Balázs Kozák, former student of BME, was one of the participants of The Journey. Read about his experience about the programme in the interview below.
Which countries did you visit throughout The Journey?
I spent two weeks in Zürich, Switzerland, and one week in Bologna, Italy.
What project did you work on?
Our main idea in a nutshell was an advertisment company that encourages people to use their bike more often. We put frames on individuals' bikes that could hold adverts, and we could pay the biker based on how many kilometers he or she rode the bike in the city. From the companies' side, we provided them personalized advertisements form. We also put air pollution sensors inside the frame on the bike, so we could gathered data that can be sold to research centers and municipalities.
What was the most interesting thing about the teamwork in an international team?
We got to know each other within a really short period of time, we were all coming from different countries that could have been a problem but it didn't! Our different cultural backgrounds made an excellent mix and I dare to say that we became friends till the end.
What was the biggest challenge in The Journey?
The biggest challenge was that we all wanted to creat something truly valuable in a really short time, therefore we had to learn how to cope with problems when you are tired and exhausted and how can you till function as a team.
What did you like most about The Journey?
The best thing about the Journey is that it is the perfect mixture of professional development and having fun. There are many summer universities that mostly about parties and the professional program is just an excuse to meet. The Journey is not like that, you can learn and be creative during the day, but at the same time you can meet new people, go to fantastic places, and have fun whenever you want. The fact that you can get a glimpse on several European countries is also an exceptional opportunity
What were your most valuable takeaways from The Journey?
The community that I became part of, and the strategic thinking, that forces you to always keep in mind your original goal when you create something.
What would you recommend future Journey participants?
Be open minded, ask a lot and don't forget that this whole programme is about you and your role in saving the planet!
How the Journey changed your life?
The Journey taught me that you should be brave and shouldn't be afraid of the unknown. It may sound a bit cheesy but it's true. It also gave me usefull skills, and a broader understing of climate change and the related issues.