How I made to Salzburg and finally to Australia (Brisbane)

My journey to the Centre for Geoinformatics (Z_GIS) at the University of Salzburg began when Dr. Shahnawaz, Director for South-East Asia at UNIGIS International, University of Salzburg, invited interested candidates from Bhutan to apply for the MSc in Applied Geoinformatics program. This announcement opened a door of opportunity for me—one that I was determined to pursue. The scholarship selection was highly competitive, involving applicants from multiple countries, with only a limited number of awards available. Despite the competition, I was motivated by my long-standing aspiration to specialise in Geospatial Informatics and Satellite Observation—fields that continue to gain global importance.

Encouraged by Dr. Shahnawaz’s guidance, I applied for the OeAD scholarship program and contacted Professor Josef Strobl, Director of Z_GIS, to express my interest in advancing my studies in Geoinformatics. Professor Strobl was consistently supportive, offering guidance and encouragement at every stage. With the invaluable assistance of Madam Elke from the OeAD office, my scholarship application was successful, allowing me to formally enroll and begin my coursework at Z_GIS on 1 October 2011.

I remain deeply grateful for the opportunity and privilege granted to me by OeAD to study in Austria—particularly at the renowned Centre for Geoinformatics, University of Salzburg. The experience not only strengthened my academic foundation but also broadened my international outlook and professional capabilities.

In 2022, I was again fortunate to receive another scholarship opportunity, this time to pursue a PhD and undertake advanced research in Brisbane, Australia, Griffith University under the Australia River Institute) ARI), Gold Coast campus. Over time, I developed a strong appreciation for the work culture, the environment, and the people. I quickly realized that Australia offered vast opportunities to apply my geospatial and remote sensing knowledge, while also providing an enriching learning environment through collaboration with colleagues and experts in the field.