WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

Transcription

1 WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? CAREER POSSIBILITIES AFTER YOUR MASTER MASTER INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

2 GENERAL INFORMATION The two year master programme International Development Studies focuses on the study of worldwide social transformation processes related to livelihoods, agro-food networks and the environment in a dynamic international context. Special attention is given to inclusion and exclusion processes, equity and unequal access to resources. Graduates of the programme are able to study social transformation processes independently in an integrated fashion, in a comparative perspective and at different levels (local, regional, national and international). The programme not only gives students a critical understanding of social transformation processes, but also teaches students to integrate and share their knowledge, include the diverging views of different stakeholders and work in multidisciplinary teams. 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Graduates are employed as researcher, trainer, consultant, advisor, communication advisor or policymaker in various (inter-)national organisations. You could work, for example, as a policymaker in a government or semi-governmental institute, as development expert in an international (non-) governmental organisation or (consultancy) company, or as a researcher and/or teacher at a university or research institute. On this page you find an overview of a survey based on the jobs of 137 graduates in The information was traced through LinkedIn and the internet in % of the Dutch graduates were stationed outside the Netherlands at the time of the survey. 30% Consultant, advisor or project coordinator in non-profit sector 18% Ph.D. position at a university 13% Researcher at a research institute or university 12% Policy maker in governmental institutions Graduate Employment 9% 8% Manager/consultant in private business/bank Freelance consultant 7% Trainer/coach in education centre 3% Other Tekst: Wageningen UR Ontwerp: Identim Foto s: Wageningen UR, Shutterstock (p6) More information on MSc International Development Studies website: [email protected]

3 HANNEKE LAM Market and Trade Economist NATURAL RESOURCES INSTITUTE, UNIVERSITY OF GREENWICH, UNITED KINGDOM Since her graduation, Hanneke Lam works at the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) as Market and Trade Economist. NRI provides research, consultancy, training and advisory services to support global food security, sustainable development and poverty reduction in developing countries. The position is versatile and I am involved in a wide range of research and consultancy projects related to rural development. I work, for example, on enhancing smallholders access to markets and integration in agricultural value chains, rural finance and farm risk management. Apart from providing advice on these subjects, I am also involved in project management and the development of research proposals. NRI has projects all over the world; the ones I am currently involved in are mainly in Africa. This means a lot of travelling, something I enjoy greatly. Over the past 2.5 years, I have had the opportunity to visit countries like Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone. We have a broad range of partners, I work closely with farmers organisations, ministries and other public sector organisations, research institutes, universities and with the private sector. The interdisciplinary research experience of exciting fieldwork, and the opportunity to build a network of contacts during her master thesis proved invaluable: This experience, in combination with the courses I took and Wageningen University s reputation gave me an advantage when I applied for my job as economist at the Natural Resources Institute in the UK. 3

4 JEROEN VERBURG Responsible Investment Manager SUSTAINALYTICS, THE NETHERLANDS I was fortunate to enter an organization that was at the start of a huge growth curve. Early 2009 we were with a team of 15. In more than 4 years this increased to a global company with 140+ colleagues working in specialized teams. Sustainalytics researches the sustainability performance of stock listed companies worldwide and provides insights to responsible investors. I started as an analyst, but quickly got involved in account management. Later I started to manage some of our larger research projects. Today I am responsible for 20 of our clients and also function as the manager for junior colleagues. I operate as a mentor, let them learn from my experience and plan their career development together with them. I am also involved in internal projects to improve efficiency of our daily operations and develop new solutions/services for our clients. I could have never foreseen that my work would develop as it did. I am in my third function and each role in the company has provided me with new challenges and satisfaction. Sustainable development has many facets to which I got a good introduction in Wageningen. I still find myself in discussions with clients on supply chains, their complexity and where the responsibility for companies lies. Think of child labour in cocoa production or the recent incidents in the garment industry in Bangladesh. I work in international teams every day, people with different nationalities and backgrounds and ways of working. Something the programme in Wageningen has prepared me for. 4

