Academic Adventures: Educational Journey to Nice
Written by Amrita
Academic Adventures: Educational Journey to Nice
As someone who thrives on new adventures, I jumped at the chance to join the University of Liechtenstein’s Educational Journey program in Nice last month. When our plane landed over the shimmering Mediterranean, I knew this trip would be anything but ordinary. The Côte d’Azur stretched out in a burst of sapphire sea and terracotta rooftops. The place was an epic backdrop. I was looking forward to learning, exploring, and making unforgettable connections on this excursion and that electric inspiration you only get on the French Riviera.
We (students from Prague) landed early, and since we had time, we began our afternoon in Villefranche-sur-Mer, wandering along its narrow lanes, dipping our feet in the turquoise water, and watching fishing boats and yachts. That evening, we met other students from the University of Liechtenstein and Austria’s Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences. Initially, it was a bit awkward and boring (story of an international student everywhere) as all of them were German speakers. When they switched to English, they swapped stories about our studies and dreams for the future. It was interesting to learn about their University and education practices.
Bright and early the next day, we arrived at the Sophia Antipolis Technology Hub. After a warm welcome and an overview of the park’s sustainable, start-up-friendly ecosystem, we settled in for presentations by Menta and Nicox, each revealing fresh approaches to data analytics and pharmaceutical R&D. Following this was the visit to Fortinet’s cyber-defense center, where we saw live threat simulations in action which was a thrilling experience. We even had a tour of their data center. In the afternoon, we were at EURECOM, sipping coffee on their sunlit roof and discussing PhD opportunities in Communication Systems, Data Science, and Digital Security. Touring their labs, I could almost imagine myself researching tomorrow’s breakthroughs.
On day three, Transvalor’s virtual metal-forming demos offered a fascinating glimpse into digital manufacturing, but ARM’s session blew me away. We got a sneak peek at ARM’s roadmap for next-gen architectures, including their push into machine-learning accelerators and ultra-low-power microcontrollers for wearables and edge applications. Seeing how deeply engineering expertise has such a massive, everyday impact was inspiring. By midday, we were in Grasse, learning the fine art of perfumery at Galimard. Blending jasmine, rose, citrus, and many more fragrances into keepsake bottles reminded me that creativity and a little fragrance can fuel fresh ideas. A stroll through Grasse’s old town wrapped up the perfect afternoon.
On our final academic day, we dove into Inria’s open-source robotics labs, where hands-on demos of collaborative robots sparked fresh ideas about applications in healthcare. Later, at SAPLab France, their real-time data orchestration showcases made it clear how enterprise-grade analytics keep global businesses agile, responsive, and ahead of the curve. Later, at DSTI, we dove into a hands-on machine-learning workshop. In the evening, we had the final dinner, where we shared LinkedIn handles and made concrete plans for future collaborations.
Before flying home, I couldn’t resist exploring Biot’s medieval lanes and watching Glassblowers in Cagnes-sur-Mer as I had flights the next day. Back in Nice, I treated myself to gelato at the Promenade des Anglais. The sunset was amazing, and all the beautiful colors were there. This journey wasn’t only about the company and Research Lab visits. It added to a different approach and perspective toward the study, career, innovation, culture, and some beautiful memories I’ll treasure long after the sun sets over the Riviera.