Qinyu Pan
I’m Qinyu, and I’m from Hangzhou in China, which is a beautiful city where nature and the modern city perfectly combine. It also played host to the 2016 G20 Summit and 2023 Asian Games. I was raised in an open and democratic household which has made me an outgoing, creative and thoughtful person. I’m now completing my second master’s degree, the Master in International Development at IE University, where I’m exploring my passion for sustainability.
"I have always found my professional and academic inspiration in the societal and developmental issues I have witnessed firsthand."
A global citizen with a passion for sustainability
Qinyu is a truly global citizen. Having traveled and lived in more than 15 countries, mainly in Europe and Asia, she has always been inspired by the societal and developmental issues she sees firsthand, especially in urban contexts. This has had a direct impact on her studies and chosen career path, as she is now studying the Master in International Development at IE University.
Before coming to IE University, Qinyu studied for her first master’s degree in urban management with a focus on sustainable cities. In this program, she had the chance to truly discover her love for international development. For example, Qinyu served as an international volunteer in India to promote the protection of wildlife, and was also selected as a scholarship holder to work with the United Nations Development Program’s Denmark Global Shared Services Center (GSSC), as an operations intern.
These experiences helped Qinyu dive into the work of NGOs and better understand the complex relationships between private and public organizations. They also allowed her to discover her passion for sustainability and her desire to contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from both a private sector and NGO perspective.
“I am surprised by how much more I have learned than I expected.”
These achievements in her academic and professional career enabled her to identify the gaps in her knowledge and skill set that she would need to fill in order to attain her desired role. Qinyu knew she had to take an active role in projects that aimed to tackle sustainability issues, as well as improve her quantitative analysis and project partnership management skills. IE University’s Master in International Development allowed her to hone in on these gaps.
Qinyu is surprised at how much she has already learned at IE University. Aside from academic knowledge, she has also had the valuable opportunity to attend the MENA Climate Week 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as an IE University representative. There, she was exposed to many interesting topics about climate change and was able to expand her network by engaging in thought-provoking conversations with students from other prestigious universities across the world.
Looking back on her journey so far at IE University, Qinyu describes it as “intense but incredible with so many opportunities available to explore my potential.” Qinyu believes the Master in International Development is the perfect springboard to pursue a career in sustainability, providing her with the necessary skills, knowledge and contacts to achieve her goals. She would encourage any young talents who are determined to work toward the SDGs to consider the Master in International Development: “It’s an amazing program.”