5 LOUKE KOOPMANS Management Trainer/ Consultant MDF TRAINING & CONSULTANCY, INDONESIA Louke Koopmans is Management Trainer / Consultant at MDF Training & Consultancy in Indonesia. MDF Training & Consultancy is a global training and consultancy agency in international development co-operation. After three years at MDF s head office in the Netherlands, Louke moved to Indonesia to work at MDF s regional office where she is project manager/trainer/consultant: This was a valuable change because I was closer to our clients (ranging from government, non-profit organizations to educational institutions) and working in a different environment also gave me more insight in cultural differences and challenges in project management. My job is very diverse, one week I give training in personal management skills or write proposals for the European Commission, NGOs, World Bank, while another week I fly to Bangkok in order to assist a UN institution in improving their knowledge management. This is what motivates me to work in a dynamic environment for a wide range of clients. Louke s thesis on monitoring and evaluating tourism projects in Vietnam was a rich experience. She learned useful theories and approaches, for example, network analysis which currently helps her manage projects in eastern Indonesia. According to Louke, her master was very helpful: it gave me insight in network theories and social development; that change processes (especially behaviour) need time and careful planning. If you want to make a change in communities or (local) government it is important to understand what they need, what their difficulties are and how they can contribute to make improvements. Once you understand the actual situation you are better able to plan your intervention. 5

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7 LUCKMORE JALISI Advisor Youth and Governance ACTIONAID, LIBERIA Luckmore Jalisi (from Zimbabwe) works as Youth and Governance Advisor at ActionAid, a position supported by ActionAid Denmark s People4Change programme, a people-to-people programme providing development support to partner organizations and institutions globally. People4Change promotes cross-national/international solidarity and innovative approaches for capacity development initiatives. Luckmore s job involves coaching and training of partner organizations and Liberian institutions for the provision of basic social services in post conflict Liberia. He supports youth development programmes and youth-centered post conflict development from the perspective of a human rights based approach, focusing on youth career development, mentoring & coaching, sexual and reproductive health & rights, youth employment and youth empowerment. He is also working on the development of monitoring & evaluation tools for governance and youth development work in Liberia. I have really benefitted from what I learnt in my studies at Wageningen University. The programme has opened doors for me. When working on projects, I am able to draw on the theoretical and practical framework that I have learnt during the study. The large pool of classmates whom I met while at Wageningen have helped me get the necessary contacts when doing work in their countries or related to their thesis research. Wageningen goes beyond education by creating a group of development specialists whom I am sure will make sound contributions to the field of international development. 7

8 ELISABETH GISH Alliance Officer NEXUS-CARBON FOR DEVELOPMENT, CAMBODIA Elisabeth Gish (from the U.S.) works as Alliance Officer at Nexus- Carbon for Development. Nexus-Carbon for Development is a cooperative of development organizations acting for a better world by identifying, educating, and enabling the poor to have a real and improved access to, and control over, energy and other natural resources and services. Elisabeth decided to look for a job outside the U.S. She had the good luck to land a paid internship in Cambodia at Nexus-Carbon for Development, where she has been employed since. On a typical workday, Elisabeth bicycles across Phnom Penh to the office and starts at 8 AM. She spends most of her time analysing survey data, doing fundraising research, and discussing projects with colleagues and staff at member and partner organizations around the world. Office hours end at 6 PM, but Elisabeth admits that she is rarely out on time. Elisabeth chose to follow the International Development Studies programme since it allowed her to combine her interests in development and the environment. During the programme, she focused on rural development sociology and did a minor in environmental policy. She has a tip for students: Make the most of your internship, because it provides you with practical experience. Develop your network and get out of Europe if you want to do international development work. Don t be afraid to get on a plane and just go! 8

9 EVELIEN RANSHUYSEN Trainee DUTCH MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, THE NETHERLANDS Her internship and thesis experience in Indonesia made Evelien Ranshuysen more interested in aquaculture and fisheries. She worked with shrimp farmers and cooperatives on Fairtrade certification of shrimp. After graduating, she worked as project assistant at the Ministry of Economic Affairs (topic: fisheries). The job brought her in contact with Dutch fishermen and their advisors (e.g. accountants and fishermen groups). Responsibilities included monitoring on-going projects that received national & European subsidies for sustainable fisheries projects. In four months she learned a lot. Even though her contract was prolonged, Evelien left the job because she was admitted to the two-year Dutch Government Rijkstraineeship for young graduates. Her experience abroad (internship and thesis) were important in the selection. The traineeship offers an opportunity to learn more about the role of policy officer (e.g. policy implementation). In her traineeship at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Directorate-General for Nature & Regional Policy, Evelien combines the knowledge obtained at Wageningen University with that of her previous job (environmental policy, sustainability, economics).the traineeship includes three different positions as a trainee within the government so that young graduates get to know different departments and really learn what it is like to be part of a policy-making team within government. When asked about her future dreams, Evelien says she is living it already. 9

