From a very young age Diana loved languages. She started learning English at the age of nine and then German at fourteen. In 2014, she travelled to Cologne for a language course. It was her first trip to Germany, and the experience had a lasting impact on her. It was then that she knew that she wanted to live and study in Germany. “Initially, my goal was to study medicine. In Russia, it is well known that German doctors have excellent qualifications and that university hospitals such as the Charité in Berlin or Heidelberg enjoy an excellent reputation.”
With this goal in mind, she took private lessons to improve her language skills as quickly as possible. In 2016, she graduated from high school and passed the B2 language exam at the Goethe Institute. In 2017, she moved to Hamburg to complete a year of preparatory college (Studienkolleg) and improve her German skills to level C1. However, her goal of studying medicine remained out of reach, as her grade point average after Studienkolleg should have been better. So, Diana set herself a new goal: ‘At the Studienkolleg, I rediscovered my interest in the natural sciences and discovered the biotechnology programme at HAW Hamburg. I was particularly fascinated by the fact that biotechnology is an interdisciplinary science that combines biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science and process engineering.’
In 2018, Diana began her bachelor's degree in biotechnology at HAW Hamburg and then continued with an English-language master's degree in pharmaceutical biotechnology in 2024. She says the practical orientation of both programmes was a particular highlight and the labs brought the individual theory courses to life for her. ‘Although I am more of a theory person, I have acquired a great deal of hands-on expertise through the lab work,’ she says. ‘It has taught me to solve problems independently and to work on complex projects as part of a team.’
