Vossie Feature: Filipe Batista.
Post by Eduvos, 17 February 2023.
Eduvos Software Engineering graduate, Filipe Batista, talks to us about his Eduvos journey.
Filipe moved from his hometown of Witbank, Mpumalanga to our Pretoria campus to pursue his childhood passion for technology.
Why did you decide to study BSc IT at Eduvos?
Eduvos stood out to me because it’s internationally recognised. That’s predominantly why I decided to study at Eduvos. I wanted an internationally recognised qualification.
Why did you decide to study IT specifically?
I’ve always had an interest in technology since I was a kid. So, I felt like it was the right course to go on. Initially, I did want to study either business or psychology, but my sister pushed me into this direction. I don’t regret it; I’ve enjoyed the last few years a lot and I’ve grown as a person and realised the benefits that this field of work can offer me.
How did you hear about Eduvos?
At the high school I attended, they used to bring out universities from across South Africa, especially private institutions for the matriculants. And they would come and showcase, almost like a career fair. They would come to tell us about what courses they offer, what level their accreditations are at etc. For me, Eduvos stood out because of the internationally recognised qualifications, that was the number one reason why I was so insistent on choosing Eduvos. I also had a bursary which incentivised me to go to Eduvos. Those were the two reasons, the bursary and the internationally recognised qualifications.
I got the bursary for my academics from high school. Having that bursary made me so super focused on my academics that it filtered over into my second and third years. It showed me that I can study, I can do hard work, and I can be disciplined. I wasn’t the same person I was in high school. In high school, I was indifferent, getting by on common knowledge and not really trying hard. But then I think that bursary reshaped my mentality towards academics. What you put in is evidently what you get out.
In your eyes, what makes Eduvos unique?
Their learning methods and ability to adapt, especially during the pandemic. My learning journey was never interrupted, and I was able to complete my degree in record time. Their service towards the students, I never had trouble reaching out to people like my student advisor. They were always willing to offer a helping hand, which I see is not available in a lot of institutions. Sometimes students in other institutions struggle to reach people when they’re facing problems, but I found that Eduvos took care of their students.
Tell us more about your experience with the Eduvos staff and lecturers.
Michael Duve was the sweetest lecturer ever. His approach to teaching was very fresh to me, he seemed to have passionate care towards his students. I can see that in all the other lecturers as well, but Michael Duve stood out to me as someone who made his students a priority.
My student advisor was Keresia from my first year. She was always helpful towards me, always ready to answer any question that I had. She also helped me towards the end of my first year to get permission to come to campus during the stricter levels of lockdown when I was unable to cope at home with the workload. She helped me get permission to move back to Pretoria and make use of the campus resources.
What advice would you give to students looking to study at Eduvos?
Keep your head above water. Sometimes, it may seem like you’re at your darkest days. But I promise you the sun will shine again, just keep your head up. As a friend of mine told me “It’s short years, long days”. Try to focus on the positive. Ask yourself, am I better than the person I was yesterday? Did I learn more than I knew yesterday?