10 MARIJE BROEKHUIJSEN WASH Officer (JPO) UNICEF, ETHIOPIA Marije Broekhuijsen has worked in CORDAID and also at CARE in the Phillipines. After that she got a job as Junior Programme Officer (JPO) with UNICEF, this time working as WASH Officer (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) in Ethiopia. I am really proud to be working with this organization because of the work it does for women and children. We do a lot of capacity building for governments who in turn implement activities. We also give a lot of technical advice and are strong in policy and advocacy. UNICEF provides long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries. Marije s job concerns management of both emergency and development projects, but also organising other activities and drafting policies and guidelines together with the government. She finds giving support to the emergency response especially exciting. For Marije it s been a great experience to discover the world of the UN and especially UNICEF, and of course the beautiful country of Ethiopia with its proud people, rich culture and amazing coffee. She enjoys the various learning opportunities within her job. My career went exactly as I had hoped and planned. I am very happy at the moment and will definitely stay with the organisation for the full 3 years. I do realize that I m very lucky to get this job. For the future she would like to explore the combination of WASH, Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change further. She does not see herself going back to the Netherlands soon: there is so much more to explore in the world! 10

11 MOKIT BILLAH Programme Officer EUROPEAN COMMISSION HUMANITARIAN AID AND CIVIL PROTECTION OFFICE (ECHO), BANGLADESH After his graduation Mokit Billah returned to his former employer ActionAid Bangladesh. After three years, he started his job with the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) field office in Bangladesh as Programme Officer. The EU is the world s biggest donor of humanitarian aid, ECHO coordinates all efforts for international cooperation, humanitarian aid and crisis response. In his job Mokit manages, coordinates and analyzes proposals submitted by different European NGOs, assesses local situations after any disaster in Bangladesh, monitors projects, analyses different reports submitted by partners and provides feedback and follow-up on project action plans. He helps disaster-affected and vulnerable communities (including climate refugees) to restore and rebuild their lives and livelihoods, focusing on diverse aspects: agriculture, water, sanitation, livelihoods, shelter, refugees, children, gender and ethnic populace, etc. In his master programme, Mokit focused on rural development sociology, also taking courses in disaster studies, anthropology, sociology, and gender studies. In his master thesis, he studied people s survival strategies in coping with vulnerability and the challenges they face from regular hazards and disasters. Thanks to my master I am confident enough to do work in any part of the globe, I made friends and studied with students from all over the world. This has enabled me to work in a multi-cultural environment. I would like to do a PhD in Disaster Studies in the future and also directly work in other countries besides Bangladesh. 11

12 NYNKE DOUMA Owner WHYZE COMMUNICATIONS AND RESEARCH, THE NETHERLANDS Nynke Douma started her own business, Whyze Communications and Research, where she uses her expertise and experience for communications and research ends. Whyze is specialized in international development, peace building, Africa and the role of media during and after violent conflicts. In the documentary Weapon of War the perpetrators of sexual violence in Congo tell their story. The documentary won the prestigious Gouden Kalf Award in the Netherlands in October Nynke worked as field producer on this impressive film: I worked intensively with the directors. We wanted to know what motivated Congolese rebels and armed forces to rape women. Sexual violence is used as a weapon of war. Drug use, superstitious beliefs, war tactics and the absence of a functioning judicial system make the boundary between good and evil quite murky. The perpetrators of rape are certainly at fault, but the film looks beyond that to also show their strength and determination. They are willing to admit to their mistakes and start their life again. Nynke followed courses about communication, conflict, natural disasters and humanitarian aid. She combined her interests in communication, media and development issues. For her thesis research, Nynke went to Uganda for 7 months to do research on how local radio stations can stimulate peace-processes in Sudan. Her unique combination of this study programme at Wageningen University with her talent for journalism has helped her get to where she is. 12

