Radhika Joshi
Although I’m from India, I consider myself to be a global citizen. My father was in the Merchant Navy while I was growing up and I had the chance to sail with him across the world. My family lived in Singapore for a bit when I was younger and they’re now based in Dubai. I was lucky enough to attend some of India’s best boarding schools for girls from the age of nine, where I had the time of my life. When I finished school, I was accepted at my first-choice university in Singapore to study economics—a dream come true! After graduating, I worked in fintech and asset and wealth management but my heart has always been in sustainable development, which is what brought me to IE University.
“IE University is really interested in the well-being of students, and offers all the tools for us to achieve our personal and professional goals.”
The chance to make a difference
Growing up with a father in the Navy and having the chance to sail with him to different parts of the world gave Radhika a deep and abiding love of the ocean and a feel for travel. After many happy years at boarding school in India, she moved to Singapore to study economics, where she gave swimming classes to children in her free time. That chance to make a difference in a child’s life was incredibly fulfilling and got her thinking about the future. Despite enjoying her work in fintech and asset management in Singapore, Radhika had always been interested in sustainable development and how to support marginalized communities. She began to wonder how she could make the move to work somewhere she could create lasting impact and change.
The chance to study the Master in International Development at IE University came just at the right time. Radhika had always been interested in helping others achieve their full potential. In India she worked on social projects with marginalized communities, focusing on creating educational opportunities and the chance for people to improve their lives. Radhika even founded her own social enterprise in India to support rural artisans. The aim of the project was to use education to bridge the gap between privileged children and poorer children in rural areas. With Radhika’s connections to Singapore, the artisans were able to sell their products there for a higher profit and generate income during the difficult times caused by the global pandemic.
Although she enjoyed the challenge of working in finance, Radhika realized that it wasn’t adding value to her life. She wanted to do something that would make a difference and help communities grow and improve in a more sustainable way. Much like the satisfaction she got from teaching children to swim, Radhika felt there must be a way to harness her interests and abilities. The Master in International Development at IE University was the perfect match for this growing passion for sustainable development and her search for change.
“IE University was everything I wanted and more.”
One of the things that attracted Radhika to IE University and the Master in International Development was the chance that it offered to work with international organizations like the United Nations as part of the course. The Master in International Development program is built around the 5 Ps as defined by the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership. IE University professors and experts have worked with the United Nations System Staff College to design the curriculum around these five principles.
This international focus and wealth of experience made IE University the perfect place for an ambitious person like Radhika. It was a natural step for someone with Radhika’s desire to make a positive change in the world as it would give her the skills and expertise to create positive global results. She knew her ambition to work for sustainable prosperity around the world could find a home in this unique program.
Radhika has thoroughly enjoyed what she has learned in the course so far. Another aspect she has found really satisfying is the sense of community as she could see she wasn’t the only one with this passion for sustainable development. She’s been amazed by how much she has in common with the other students, as well as by the diversity of the student cohort. This diversity means students learn from people from all walks of life, but she feels they all connect on a deep level because of their shared purpose.
Radhika isn’t yet sure what exact path she will take after graduation but the Master in International Development has been just what she was looking for—everything she wanted and more. With her passion for making the world a better place, Radhika feels she has found the perfect stepping stone to a career in sustainable development. We wish her all the best for wherever the future takes her!
