FEB Ambassador Spotlight: Maira Salazar (Brazil)
After studying communications in Portugal and Spain, Maira Salazar realised that her favourite courses had nothing to do with the field. During a visit to Belgium she therefore looked into KU Leuven’s programmes for something with maths, some quantitative sciences and economics. The Business Engineering programme put her on the right track. Today she works on the French-Swiss border as a software engineer at CERN.
“I am originally from Brazil but during high school, I also spent time in Canada, where I completed the International Baccalaureate with a focus on chemistry and mathematics. After that, I studied Communication Sciences in Portugal and had a nice Erasmus exchange in Spain as part of that bachelor’s programme.”
“However, by the time I obtained my bachelor’s degree, I realised that I did not want to continue in the field of communication. During my studies, I had introductory courses in programming and economics, and those were the subjects I enjoyed most. I missed working with numbers and wanted something that would allow me to combine more quantitative skills with a broader understanding of business.”
“In Brussels, I liked the exposure to people from all over the world.”
The right mix
“So after graduating in 2020 and while trying to figure out my future path, I visited my boyfriend at the time. He was Belgian and had had the best experience studying at KU Leuven, so I looked into its programmes. The Bachelor of Business Engineering stood out because it offered a balance between mathematics, some science and programming and economics and business. For me, it felt like the right mix, especially since earlier in my studies I had been unsure whether to follow a more scientific or a more liberal‑arts‑oriented path.”
“I started the Bachelor of Business Engineering in September 2020 as part of the first English‑taught cohort. I studied both at KU Leuven’s Brussels campus and at UCLouvain Saint‑Louis Bruxelles. After graduating from that bachelor in 2023, I continued with the Master of Information Management in Leuven.”
“Once in Brussels, I liked the exposure to people from all over the world. In Portugal, my main contacts had been Portuguese and from the local Brazilian community. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, classes soon went online and then alternated between online and on‑campus settings. Nevertheless, I felt everything was handled very well given the circumstances. Communication was clear, and there was flexibility for students who needed or preferred to stay online. Whether online or on campus, the Business Engineering programme involved a lot of group work, requiring meetings after class and helping to build connections.”
“For students considering the programme I would recommend to prepare a bit before the start of the academic year, particularly for maths.”
Very demanding
“What also helped was the sense of solidarity among students. We shared notes and supported each other through group chats. Because we were all going through the same unusual situation, we adapted together quite quickly. That shared experience helped create strong bonds, especially during the first year.”
“Academically, the Business Engineering programme is demanding, particularly in the first year. The mathematical level is high, and the transition to a more self‑directed way of studying requires discipline and organisation. You need to keep up with classes and tasks and not wait until the study and exam period starts.”
“For students considering the programme I would recommend to prepare a bit before the start of the academic year, particularly for maths. The first year is always the hardest, but there are a lot of resources on the website that can make your life easier and help you get through that first semester. And remember: it gets better in the next years!”
“Also: celebrate your accomplishments. My way of dealing with the hardship of the exams was to treat myself to a delicious waffle after each exam. Find something to treat yourself after a win. There are plenty of delicious Belgian options, like waffles, fries or chocolate.”
“While studying Business Engineering, I did freelance work managing social media and writing articles.”
Master of Information Management
“Some of my favourite courses were the introduction to programming with Python and the accounting courses. Accounting was completely new to me and helped me better understand how companies function. Programming was challenging but I loved it: this was clearly the direction I wanted to explore further. Hence, I already took optional courses from the Master of Information Management, such as database management and some in object-oriented programming. The skills and foundations I took away from those, I pretty much use every day.”
“During the Master of Information Management I added more knowledge of modelling, software architecture, data science, and artificial intelligence. I was very fond of Requirements Engineering and Domain Modelling because of the course’s structured approach. The foundations it taught are essential in any kind of software development or engineering, as they help you understand the architecture of things and how to model them. Super interesting!”
“Even if it is not a purely technical master, it provides strong conceptual foundations that I still use in my professional life. When working with different tools or programming languages, the underlying principles remain the same. Skills such as programming logic, database management, system architecture, and modelling are transferable and help me to tackle new challenges.”
“Since I already did a lot of extracurricular activities during my three-year bachelor’s in Portugal, I focussed more on gaining professional experience after arriving in Belgium. While studying Business Engineering, I did freelance work managing social media and writing articles. A lot of that touched on project management. I liked the mix and it was a good way to solidify my experiences. Due to COVID, it was also the right time to work online.”
“I decided to combine a full‑time job with a one‑year master’s programme. This required careful planning but the flexibility of the programme, made it possible.”
Odoo
“While doing my master’s degree, I also started working full-time as a software developer at Odoo. I had been applying intensively for a job after my bachelor’s because I was not sure whether I would immediately start the master’s programme. When I got accepted for both the master’s and at Odoo, I decided to combine a full‑time job with a one‑year master’s programme. This required careful planning and discipline but the flexibility of the programme, including recorded lectures and understanding around exam periods, made it possible. I kept living and working in Brussels and went to Leuven mainly for projects and practical classes.”
“Working at Odoo was exciting. The Belgian software company develops a broad range of business applications for small and medium‑sized enterprises. Its offering is similar to the way SAP provides ERP products for big organisations, but with a very low entrance barrier. I liked the scale-up and highly international environment, with colleagues from many different countries and backgrounds. People are not hired solely based on having a computer science degree. As long as you have the skills, motivation, and ability to learn, you are given opportunities. That creates a very open and stimulating atmosphere.”
“Odoo also has a strong sense of community. Because of its open‑source model there are contributors from outside the company, and once a year there is a large international event where developers, partners, and contributors from all over the world come together to share what they have built. Being part of that was quite motivating.”
“In early 2026 I moved to the Swiss–French border region to start working as a software engineer at CERN, the European Council for Nuclear Research.”
CERN
“Today I am living in France. In early 2026 I moved to the Swiss–French border region to start working as a software engineer at CERN, the European Council for Nuclear Research. After a holiday in Switzerland, my boyfriend and I looked into the possibilities of working and living there. My current position is part of an early‑career programme for professionals with limited work experience from member or associate member states. I feel lucky that Brazil officially became an associate member in 2024!”
“My current job is quite similar to what I did at Odoo and way more exciting than I expected. I am part of a team that works on digital infrastructure to support open research and knowledge sharing. Our goal is to make it easier for scientists and researchers to share their work and make it more accessible.”
“I am learning every single day and not just professionally and technically. The strong sense of purpose really stands out at CERN. People are proud of their work and of contributing to advance knowledge and research - something that serves the broader public interest. CERN is also a very international environment, with people coming and going from all over the world. That is inspiring and sometimes also sad, because of the goodbyes, but it feels great to work on something positive.”
“Leaving Belgium was hard as well because after five years, it really felt like home, and I love Brussels. I have a fixed‑term contract so I could return when it ends, but for now I remain open to where the future will lead me.”
Veerle De Grauwe