13 KAREN STEHOUWER Programme Officer Disaster Risk Reduction Department CORDAID, THE NETHERLANDS Two months after graduation Karen started her job as Financial Officer at CORDAID, one of the largest development organizations in the Netherlands supporting those who suffer the consequences of poverty, exclusion and injustice. She was responsible for the financial management of reconstruction & reconciliation projects in Colombia and Haiti. She assessed funding proposals, monitored the implementation and financial accounting of projects and supported local organizations in financial management capacity. After 3.5 years, Karen got the chance to become Programme Officer at the Disaster Risk Reduction department of CORDAID. As a Programme Officer Karen cooperates with local organizations to support their activities as facilitators of development at community level in Uganda and Ethiopia. The local situation is the starting point for developing programmes that aim to increase the resilience of local communities. She analyzes local risks, threats, vulnerabilities and capacities; assesses proposals; monitors and evaluates implemented projects; reports to donors; develops programmes in collaboration with local organizations; engages in local capacity building and is responsible for public communication. Her office is based at CORDAID headquarters in the Hague, but she travels to every country within her portfolio once or twice a year which adds up to 4-6 weeks in the field each year. I m still very happy with my decision to study International Development Studies in Wageningen. I found the study very rich in content and it has given me a strong background on the economic side of development issues. For the future Karen hopes to move into the arena of policy making, developing programmes and advising within development cooperation. 13

14 FRED KODZO AYIFLI Projects Manager KUMASI INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT (KITE), GHANA Fred Kodzo Ayifli did his thesis in Mexico where he explored the linkages between food security and the increased use of maize for biofuels. After graduation, he joined Equalinrights, an NGO in the Hague as Project Officer. Fred facilitated linkages between communities and led the documentation of innovative rights-based development practices in both Kenya and India. During his field visits to Kenya, he co-facilitated workshops for development and human rights practitioners. Fred works as Projects Manager with the Kumasi Institute of Technology, Energy and Environment (KITE) - an energy and environment development organization based in Ghana. As a Projects Manager, Fred works on the development of new projects related to energy and environment and manages donor-client relationships. One of the projects is a World Bank sponsored project to develop an ICT platform to support transparency and accountability within the oil and gas sector in Ghana. This, as well as other related projects draw heavily on his acquired knowledge in Wageningen about the use of communication as a tool; but also the enhanced understanding of the role technology plays in development. Fred provides technical leadership to project team members. What Fred finds very rewarding about his job is how the projects he works on positively affect the daily lives of community members. Alongside his full-time job, Fred is now working on a PhD with the Public Administration and Policy group at Wageningen University. 14

15 PAULA NOVO PhD candidate Institutional Economics of Water Resources in Nicaragua TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MADRID, SPAIN After her master, Paula Novo continued with a PhD on environmental economics and policy at the Technical University of Madrid. Her interest in collective/community-based natural resource management motivated her to do a PhD on the institutional economics of water resources in Nicaragua. The objective of her research is to improve the understanding of water reforms implementation at national and local levels in the context of a developing country. She analysed the implementation of the new Nicaraguan Water Law at the national level and studied collective action in irrigation at a local level in Nicaragua (and more superficially in Suriname). At the individual level, her research focused on analysing the role of social capital on collective irrigation and the effect of pro-social preferences and information disclosure in common pool resources and public goods framed as an irrigation game. The research took place within a development programme of a Spanish and a local NGO. Paula s PhD is based on applied research using primary data from the field. Her job has different tasks, ranging from carrying out literature reviews to implementing surveys, focus groups and economic experiments in the field. She spends approximately three quarters of the time in the office and the rest in the field. Paula will defend her PhD thesis soon and has very recently taken a position as Environmental Economist at The James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen (UK). The James Hutton Institute does interdisciplinary research on land, crops, water and the environment. 15

16 BAS BOLMAN Programme Manager IMARES WAGENINGEN UR, THE NETHERLANDS Bas Bolman became conference coordinator at MARE Centre for Maritime Research at the University of Amsterdam in In the same year he was hired as process coordinator at the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. He left the ministry in 2010 and started his current job at IMARES Wageningen UR, an institute for marine ecological research to acquire knowledge of and give advice about sustainable management and use of marine and coastal areas. Bas started as Project Leader and has been Programme Manager since Most of his time is spent on business development, coordination and low profile management. His main responsibility is coordination of the Arctic Programme, which aims to develop tools for reducing environmental impacts of Arctic operations such as oil and gas, shipping, fisheries and harbour development. His job includes coordination between the involved institutes of Wageningen UR, acquiring new projects, undertaking business missions in the Arctic and visiting conferences. He also contributes to Arctic research on geopolitics, cross-border marine governance and multi-stakeholder analysis. During his studies, Bas learned about different stakeholders and interests, how to involve them in the early stages of projects in order to create legitimacy and ownership during the project. The interdisciplinary focus in his specialization Communication, Technology and Policy in Wageningen helped him connect and fine-tune with a variety of stakeholders. Given his interest in seas and oceans, and the profiling courses on marine resource management that he did, this job is a logical choice for him. 16

