’t think there would be a reason for anyone to be disappointed if they chose to study in Estonia.”
As for himself, though he’s about to graduate, he’s in no hurry to leave Tartu. And, thanks to recently introduced regulations that allow international students in Estonia to extend their residence permits for at least six months while seeking work, he doesn’t need to. He plans to stay and continue to develop his business, establishing more contracts across Europe, and ultimately finding ways to contribute to charity- and community-based projects.
In short, Vignesh may not have known several years ago that Estonia was where he would “land up”, but he’s very happy that he did! “After coming to Estonia I realized that there was much more for me to learn. It’s kept me grounded and thirsty for knowledge. This is only going to help me make rational decisions, to be a good human being, to contribute to the welfare of people by making their lives easier through IT – this is my personal goal.”
Are you dreaming of becoming an entrepreneur? Would you like to study in Estonia?
Find out about opportunities across Europe (and the world) at a QS World Grad School Tour event.
