The final examination is always a special day. Months – sometimes years – of work are condensed into a few minutes, when students are expected to demonstrate not only their knowledge, but also their professional thinking and independent problem-solving skills. After the examinations, and before the results were announced, we spoke with two graduating students about how they experienced this day, what the Department of Automotive Technologies at BME meant to them, and what kind of engineers they aspire to become.

For Ahmed Waleed Mohamed Kamel Mohamed, the first moments of the examination were primarily defined by tension. Although he knew he would be presenting his own work, stepping in front of the examination committee still represented a serious challenge.

“It was stressful to enter the room, but I knew I had to trust my own work. I had prepared my thesis from A to Z, and that gave me confidence.”

One question, in particular, remained memorable for him: when he was asked whether the work was truly his own. Although it briefly unsettled him, he later felt that it gave him an opportunity to demonstrate his preparedness.

“For a moment the question stopped me, but in the end I was glad it came up. It felt good to show that I had indeed done this work myself.”

Arbër Kopani arrived at the examination in a somewhat calmer state of mind. Having already obtained a bachelor’s degree in Hungary, the examination situation itself was not unfamiliar to him.

“Of course I was a bit nervous, but I roughly knew what to expect. When the theoretical part was over, I felt for the first time that everything would be fine. We had been working on the thesis for months, so we know it best.”

The two students arrived in Budapest from different countries: Ahmed from Egypt and Arbër from Albania. Both feel that BME provided them not only with professional knowledge, but also with significant personal development.

Ahmed had previously completed his bachelor’s studies in Ukraine, which gave him a direct basis for comparison.

“The biggest difference for me was that here we received much more confidence. The continuous presentations and the opportunity to present our own work significantly improved my confidence. Today I can stand in front of people and present what I have done much more comfortably.”

He also emphasized the strongly practice-oriented approach of the department.

“It was very inspiring to see that we are not only learning theory here. We worked with real vehicles, in laboratories, and through experiments. When you can test a development in a real environment, that is when knowledge becomes truly tangible.”

For the student arriving from Egypt, one of the most important outcomes of studying abroad was not even professional.

“Studying with people from different cultures made me realize that we actually have much more in common than differences. We speak different languages and have different traditions, but we experience the same feelings.”

For Arbër, the most memorable aspects were rather the key academic decision points. Choosing a specialization and defining the thesis topic, in his view, largely determines one’s future professional direction.

“The thesis topic is essentially about what you want to work on in the coming years. It is one of the most important decisions in the whole program.”

He also highlighted the importance of courses that included exposure to industrial environments.

“When we visit companies and see how a development team or an organization works, it becomes much easier to imagine what it will be like to work as an engineer.”

Both students feel that their university years contributed not only to their technical knowledge.

For Ahmed, the most significant change was in his presentation skills.

“I could not present like this before. At BME we had many opportunities to present our work, and this brought enormous improvement.”

Arbër emphasized teamwork and leadership skills.

“During group assignments we often had to take on leadership roles. We learned to work more independently, collaborate, and take responsibility. These are skills we will definitely use in our future jobs.”

When asked whether they currently feel more like students or engineers, their answers differed notably.

Ahmed stated firmly:

“I feel like an engineer. But I will only call myself a real engineer when I create something that brings real value to society.”

Arbër, in contrast, still considers this a transitional phase:

“At the moment I still feel more like a student. I think I will truly feel like an engineer when I start working, gain experience, and take responsibility for a team.”

Their visions for the future are nevertheless similarly focused. Ahmed aims to work with embedded systems and research and development, preferably in Hungary. Arbër, in the longer term, aims to lead a development team.

When asked what advice they would give to younger students, both shared concise but meaningful messages.

Ahmed’s advice is simple:

“Do your best, believe in yourself, and you will succeed.”

Arbër encourages future students to choose a specialization aligned with the most recent trends in the automotive industry – including automation, electric vehicles, and autonomous systems.

At the time of the interview, the results of the final examination were still unknown. Ahmed and Arbër had already completed their own examination parts and spoke during the quiet waiting period about how they experienced the day. Their answers revealed two distinct self-perceptions: one of them already sees himself as an engineer, while the other considers this role as a next stage still ahead. What they shared, however, was the atmosphere of the day – the sense that behind a completed examination, an open professional journey was just beginning for both of them.