17 VERA ESPINDOLA RAFAEL Field Officer for Latin America UTZ CERTIFIED, COSTA RICA After graduating, Vera started working for UTZ Certified and has been employed here for six years now. Vera found the job position at UTZ Certified through a Dutch job database. UTZ Certified stands for sustainable farming and better opportunities for farmers, their families and our planet. The UTZ program enables farmers to learn better farming methods, improve working conditions and take better care of their children and the environment. Having started as a Standard and Certification Coordinator at UTZ head office in Amsterdam, Vera switched position in 2011 to Field Officer for Latin America, and is based in Costa Rica since October This allows her to be closer to the partner organizations as well as the members of the UTZ programme : I travel in the region around 50% of my time and visit the head office every 3 months for a duration of 3 to 4 weeks. Vera oversees the field activities in Latin America for the UTZ coffee, cocoa and tea programme where she works on the up-scaling of the programme with international and local partners, defines and coordinates the processes and monitors projects in the region: I am in daily contact with the head office as well as with our member organizations, together with our field partners, we broaden the implementation capacity. Her knowledge in development economics gained during her master helped to start Vera s working career at UTZ Certified. 17

18 WINNIE WAIRIMU PhD candidate Humanitarian Aid and Reconstruction WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY, THE NETHERLANDS Winnie s PhD is part of the IS Academy on Human Security in Fragile States a collaborative programme between five Dutch NGOs and the Stabilisation and Humanitarian Aid Department of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The aim is to better understand socio-economic processes and the roles of formal and informal institutions in conditions of state fragility. The Humanitarian Aid and Reconstruction department of Wageningen University provides the academic direction and overall coordination. I am hosted by ZOA in the Netherlands and in Northern Uganda. My research falls within the framework of interactive research (collaborative research practices shaped through dialogue and interactions between researcher, staff from aid agencies and/or community that is studied). My specific topic is about food security and rebuilding livelihoods in a fragile and conflict affected community in Northern Uganda. Some of my findings point to the difficulty of rebuilding livelihoods amidst structural changes occurring in communities and a context where the focus has been on displacement as the major crisis per se. In her master, Winnie followed the Sociology of Development specialization and also did a minor in Conflict and Disaster Studies. Her interest in issues relating to conflict and disaster have crystallized further when she decided to do a PhD. During her PhD Winnie also spent time at the Dutch embassy in Kampala where she co-coordinated a review of development programmes and projects. Winnie is finalizing her PhD and will submit her thesis early

19 ROB KUIPERS Researcher DUTCH MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, POLICY AND OPERATIONS EVALUATION DEPARTMENT, THE NETHERLANDS Rob Kuipers knowledge of econometrics and other research methods helped him get an internship in Uganda where he evaluated an education project, and in turn this exact experience became crucial in finding a job. While writing his thesis, Rob received a job description for a research at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The research was to evaluate the Dutch Food Security budget, a topic Rob got interested in during his master s. He evaluates Dutch policies and activities with regard to global food security, and measures the impact of implemented projects. Rob is preparing a baseline study on country and household level to assess the impact of Dutch interventions on household food insecurity and child malnutrition. This is to measure the impact of the Food Security Budget of in the Dutch partner countries, in particular Bangladesh, Rwanda, Uganda and Ethiopia. His daily activities include reviewing food insecurity indicators, determining appropriate sample sizes and budgeting field studies, analysing project documents and organising tender procedures to contract consultants that will help collect field data in order to evaluate the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of the Food Security programme. Field visits are also part of the job, to get a feeling for the local context. Within the specialization Economics of Development, Rob took optional courses in food security and in sustainable food production and consumption. This focus on the theme of food security has equipped him well for his job. 19

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