Zoya Bari

A day in my life

A typical day for me starts early at 6 am, getting ready for my classes and saying goodbye to my cats before driving to uni. I use that drive to mentally plan my day, and once I arrive, I grab a coffee on the way or some tea from the Atrium.

My day is usually packed with classes, labs, meetings and running into friends around campus. Between the demanding coursework of Computer Engineering and other responsibilities, there's always something that keeps me busy. My day usually ends at 4-5 pm, after which I drive back home. This is my time to unwind and process everything from the day. Once I'm home, the first thing I do is reunite and cuddle with my cats. Evenings are spent on work, projects and revision, sending emails, and completing any urgent tasks before finally getting some rest.

My days are full, but I love the balance between academics, leadership, and the little moments that keep me grounded.

Why Birmingham Dubai?

I've grown up here. I love the diversity and inclusion you find in Dubai, meeting people from all over the world, and there's such a welcoming atmosphere. The city is incredibly safe and peaceful, and there's an ease to life here that I really appreciate.

Beyond the lifestyle, Dubai offers amazing opportunities for growth and development in my career, especially in engineering. The UAE is progressing rapidly in technology and innovation, and being here means I'm right in the middle of that transformation. I get to study in a city I love while building a career in a place that's full of potential.

As the UAE continues to invest heavily in R&D and technological development, the market for engineers is growing rapidly, and I wanted to be part of that future while staying in the region. I grew up in the UAE and have always loved living here, so the idea of getting a world-class UK education and degree without having to leave felt perfect.

I attended an open day at the University and was absolutely mesmerised by the beautiful campus and the atmosphere, which was very calm and peaceful. Meeting my now professors during that visit was also what really inspired me. I asked them a lot of questions about my degree, and hearing about the scope and depth of the course directly from them made me genuinely excited to take their courses.

Why I chose to study Computer Engineering at Birmingham Dubai

I chose Computer Engineering because it's the perfect blend of software and hardware, and I genuinely couldn't pick between the two. I love how versatile the field is.

As I've progressed through my degree, I've been able to understand so many different areas like computer science, mechatronics, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering. This has really deepened my understanding of how these systems work together and allowed me to explore a lot of different possibilities.

What I appreciate most is how the skills I'm building can be applied to various domains and tasks. I'm not locked into one specific path; I have the flexibility to choose whatever niche I feel passionate about as my career develops. That freedom to explore while building a strong technical foundation is exactly what I was looking for in a degree.

My Birmingham Dubai experience

My student experience has been great! Between lectures, labs, and my role as President of Women in STEM, my days are pretty packed. I'm constantly planning events and collaborating with the team, which I really enjoy and love doing.

I've made tons of friends across different degrees, and I love catching up with them around campus, studying together or grabbing some food. DIAC Park is also one of my favourite spots for a quick break between classes, especially when the weather is nice, and the cats are roaming around. Outside of University, I love cooking, tinkering with electronics at home, and spending time with my cats.

Birmingham Dubai’s impact

The Careers Network really helped me when I was starting out. They taught me how to navigate the job market, reviewed my CV, and gave me valuable advice on how to position myself as an engineering student.

My professors have been incredibly supportive as well. They always let me know about available opportunities, whether it's internships, events, or industry connections. What I appreciate most is that they take a genuine interest in my personal projects. They review my work, offer suggestions, and help me think through ideas. Having that level of support from faculty has made a huge difference in my confidence and development as an engineer, helping me take my work beyond the classroom and turn ideas into impactful solutions.

I received a scholarship based on my academic grades in high school, which has been incredibly helpful in supporting my University journey.

Beyond financial support, my professors have been really supportive when it comes to getting students involved in competitions, hackathons, and exhibitions. They actively encourage enrolment in these events and provide the resources needed to participate, and the University also funded a robot project that my team and I worked on. We took it to a hackathon and actually won, which was an amazing experience.

Advice for students

Academics matter, but University is about more than just study. My advice is:

• Get involved: join societies, attend events, and build meaningful connections with people. Those relationships will genuinely take you places
• Don't be shy: talk to seniors or people in different classes; they have so much valuable advice and perspective to share
• Engage with professors: approach them, ask questions, and take an interest in their work. They're incredibly supportive and want to help you succeed, and love to hear fresh ideas and questions
• Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you: do your own research, explore topics you're passionate about, and work on becoming an expert in your field

The more you put yourself out there and take initiative, the more you'll get out of your time here.