Shuhan Liu

Before IE University, I completed a Bachelor in International Relations and a Master in Israel Studies. Intrigued by the political complex in the Middle East, I spent a year living in Jerusalem to learn about and experience the dynamics of international conflicts. By practicing Hebrew and Arabic with local friends, different perspectives broadened my visions about peace-building and I longed to move to a global environment to gain even more ideas and experiences.

To that end, the diversity at IE University captured my interest. Located in Madrid, the university offers courses taught in English by lecturers from not only Europe but also the US, Canada, Colombia, Russia, Kenya, and more. I also noticed that the curriculum is designed with a combination of scholars and practitioners, so I was able to equip myself with both academic theories and practical knowledge. In addition, I wanted to better navigate my career path in the field of international development and peace-building, so IE University’s strong network with various IGOs and NGOs was ideal.

Diversity has also characterized my experience throughout the program. Entering a classroom full of talent, it’s a great joy to listen to the debates between my open-minded classmates, where discussions are imbued with a range of viewpoints—we are from more than 20 countries and different fields of study. Through these discussions, I have improved my language skills greatly and I have learned interesting details and expressions that are associated with other cultures. It’s also a pleasure to meet so many different personalities and to experience our distinctive perspectives come together in the challenging group projects. By respecting each other’s differences, we made our group projects shine bright.

“I wanted to better navigate my career path in the field of international development and peace-building, so IE University’s strong network with various IGOs and NGOs was ideal.”

Daily interactions have gradually united us students as a family, both inside and outside the classroom. One of my favorite memories was being invited for Christmas with my classmate and later seeing the entire class celebrating the Chinese New Year together. We shared food, cultures, and love, which made my experience at IE University full of warmth.

In the future, I hope to land a job in International Development. Consistent with my personal interests and skills in math and research, I want to become a data scientist in the development sphere to promote Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. To work towards that end, I am working as a research assistant at IE University to tackle terrorism, drugs, and political violence.

At the end of my journey as a student, I started reflecting on all the beautiful memories I had in the master’s program—even through the pandemic and all that came with it. We’ve really supported each other and I leave feeling like I have a new family.