Making meaningful change with the Master in International Development: an alumni’s perspective

4 min read

The IE School of Global and Public Affairs has joined forces with the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) to create the Master in International Development. This impactful program provides world-class training for ambitious change-makers who want to work closely with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Julie Krols, business development associate at Salesforce

First off, let’s meet Julie. A naturally empathetic person, she became increasingly concerned about unjustified discrimination, inequality and environmental issues during her first master’s at the University of Antwerp. As such, it’s no surprise that her future goals and values aligned with the Master in International Development, which she started in 2019.

The practical aspects of the Master in International Development also played a huge part in the shaping of her future career plans, including the Capstone Project and the IE School of Global and Public Affairs’ collaboration with the UNSSC. She also credits her professional career to conversations with her peers, career coach and faculty during her time with us.

Since graduating, Julie has used the practical skills and wealth of knowledge gained through the program to complete a traineeship with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships before joining Salesforce in Dublin. In her current role as business development associate, she leverages the knowledge gained through working on real cases that were based on her professors’ personal experiences—the perfect preparation for her current position.

As for the future, Julie has big plans in the pipeline. She would like to close the gap between the public and private sector and contribute towards making the world a better place.

Paula de Blas González, UNSSC associate fellow

Paula is a global citizen, having lived in six different countries. She’s deeply passionate about global affairs and inclusive education. Completing the Master in International Development impacted her in many ways, and she found that she grew a lot both personally and professionally. Upon graduating, Paula’s involvement in the Capstone Project led to her and her team being hired as consultants to launch the project.

She is currently a valuable part of the UNSSC Knowledge Center for Leadership and Management (KCLM) where she participates in different learning programs, largely focusing on the UN Innovation Toolkit and its rollout.

Moving forward, Paula will remain a valuable asset and advocate for education for all, with doors opening for her in the field of innovation. With the solid foundation of her academic achievements built at IE University, she will continue to carry the lessons and skills she gained with us and apply them to her current and future positions, from delegation and decision-making to social innovation.

Andrew Moorman, student consultant at the International Fact-Checking Network

Originally hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, Andrew decided to pursue his master’s degree with us to gain a fresh, global perspective and to advance his career prospects while immersing himself in a new culture. Despite being the youngest student in his cohort with a very different professional background to his peers, his unique experiences enabled him to contribute positively to the classroom by offering a practical perspective on projects.

Looking forward, he hopes to work in international security, combining his passions and educational background to “promote global security.” As for where he would like to work, Andrew is now looking for positions in Europe while currently bolstering his professional career as a student consultant with the International Fact-Checking Network.

Since completing the Master in International Development, we can certainly say that Andrew is now a certified global citizen. Through his master’s program, he has gained invaluable knowledge and skills that will continue to offer him exciting opportunities, long into his professional future.

Maxime Le Lijour, communications intern at UNICEF

Born in Italy with French heritage, Maxime has always wanted to explore the world. His roots have been firmly planted in activism for a long time, so when he found out about the Master in International Development, it was a no-brainer.

Above all, Maxime says he chose IE University for its “professional orientation and global network” which allowed him to immerse himself into an international environment that values diversity and enriching its students. During his time with us, he was the vice president of the IE Global Transformation Club and the sustainability ambassador of the IE Tourism Industry Club, two responsibilities that helped enhance his academic and professional profile.

There, he contributes to UNICEF’s migrant and refugee response in Italy by preparing, implementing, monitoring and reporting on visibility and communication plans. And in the long term, his aspirations can be summed up in a few words: he wants to help people by continuing his work as an activist on a larger scale. With his master’s degree behind him, this brings him one step closer to this goal.

It’s your turn to reach new heights

Now that you’ve met some of our talented alumni, you have seen how the Master in International Development doesn’t only help our students become truly global citizens, but it can directly lead to exciting opportunities.